Marine Veteran Dies of Lung Cancer Caused by Iraq Burn Pit

Marine Veteran Dies of Lung Cancer Caused by Iraq Burn Pit
02 Mar

Posted by Julia as Blogs


A United States Marine Corps veteran, Sgt. Klayton Thomas died from lung cancer that he, his family, and his doctors all believe was the result of his exposure to “burn pits” during his overseas deployment to Iraq in 2007. Sgt. Thomas was a 25-year-old resident of Columbus, Nebraska, who rarely drank, never smoked, and came from a home where neither parent smoked cigarettes. In September 2009 Klayton began to suffer from back aches and pains. He didn’t know at the time that he was suffering from the spread of lung cancer throughout his body and specifically in his spinal cord. The aggressive cancer spread throughout his entire body, including his hips, shoulder blades, and eventually his brain. Three months after his diagnosis, Klayton Thomas passed away in hospice care.

The term “burn pit” pertains to any designated area on a base, that a US-contracted firm/company disposes of all trash and undesired materials by means of burning. These “burn pits” exist all over American bases and defensive positions in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. They are enormous landfills where all materials, supplies, and trash are burned by civilian employees and military members. The resulting effects are huge plumes of black toxic smoke rising over American bases overseas that turn the sky black, and pollutes the air our service-men and women breathe in everyday while serving in these battle zones. Burn pits just like the one described here existed where Sgt. Thomas was stationed, at al-Taqaddum Air Base (UMSC), Iraq in 2007. He remembered that at times the sky would get so black and thick with smoke that he would choke, and gasp for air.
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Marine Veteran Dies of Lung Cancer Caused by Iraq Burn Pit