The War On Terror. The Lasting Effects of Burn Pits.
Russia Is A Terrorist State: Part 2 (2000s)
The War On Terror. The Lasting Effects of Burn Pits.
“U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard Carmichael, with the Warfighter Express Services Team assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 2, disposes of trash at the burn pit at Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 6, 2013. The team visited remote patrol bases and forward operating bases throughout the province to provide supplies, cash and postal services to deployed U.S. Service members” under public domain by defenseimagery.mil.
Burn pits are open-air pits that were used by the US military to dispose of all kinds of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan. These included, but were not limited to, medical waste, human feces, plastics, batteries, tires, and vehicles. The use of burn pits was largely unregulated, and the waste was simply lit on fire with jet fuel. Burn pits were used to dispose of waste at every US military base in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands of veterans and contractors who were exposed to the toxic smoke and fumes from these pits have been diagnosed with serious respiratory and other illnesses, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, leukemia, lymphoma, and neurological damage, among others.
The first public mention of the burn pits occurred in December 2008 when an article in France 24 reported that soldiers stationed at Joint Base Balad in Iraq were experiencing respiratory problems, coughing, and other health problems from inhaling smoke from the burn pits. By March 2009, the Huffington Post published an article titled "Leukemia: A Soldier's Souvenir From the Burn Pits of Iraq," which described how many soldiers were developing cancer after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. By April 2009, a group of veterans had filed a lawsuit against KBR and Halliburton, the contractors responsible for the burn pits.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began investigating the effects of burn pits on veterans in March 2009, and President Obama addressed the issue in August of that year, saying that burn pits would not become another Agent Orange. The VA created a registry for veterans who had been exposed to burn pits and urged them to register. The VA also established a research center to study the long-term health effects of burn pit exposure on veterans.
The use of burn pits was not only harmful to veterans but also to the environment. The burning of hazardous materials in burn pits caused pollution of the air and water in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US military has been criticized for violating environmental laws and agreements by burning waste in the burn pits. The Christian Science Monitor reported in October 2009 that a US military contractor was burning recyclables, violating its contract. The military has also been criticized for not adequately testing the air quality in Iraq and Afghanistan and not providing adequate protective gear to soldiers and contractors.
In 2010, a study found that respiratory illnesses were higher near the Balad burn pit, and the Military Times reported that burn pits could cause long-term damage to troops. In 2011, ABC News reported that the evidence linking burn pits to unhealthy conditions was "inconclusive." However, in 2012, a study showed that combat burn pits ruin immune systems, and in 2013, the Washington Post faulted the US military for the use of burn pits. That same year, the RAND Corporation reported that contractors who worked in conflict zones suffered high rates of PTSD, depression, and got little help.
“Senior Airman Frances Gavalis, 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron equipment manager, tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit, March 10. Military uniform items turned in must be burned to ensure they cannot be used by opposing forces. Airman Gavalis is deployed from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)” under public domain by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter with United States Air Force ID 080310-F-5957S-013.
In 2014, CBS News reported that veterans were pointing to open-air burn pits as the new Agent Orange, and the Guardian reported that US military burn pits were built on chemical weapons facilities tied to soldiers' illness. In 2015, NPR reported that veterans said burn pits created toxic clouds that made them sick, and in 2016, the Daily Beast reported that garbage burn pits from Iraq were causing lung disease in veterans. By 2018, the Army Times reported that burn pits downrange caused lung disease in service members, and the New York Times reported that veterans were going back to court over burn pits. In 2019, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from veterans in a burn pit lawsuit against KBR and Halliburton.
Service members who were exposed to burn pit smoke have reported a variety of health issues, including respiratory problems, cancers, and neurological disorders. For over a decade, veterans and their advocates have been pushing for the recognition of the health effects caused by burn pits, which were used by the military to dispose of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan. These burn pits emitted toxic fumes that caused respiratory problems, cancer, and other illnesses among service members. The PACT Act is to improve the safety and quality of life for military service members by addressing the issue of burn pits. The PACT Act is an important step toward providing support for those affected by burn pit exposure and improving the DoD’s understanding of the long-term health effects. While the act does not provide compensation for those affected by burn pits, it is a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to address the issue.
The 2022 PACT Act was signed into law by President Biden, requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a burn pit registry for service members who may have been exposed to toxic fumes from burn pits and to develop a plan to phase out the use of burn pits. The registry will be used to identify and track individuals who have been exposed to burn pits, as well as to help the DoD better understand the long-term health effects associated with burn pit exposure. The act also requires the DoD to develop a standardized questionnaire for service members to document their exposure and to establish a protocol for medical evaluations of exposed service members. Additionally, the act provides funding for research into the health effects of burn pit exposure, including respiratory illnesses, neurological conditions, and cancer. Despite these efforts, some veterans have continued to experience health problems related to burn pit exposure, and lawsuits against military contractors KBR and Halliburton have been unsuccessful in holding them accountable for their use of burn pits.
In conclusion, the toll of burn pits used in the War on Terror is a devastating story of neglect and indifference towards the health and well-being of military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the overwhelming evidence of the harm caused by these burn pits, the government and private contractors responsible for their use have been slow to take action and provide support to affected veterans. As a result, many soldiers and contractors have suffered from a range of respiratory illnesses, cancers, and other serious health problems. While some progress has been made in recent years, much more needs to be done to ensure that those who were exposed to burn pits receive the care and compensation they deserve. This issue is a reminder of the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions and decisions, especially when it comes to the lives and well-being of our military personnel.
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on March 29, 2023
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Next: The War On Terror. Bringing Terror Home with PTSD.
Putin Is A War Criminal
Russia Is A Terrorist State:
Part 1 (1990s)
Part 2 (2000s)
Part 3 (2011 - 2016)
Part 4 (2016 - 2019)
Part 5 (2020 - 2021)
Part 6: (2022+)
Sources for The War On Terror. Lasting Effects of Burn Pits.
Sick soldiers point finger at US contractor - France 24 December 18, 2008
Leukemia: A Soldiers Souvenir From the Burn Pits of Iraq - Huffington Post March 6, 2009
VA to look into effects of 'burn pits' on veterans - CNN March 17, 2009
KBR, Halliburton sued over war-zone’s toxic burn pits - Grist June 9, 2009
Army doctors link soldier’s lung disease to Iraq burn pits - Military Times July 6, 2009
Obama says burn pits won't become another Agent Orange - Stars and Stripes August 4, 2009
Enduring War and 'Witch's Brew of Toxic Chemicals' - ABC News October 8, 2009
Families, DOD spar over dangers of burn pit smoke - Stars and Stripes November 6, 2009
Military: Burn pits could cause long-term damage to troops - CNN December 18, 2009
Balad’s ill wind - Military Times January 25, 2010
The 'Burn Pits' Of Iraq And Afghanistan - NPR January 31, 2010
DoD concedes rise in burn-pit ailments - Military Times February 8, 2010
The Other Burn Pits - Mother Jones March 17, 2020
"IRAQ: An Environmental Cesspool" - Huffington Post May 1, 2010
Study: Respiratory illnesses higher near infamous Balad burn pit - Stars and Stripes July 1, 2010
Veterans Sound Alarm Over Burn-Pit Exposure - The New York Times August 6, 2010
Military burn pits harm soldiers, environment - ZDNET October 17, 2010
Military Burn Pits: 'Inconclusive' Evidence It Is Unhealthy - ABC News October 31, 2011
Combat 'Burn Pits' Ruin Immune Systems, Study Shows - WIRED May 23, 2012
U.S. military faulted for burn-pit use - The Washington Post April 25, 2013
Occupational Lung Diseases among Soldiers Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan - NIH PubMed May 22, 2013
Study: Iraq War Veterans Sickened By Camp Victory Dust - kpbs June 2, 2014
Vets may sign up for registry after dust, smoke exposure - USA Today June 23, 2014
Iraq War Vet Lived to See Birth of 'Burn Pit' Registry for Ill Troops - NBC News July 8, 2014
Photo essay: The burn pits of Iraq and Afghanistan - PBS NewsHour November 17, 2014
Former VA official: Burn pits could be the new Agent Orange - Al Jazeera America December 3, 2014
Did Exposure To Burn Pits Cause Veterans’ Mysterious Ailments? - NPR December 29, 2014
Veterans Say 'Burn Pits' Created Toxic Clouds That Made Them Sick - NPR December 18, 2015
You Will Find This Iraq War Story Very Hard to Stomach - Esquire February 19, 2016
10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BURN PITS - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs August 3, 2016
Iraq Vets Are Becoming Terminally Ill and Burn Pits May Be to Blame - Military.com April 4, 2018
Veterans Go Back to Court Over Burn Pits. Do They Have a Chance? - The New York Times May 17, 2018
Garbage Burn Pits From Iraq Are Causing Lung Disease in Vets - Daily Beast August 2, 2018
From Service to Sick: The Effects of Veterans' Exposure to Burn Pits - NBC 10 Boston March 19, 2019
Thousands of veterans fear "burn pits" exposed them to lethal disease - CBS News August 17, 2019
Veterans face uphill battle to receive treatment for 'burn pit' exposure - NBC News April 12, 2021
Dying veteran targets burn pits as source of cancer - wtap NBC June 22, 2021
What Are Toxic Burn Pits? Flower Mound Veteran Shares Experience - NBC 5 DFW March 8, 2022
Burn pits: Behind the 'silent killer' ignored by the U.S. government for years - wbur March 10, 2022
Senate OKs enhanced benefits for vets exposed to burn pits - AP News June 16, 2022
Military Burn Pits and Cancer Risk - American Cancer Association July 29, 2022
One Iraq war veteran’s fight for burn pit victims ends in success - Oregon Live August 10, 2022
What Are Burn Pits, and How Did They Harm U.S. Troops? - The New York Times August 11, 2022
What is the legacy of burn pits? For some Iraqis, it's a lifetime of problems - NPR August 12, 2022
The US must compensate burn pit victims in Iraq too | Opinion - Al Jazeera August 17, 2022
Iraq/Afghanistan war lung injury reflects burn pits exposure - NIH PubMed August 29, 2022
Iraq/Afghanistan war lung injury reflects burn pits exposure - nature August 29, 2022
What does the US owe Iraq for the military’s toxic burn pits? - Al Jazeera March 20, 2023