Pentagon promises study on burn pits

[unhappycamper]

Pentagon promises study on burn pits
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, December 26, 2009

WASHINGTON — Military health officials who have steadfastly denied that burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan cause serious health problems will launch a massive study next year to see if they’re wrong.

Officially, the Pentagon still says the toxic smoke from the pits is not to blame for the fatal cancers and respiratory illnesses suffered by some troops upon returning from the war zones. But Dr. Craig Postlewaite, director of the Defense Department’s Force Health Protection programs, said that researchers “are keeping the door open” on the issue.

“When we look at the health outcome data of those exposed (to the burn pits) we’re not seeing a great increase in respiratory illnesses,” he said in an interview with Stars and Stripes this week. “But we’ve become aware in the last several months that there have been a handful of conditions diagnosed by military physicians where they’ve indicated there could be an inhalational exposure cause.”

That doesn’t mean burn pits are to blame, he said — dust and sand, cigarette smoke or other unknown airborne particulates could be at fault. However, he said, it does indicate that more research is needed on the issue.

The move comes amid criticism that Pentagon officials have overlooked dozens of serious illnesses related to combat zone burn pits — used at numerous bases to dispose of everyday trash, broken furniture and even excess combat equipment.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66879



unhappycamper comment: It took the DoD 40 plus years to acknowledge that Agent Orange was 'bad'.