Respiratory problems?

SSG Jeremy Siebenaller — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 13:43:42 -0400

Hey Ya'll!!!!
For a couple years now I have saw articles in the Army Times about how the VA is looking into soldiers stationed over seas by open burn pits (which I may be wrong about....but wasn't that all of them?!) I haven't really looked into it. So please don't tell me what a dick I am for not doing my own research. I am just looking into it for personal gain. Not to "up my rating". I Haven't and probably wouldn't have even thought about it until I saw all of the articles about it. I wouldn't have worried myself. However, the more that I think about it and the more that I play Football or Baseball or just genuinely try to "keep up" with my 4 year old little guy. I find myself wheezing. My head starts throbbing because I can't catch my breathe. I start getting all the signs of asthma.
The only problem is that I've never had asthma. I've never had any problems with breathing at all. I've never been a huge fan of running a bunch, or serious physical activity unless on a baseball diamond, wrestling mat, football field (my piont is that I have ALWAYS BEEN active). Now I know that I am getting older. I know that with time....I will slow down and things will get harder for me to do. I'm only 27 (28 in a couple days). I don't feel that I should be this slown down.
I'm trying to make sure that I am not missing something. If there is something I should be doing more proactive. Something that I should be concerned about in general. Do or have any of you been diagnosed with what ever bullshit it is that they say you can get by a burnpit? I was at FOB Rustimiyah for nearly 2 years, actually pulling guard on the trucks that take the trash TO the open burn pits, having to drive through them every single day one way or the other for 2 years.

Response by CPT Richard Riley made Jul 13 at 2014 2:08 PM

CPT Richard Riley — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 14:08:01 -0400

I would suggest that you just have things checked out. Just because you've never had any asthma issues prior to now has nothing to do with the condition of your lungs and airway presently. Breathing in the results of the burn pits will affect everyone differently to say the least.
If you're seeing any type of issue related to stamina or breathing during exertion, do yourself a favor and have that looked into. Better to be told that it's just a temporary issue due to ???? than to be more serious and passed over because you just didn't want to hassle with having it checked out.
Do it for your little ones if you need some excuse to get motivated.

Response by CPT Richard Riley made Nov 12 at 2014 9:51 AM

CPT Richard Riley — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 09:51:03 -0500

EDIT: For some reason no comments cam up on the original feed. Some of this information was given 4 months ago.

I just noticed this discussion and since no comments have been made to date I will place some information here that I have been able to find. There are several non-government burn-pit registers in addition to the official one. The information I've cited here came out in June earlier this year. I've also listed the congressional bill by that name.

Summary: H.R.3337 — 112th Congress (2011-2012) Introduced in House (11/03/2011)

Open Burn Pit Registry Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) establish and maintain an open pit burn registry for members of the Armed Forces deployed in a contingency operation in Iraq or Afghanistan who may have been exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits used for disposing solid waste, (2) include in such registry information necessary to ascertain and monitor the health effects of such exposure, (3) develop a public information campaign to inform eligible individuals about the registry, and (4) periodically notify such individuals of significant developments in the study and treatment of conditions associated with such exposure.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) contract with an independent scientific organization to develop a report assessing the effectiveness of actions taken to collect and maintain information on the health effects of such exposure, and (2) submit the completed report to Congress.

Registry for Veterans and Servicemembers

VA's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry allows eligible Veterans and Servicemembers to document their exposures and report health concerns through an online questionnaire.

Eligible Veterans and Servicemembers include those who served in:

Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn
Djibouti, Africa on or after September 11, 2001
Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm
Southwest Asia theater of operations on or after August 2, 1990

Check your eligibility and sign up. It takes about 40 minutes to complete the questionnaire. You can do it in one sitting or save it and come back later. After completing the questionnaire, you may request a free, optional medical evaluation.

You'll need a Premium DS Logon Level 2 account to sign up. Don't already have one? Go to My Access Center to register for a DS Logon.
- See more at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/action-plan.asp#sthash.rTSr44wr.dpuf

And finally, here is the Stars & Stripes article: VA rolls out burn pit registry
The Veterans Affairs Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry is now available to help servicemembers and veterans report exposures to airborne hazards such as burn pits, oil well fires and other forms of pollution and document their health problems.

Advocacy groups for servicemembers who believe they have developed illnesses from working and living near burn-pit disposal sites in Iraq and Afghanistan noticed Thursday they could log in and register on the VA’s public health website, according to a report in the Military Times. Entire article found here: http://www.stripes.com/news/va-rolls-out-burn-pit-registry-1.290229

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Response by SPC Andrea Neutzling made May 18 at 2016 10:32 PM

SPC Andrea Neutzling — Wed, 18 May 2016 22:32:15 -0400

I just joined and seen this. If they say it is asthma, ask for the Methacholine Challenge test. Constrictive bronchiolitis (which is what a majority of those that was exposed to the pits are being diagnosed with) is often misdiagnosed as asthma. A methacholine challenge can rule that out. I had to endure 2 years of testing before the VA finally approved my Lung Biopsy (only way to get an official diagnosis of Constrictive Bronchiolitis). My results (just naming a few) Constrictive Bronchiolitis, Anthracasilicosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Minute Pulmonary Meningothelial-Like Nodules (those are just the ones I can remember).
Since the VA doesn't officially recognize Burn Pit related issues, I filed under the Gulf War Illness: Undiagnosed Respiratory Illnesses. OIF/OEF vets fall under the Gulf War era for the VA, and I did not have an official diagnosis when I filed.
A cardio-pulmonary stress test overrides a regular Pulmonary Function Test, which is good because Constrictive Bronchiolitis doesn't always affect a PFT.

Response by SSG Larry Sabin made Feb 23 at 2017 10:24 PM

SSG Larry Sabin — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 22:24:37 -0500

Had to burn honey buckets in Nam every day for two weeks as Company punishment to avoid an AR 15. The process required the one doing the burning to mix diesel into the shit and stand there stirring it (my favorite tool was a short 2x4) while breathing the smoke. At the end of the day, you not only smelled like shitty diesel, but it got into your insides so that eating or drinking (if you could) tasted like the smell, and everything else smelled like it. I never had a problem until about twenty years later when I developed asthma, and 20 years after that I have COPD. Can' prove it, but I think that had something to do with my current breathing problems. Wish you the best of luck partner, it sucks not to be able to breathe!

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Oct 6 at 2019 10:56 AM

Maj Kim Patterson — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 10:56:12 -0400

SSG Jeremy Siebenaller it might be too late.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2019 11:16 AM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 11:16:12 -0400

I ran across a former soldier at VA who has been through it and still battles "it" (whatever IT is). He shared his story and it is pretty bad. Small and large nerve cell damage and much more. He has lung, heart, and limb problems. Phantom pains and real pain in organs and limbs. The VA sent him to some research place in NJ, where they did a full workup. Not much is really known, and he felt that it may be being intentionally kept quiet. I hope you get the treatment you need. Be your best advocate and fight for help.