Comments on: [Photos] Health risk for soldiers in Balad, Iraq: The Burn Pit

By: A Broken Soldier

A Broken Soldier — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:32:37 +0000

I am so sorry to hear of anyone else going through any problems then what I already experience. I have been home for two years and still am being looked at like a monster. They always want to blame not breathing properly, stuffy and being severly congested on allergies that just acquired. Flaks, I pray that you get better and all the rest of us as well who have been affected, seems though prayers are the only “hope” that we all have.

By: admin

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:04:53 +0000

I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been sick and are waiting on results of your blood test. Please update us with the results and we’ll keep you in our minds.

By: flaks

flaks — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:01:38 +0000

Im in the Hospital in my bed writing this comment. I was always very healthy and energetic but since my return from Balad i have noticed that i get sick more often. In Balad i got two of the worse bronchial infections i ever had which they treated with the Z pack ( antibiotics) My sickness lasted for about two to three` weeks which was weird for me. After comming home i feel less active and i get sick more often. my doctors always treat melike im comming down with a cold and treatmy symptoms in that way. this time i developed a lesion in my toungue i came into the emergency room and after ruuning test they found my blood was abnormal. ???? They dont know why ???? they dont know whet caused it ???? they are doing bone marrow biopsy today and all i can think about is the burning pit in Iraq and those 6 anthrax vaccines i got while i was there. whhhhats wrong with my blood the doctors have no idea and are still studying it but im scared….waiting

By: A Broken Soldier

A Broken Soldier — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:21:01 +0000

Apparently we are reading entirely two different papers, because the one that I have states that we were exposed to things in that burn pit that has been the worst seen in the 10 years of investigation. When you have all those chemicals and body parts and computers and everything else of only GOD knows what being burned and plus the fine dust (THAT AMERICA DOESN’T HAVE) then yes, it is a problem and a lot worse then the “smog” as you call it in the the U.S

By: Jerm Warfair

Jerm Warfair — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:50:56 +0000

Did any of you read the paper that you recieved from Balad about the smoke pit? It states that you were not exposed to anything above a normal American dose of toxins. I attended Field San. while deployed there and they told us the same thing… it looks bad but it is no worse than living in American smog.

By: A Broken Soldier

A Broken Soldier — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:46:47 +0000

I was also in Anaconda and have had nothing but problems with breathing. I do have the memorandum of the findings of the burn pit and all that was burned in it. I added that to my medical records. If anyone needs a copy, please contact me at SLAM1DOWN@COMCAST.NET. People look at me like i’m crazy when I tell them all that is wrong with me. My back is so bad that I am going to lose my job because of it. I can’t hold a conversation without running out of breath, when I get up from any prolonged sitting, it takes me awhile to be able to even move my feet or even stand up straight because the pain in my feet and my back. I know of one time, I was standing up and I couldn’t even move, my back locked up. I couldn’t even drag my feet across the floor, but the Army still thinks that I should perform a PT test and also want to demote me because I am overweight. I wonder if they new the actual pain I am in daily, if that would matter? I think not because I tell them all the time. I also have PTSD, I have Reactive airway disease, my knees are shot, my shoulders are shot, I have planter faciites. It’s amazing how I have dedicated 19 years of my life to an army who just wants me to be brushed under the carpet never being heard. Someone really needs to hear these soldiers, to include myself. There are so many things that are wrong and is still being allowed to happen. When will it stop? When all the soldiers cant get out of bed anymore because they served a Military that don’t care about them once they return home? I was healthy, I never had to rely on pills to just move my feet or get out of bed, to function as normal as possible. Now, I take 12 pills a day to function. How fair? When will I get better? I cant go in large crowds, I cant stand noise, to hear any sudden loud noise I jump and am very startled. I have chest pains, but my heart is fine. Where is all this coming from? It makes me angry. I am sometimes looked at like a monster so I have secluded myself in my house. I have no social life at all because I can’t relate to people who haven’t been. It’s depressing. I can write all day about this. I just want to be a voice that is heard.

By: GIJane

GIJane — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:11:36 +0000

I was at Balad from Dec 04 – Oct 05 and We could see the pit burn from our hooches. I took pictures and video of it. I don’t have any effects from the smoke but I have issues from other things from over there. I hope my pictures can help other soldiers if they need it.

By: Corey

Corey — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:06:07 +0000

I was stationed in Camp Anaconda from 2004-2005. When I returned home was body was thrown in all types of directions. I was healthy with no medical problems whatsoever. Now, five years later, I have high blood pressure, high cholestol, adnormal heart, breathing problems, back pains, problems with heat exposure leading to heat cramps, and a couple more minor problems. My body is total gone. I went from playing sports all day long to not being able to play for a couple of hours without dehydrating or feeling light-headed. I don’t have any proof about the burn pit and all the chemicals that it held while I was there, but my body is proof that something is wrong. I just don’t see how you can be 100% healthy before you’re deployed and within months after you’re home your body seems to have aged 20 years.

By: Proud Mom 38th

Proud Mom 38th — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:43:27 +0000

Jody, My daughter will be leaving for Balad too! This information regarding the "Burn Pit" scares me!!! What are we (USA) doing to our children?????? OMG

By: jody

jody — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:00:09 +0000

My son left for Balad this morning and I was just trying to get a feel of were he was going to be and now I have to worry about our own country killing him also. He has breathing problems already. My God be with all of you and Thank You for all you do.