Veteran’s Family Blames Cancer Death on Army Burn Pits

[unhappycamper]

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Veterans-Family-Blames-Cancer-Death-on-Army-Burn-Pits-175852531.html

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Kristi Casteel stands next to a portrait of her late son Joshua Casteel at her in Cedar Rapids on Tueday, October 2, 2012. The photo was taken in 2006 or 2007 while Joshua spoke with peace activist Jim Forest. Joshua's experience serving as an interrogator at Abu Graib in Iraq led him to becoming a conscientious objector and a outspoke peace activist upon his return to the US. The 32-year-old died of adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer, which his family believes my have been caused by burn pits used by the Army to dispose of waste in Iraq.


Veteran’s Family Blames Cancer Death on Army Burn Pits
By Erin Jordan, Reporter

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Cedar Rapids native Joshua Casteel, 32, died Aug. 25 of lung cancer his family believes was caused by toxins from an Army burn pit at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, where he served as an interrogator in 2004.

“I don’t think any of the soldiers thought twice about it,” said Kristi Casteel, Joshua’s mother. “Most of them, I’m sure, had no idea what they were breathing.”

Burn pits were the primary trash disposal system for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with up to 200 tons of waste burned daily at some of the Army’s largest military bases. Among materials burned were plastics, metal cans, rubber, chemicals, paint and munitions, according to a 2011 report by the Institute of Medicine.

These types of fires are illegal in the United States. Hundreds of soldiers and veterans are suing the Texas-based contractor that operated the burn pits on behalf of the military.

[PDJane]

1. Sounds probable to me.

In fact, it's quite likely. If you burn toxic stuff, that's what happens.

[WooWooWoo]

2. when i got back from Afghanistan

I was coughing up black stuff for almost a year straight. It's started to taper off, but every now and then I can still see little flecks of grey/brown.

I was around burn pits a lot.