For decades, open-air burn pits were used overseas to dispose of almost all forms of waste on or near American expeditionary bases. They were used extensively, with more than 250 in operation in Afghanistan and Iraq alone.
While lawmakers banned military use of burn pits in 2010 — except in areas where other options were infeasible — the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates that 3.7 million veterans and service members, so far, have been exposed to the toxic fumes from burn pits.
Within months or years after returning from deployment, some veterans exposed to the toxins emitted by burn pits, who had no other known risk factors, reported rare pulmonary issues, insomnia, and cancers.
Army veteran Ashley McNorrill was exposed to burn pits during her deployment to Iraq and ultimately died at age 46 due to a rare type of cancer linked to burn-pit exposure.
In December 2011, McNorrill and her husband, David, became the proud parents of twin boys when they chose adoption after years of unexplained infertility problems.
In February 2012, when the twins were only two months old, McNorrill underwent a hysterectomy. During the procedure, doctors found evidence of cancer.
McNorrill was ultimately diagnosed with stage-4 appendiceal cancer, a rare form of the disease occurring in only one or two cases out of 1 million. She joined a support group online to find others with the same disease, and there she met a Marine Corps veteran who suggested she talk to someone about her exposure to burn pits in Iraq to see if her cancer was service-connected.
An Army Judge Advocate General officer, McNorrill deployed to Iraq in January 2005 and was assigned to Camp Victory in Baghdad. She recalled being exposed to the toxic air emitting from burn pits on a daily basis.
McNorrill and her husband worked with a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) benefits counselor. They pulled together evidence from her deployment to Camp Victory showing that it was known to have a large burn pit, and helped McNorrill educate her doctors on what types of toxins she had been exposed to and how those had led to her diagnosis.
For too many veterans living with the long-term health consequences of exposure to toxic burn pits, care and benefits from the VA remain out of grasp. But crucial, DAV-backed legislation would help veterans overcome the barriers to establishing service connection for conditions caused by toxic exposures.
Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Peter Meijer of Michigan introduced the bipartisan Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 in April. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, and Meijer, an Army veteran, both served in Iraq. The bill would address the particular needs of veterans exposed to open-air burn pits while serving overseas.
The proposed, DAV-backed legislation would shift the burden of proof off veterans, many of whom lack the properly-documented evidence of their exposure, by formally recognizing that those who served in proximity to burn pits were exposed to hazardous chemicals. It would also require the VA to examine veterans to determine if a medical ailment is connected to past burn pit exposure.
For veterans like McNorrill, that means spending less time battling the VA and more time focusing on making lasting memories with loved ones. According to David McNorrill, he and his wife were lucky to have had the help they did, ultimately receiving her permanent and total VA disability rating before it was too late.
In 2008, DAV was the first charity to raise the issue of burn pits through the media, and DAV has continued with its legislative efforts ever since. DAV initiated a pilot for the Burn Pit Registry, which passed into law in 2014. DAV’s continued advocacy includes testimony at a recent Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing.
Though she died in March 2016, McNorrill remains an inspiration to disabled veterans everywhere — myself included. She showed great strength in the face of adversity. We must keep up the fight on behalf of Ashley and David and the countless other veterans exposed to burn pits. They never gave up on us, and we can’t give up on them.
Jeffrey Blonder is commander of E.F. Gilmore Chapter 64 Disabled American Veterans in Swampscott.
