"For years, U.S. government agencies have told the public, veterans and Congress that they couldn't draw any connections between the so-called 'burn pits' disposing of trash at the military's biggest bases and veterans' respiratory or cardiopulmonary problems. But a 2011 Army memo obtained by Danger Room flat-out stated that the burn pit at one of Afghanistan's largest bases poses 'long-term adverse health conditions' to troops breathing the air there."
"The unclassified memo (.jpg), dated April 15, 2011, stated that high concentrations of dust and burned waste present at Bagram Airfield for most of the war are likely to impact veterans' health for the rest of their lives. 'The long term health risk' from breathing in Bagram's particulate-rich air include 'reduced lung function or exacerbated chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, atherosclerosis, or other cardiopulmonary diseases.' Service members may not necessarily 'acquire adverse long term pulmonary or heart conditions,' but 'the risk for such is increased.'"
Spencer Ackerman reports for Wired's Danger Room May 22, 2012.
