>>>
>>> WE
>>> WE HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT PTSD BUT THIS IS ABOUT VETS BATTLING
RARE CANCERS AND UNEXPLAINED
DISEASE AND WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE COMBAT ZONE.
HERE'S JASON WHITELY.
>> MY NAME IS LEROY TORRES,
ARMY CAPTAIN RETIRED.
I WAS DEPLOYED TO IRAQ IN 2000
SEVEN 2007.
SEVEN 2007. I WAS A LOGISTICS OFFICER.
>> Reporter: WE WANTED TO HEAR
WHAT HAPPENED DIRECTLY FROM A
VETERAN WHO LIVED IT.
>> I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT
GETTING SHOT OR INDIRECT FIRE
FROM MOTOR ATTACKS, BUT IT
NEVER +@CROSSED MY MIND I WOULD
BE SUFFERING FROM AN INVISIBLE
WOUND, EXPOSURE.
WOUND, EXPOSURE. >> Reporter: EXPOSURE TO TOXIC
SMOKE FROM HIS BASE BURNING ITS
TRASH.
TRASH.
TRASH. >>
TRASH. >> Reporter+@: GIVE ME AN IDEA
WHAT YOU SAW BEING BURNED IN
+@
+@ DIFFERENT BURN PITS.
>> ASBESTOS, HAZARDOUS WASTE, A
LOT OF MEDICAL WASTE.
>> Reporter: THEY ARE CALLED
BURN PITS.
BURN PITS. +@ IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN U.S.
MILITARY MADE BIG LANDFILLS AND
TOSSED IN EVERYTHING, PLASTICS
AND TIRES, BATTERIES AND ENGINE
PARTS, EVEN BROKEN RIFLES.
+@
PARTS, EVEN BROKEN RIFLES. THEN USED DIESEL OR JET FUEL TO
SET IT ON FIRE.
>> THIS DIDN'T LO+@OK LIKE A GO
PRACTICE AND I TOLD THEM SO.
>> Reporter: DANIEL BREWER WAS
THE CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEER.
ENGINEER.
ENGINEER. THE PROBLEM IS MOST PEOPLE ARE
SLEEPING AT NIGHT IN THE TENTS
AND THEY ARE BREATHING THESE
FUMES ALL NIGHT LONG AND THEY
DON'T EVEN KNOW IT.
>> Reporter: TORRES CAME HOME
WITH EXC+@RUCIATING HEADACHES.
SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND IT
WASN'T LONG BEFORE IT AFFECTED
HIS JOB AS A TEXAS STATE
TROOPER.
TROOPER.
TROOPER. >> I COULDN'T CATCH MY BREATH
AFTER A FOOT PURSUIT.
I WAS ABLE TO GET THE GUY IN
CUSTODY, BUT I THOUGHT I WAS
HAVING A STROKE.
+@ >> Reporter: DOCTORS DIAGNOSED
HIM WITH SOMETHING CALLED TOXIC
BRAIN INJURY AND CONSTRUCTIVE
BRONCHIOLITIS.
BRONCHIOLITIS. HUNDREDS OF YOUNGER VETERANS
HAVE ALREADY DIED FROM RARE
CANCER AND UNASSIGNED ILLNESSES.
>> I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE HAS BEEN
TAKEN FROM ME.
>> Reporter: NICOLE SHARES
TORRES HIS SYMPTOMS.
SHE SERVED IN IRAQ AS AN AIR
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER AND IS
ABOUT TO DEPLOY AGAIN.
>> THIS IS REAL AND IT MIGHT BE
WORSE.
WORSE.
WORSE. IT
WORSE. IT MIGHT BE WORSE THAN GO FOR
AN AGENT ORANGE.
BUT THEY NEE+@D TO STEP UP.
>> Reporter: THAT IS THE
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. SIX YEARS A+@GO THE DEPARTMENT
VETERANS AFFAIRS STARTE+@D A BU
PIT REGISTRY COLLECTING DATA
ABOUT TROOPS TO SAY THE SMOKE
LEFT THEM SICK.
THE VA HAS YET TO DO ANYTHING
WITH IT.
WITH IT.
WITH IT. SAYING IN A STA+@TEMENT IT IS
STI+@LL STUDYING AIRBORNE HAZAR
EXPOSURE.
EXPOSURE.
EXPOSURE. AND FORCING VETERANS TO FILE
INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS INSTEAD OF
AUTOMATICALLY TREATING THEM.
OVER THE LAST DECADE, THE VA
SAID IT GOT MORE THAN 11,500
BURN PIT CLAIMS FROM VETERANS.
IT ONLY GRANTED CARE FOR 2300.
LEAVING THOUSANDS OF VETERANS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN
TREATMENT.
TREATMENT. >> IS THIS AN ISSUE OF M+@ONEY
THE VA NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THIS?
>> I'M SURE THAT IS PART OF IT.
I'M SURE SOMEONE IS RUNNING THE
NUMBERS AND SAYING HEY, HOW
MUCH WILL THIS COST US?
>> Reporter: CONGRESSMAN
JOAQUIN CASTRO INTRODUCED TWO
BILLS FORCING THE VA TO FINALLY
DO SOMETHING.
DO SOMETHING. >> WE NEED TO TAKE THE
INFORMATI+@ON WE+@ HAVE GOTTEN
OUR BURN PIT REGISTRY, FIGURE
OUT THE MOST COMMON AILMENTS
AND WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN
THE BODIES.
THE BODIES. AND ULTIMATELY DO SOMETHING
MORE TO COMPENSATE THEIR
FAMILIES AND THE SERVICE
MEMBERS.
MEMBERS.
MEMBERS. >> Reporter: FOR +@NOW, TORRES
PAYS OUT OF TOPIC POCKET FOR
HYPERBARIC TREATMENT IN DALLAS
HOPING PURE OXYGEN TREATMENT
WILL HELP HIS LUNGS REGAIN
THEIR ELASTICITY.
THEIR ELASTICITY. >> OXYGEN HELPS THE HEALING
PROCESS AND DECREASE THE
SCARRING.
SCARRING.
SCARRING. >> R+@eporter: HEADACHES HAVE
EASED IN SO FAR TORRES SAID
THIS IS BETTER THAN ANY DRUG
PRESCRIBED.
PRESCRIBED. >> I KEEP THE FAITH THAT I WILL
BEAT THIS.
BEAT THIS. >> Reporter: THE BATTLE AGAIN+@
THE VA JUST TO RECOGNIZ+@E WHAT
THEY INHALED IS+@ ONE FIGHT THE
VETERANS DID NOT EXPECT.
IN DALLAS, I AM JASON WHITELY.
>> THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE
WE CAN ALL HELP.
WE CAN CALL OUR REPRESENTATIVES
AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY ARE
DOING TO TAKE+@ CARE OF OUR
VETERANS.
VETERANS.
VETERANS. >> BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF
MEMORIES FOR ME.
SOLDIERS USED TO+@ SAY IF YOU
HADN'T HEARD OF BURN PITS, THEN
YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO IRAQ OR
AFGHANISTAN.
AFGHANISTAN. I SPENT 10 YEARS GOING BACK AND
FORTH TO BOTH COUNTRIES.
JUST ABOUT EVERY BASE I WENT TO
, THEY BURN BODY PARTS AND
BLOODY CLOTHES.
BLOODY CLOTHES. YOU SAW THAT BIG BLACK SMOKE.
WHAT I REMEMBER IS THE ASH. +@
IT WOULD GET ON YOUR CLOTHES
AND IN THE TENTS AND THE
EQUIPMENT.
EQUIPMENT. THE ASH WOULD JUST BE
EVERYWHERE.
EVERYWHERE. I WAS ONLY OVER THERE FOR A
COUPLE MONTHS AT A TIME.
SOME OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN
WERE OVER THERE FOR A YEAR AND
THEN THEY GO BACK YEAR AFTER+@
YEAR.
YEAR.
YEAR. PENTAGON OFFICIALS ADMIT THEY
DIDN'T FULLY ASSESS THE RISK
AND THEY NOW ARE