As burn pit problems linger, advocates worry VA and DoD are moving too slow

[rangerrebew]

As burn pit problems linger, advocates worry VA and DoD are moving too slow
By: Leo Shane III   2 days ago
 

WASHINGTON — Advocates for veterans exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan say federal response to the problem is too slow, too incomplete and sadly too late for thousands of troops succumbing to fatal diseases.

That’s despite more than a decade of research into the health effects and lawsuits over troops’ exposure to burning contaminants.

“When I went to the doctor and complained about chest pains, she told me ‘Well, you’re too young to have any type of chest complications,’” said Carlos Fuentes, director of VFW’s National Legislative Service and a Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan’s Helmand province in 2009.

https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2018/06/07/as-burn-pit-problems-linger-advocates-worry-va-and-dod-are-moving-too-slow/

[Suppressed]

In active combat operations, shortcuts might be becessary. But the military is horrible about how it treats troops and the environment.

[TomSea]

Most of those trying to call attention to this problem just want the vets out there to get decent healthcare, that aside, from all of those who have died.

A month ago, veterans asked for some lawsuits to be reinstated against those running the pits and some of those seem to be contractors. http://newsok.com/article/feed/2175877/veterans-seek-reinstatement-of-lawsuits-over-open-burn-pits

All concerned just need a fair hearing of all of these problems.  It really seems like it should be a bigger story than is reported.