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

I have cross posted this blog entry at patriotmissive.com. I found it important enough to list twice.

An article listed in Military.com today called “Balad Burn Pit May Pose Health Risk” sparked my interest mostly because I spent a year long deployment stationed in Balad, Iraq myself. Along with the thousands of other troops that have been stationed in Balad (or, LSA Anaconda), one thing stands out in all of our memories: the burn pit.

The burn pit is a massive pile of garbage that burns 24/7 which leaves a long trail of smoke lifting into the sky and, depending on how the wind shifts, into the lungs of the soldiers and civilians stationed there. The plume is so large that “software engineers writing a program to help fighter pilots navigate their way onto the base made it a central part of the digitally simulated skyline”

During my post-deployment health assessment, I made sure to document my concern for breathing in the burn pit air for 12 months even though the military denied it causing any adverse affects.

But there’s a new memo being circulated that was written by environmental engineer Darrin Curtis, who served with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Balad from September 2006 to January 2007 (I left Balad in October, 2006).

Here’s what he says:

He expressed his dismay with the burning of toxic chemicals, plastics and other toxic waste — including, according to some reports, amputated limbs from the base hospital — and the lack of any apparent concern for the health of those breathing in the smoke.

Curtis wrote that health risks associated with smoke inhalation and respiratory exposure to toxic fumes produced by the burn could result in chronic ailments for service members at a base already ripe with other wartime hazards, including frequent rounds of indirect fire that earned the facility the nickname “Mortaritaville.”

“It is amazing that the burn pit has been able to operate without restrictions over the past few years without significant engineering controls put in place”.

Below are my personal pictures of the burn put from my deployment in 2005-2006. They show the actual pit and also the visual effect it has on the 25 square kilometer base:

Balad Air Base is quickly becoming to “Ramstein” of Iraq. I’m willing to wager that it will be the next permanent duty station for American troops…. just as we have in South Korea and Germany. American troops have been stationed in Balad for 5 years now. I’m glad to see the truth of its health hazards are coming to light.

Popularity: 50% [?]

I (Almost) Forgot About My Discharge

It just occurred to me that my official discharge from the military was on August 24th. Even though I’ve been carrying around that date in my wallet for the last 8 years in the form of a military I.D. card, it came and went without me giving a moment of thought to it. I’m kinda grateful that I forgot about it. Otherwise, I may have ended up the headliner in some ridiculous cliche like getting tanked at a bar and forcing military memories onto anyone who would listen to me.

I’m guessing they’ll just send me a spiffy piece of paper in the mail declaring an honorable discharge. As you can see, I’m not exactly worried about the details.

Rather, I’ve allowed myself exactly five minutes to reminisce. And I also made a rule to only think of positive things during those five minutes. I mostly thought about the people I served with for the last eight years. (Well, for seven of those years since I was on Individual Ready Reserve status this last year and never had to put my uniform on. I still kept in touch with the army buds I had the strongest relationships with though.)

Along with thinking about all those hilarious, exciting, boring, and stressful times with my fellow veterans, I also thought about how much I appreciated the military experience. There were times when I questioned my decision to enlist. There were MANY times that I cursed the military. It was physically painful. It was politically challenging. It was harder to mentally manage than I ever anticipated.

I realized in the last 30 seconds of my five minute reminisce (regardless of all the challenges), I sincerely miss the military. I miss the security of a job that will always be there. I miss the steady paycheck (even if the pay was ridiculously low for the number of hours required). I miss the comradeship. Most of all, I miss the way the military gives a person an absolute sense of meaning and purpose. I think this is the hardest part of the soldier to civilian transition. In the military, your life is literally broken down into missions to accomplish. There is no deviation or confusion about the matter. There’s no room for philosophizing or pondering. From the moment you wake up to the moment you close your eyes, your purpose is clear.

I sincerely miss that.

Fortunately, I’m also an independent thinker. I admit that it’s crossed my mind a few times since returning from Iraq to re-enlist and attend OCS (Officer Candidate School). I quickly pushed those thoughts aside because they only surfaced when I couldn’t find a focus in my life. I decided that it was a bad idea to re-enlist simply for the reason that I missed being institutionalized.

Now it’s all over. On the day I enlisted in 2000, eight years seemed like eternity. Now that eternity is finally here, I can only feel satisfaction with my service and content with walking away from it.

Popularity: 23% [?]