Military Personnel At High Mesothelioma Risk

Dept of Veteran Affairs Confirms Military Personnel At High Mesothelioma Risk
2010-08-25 04:10:33 (GMT) (mesotheliomacancernews.com - Mesothelioma News)

Washington, D.C., USA
Mesothelioma News Now!
Washington Mesothelioma Reporter

For many years, it has been widely thought that mesothelioma cancer is predominately caused by exposure to asbestos. However, recent findings has shed light on the fact that time served in the military may also be a possible culprit.

In fact, a recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs shows that the above-average diagnosis rates of mesothelioma in military personnel may have been inadvertently caused by their service for the nation.

Due to its extremely long latency period, mesothelioma can sometimes take up to fifty years for symptoms to appear in the body after the exposure to asbestos. The toxic substance has been used within the military for some time up, having been banned from use only recently.

In light of these findings, U.S. Navy personnel runs a particularly high risk of contracting mesothelioma, since many of the components of naval ships used asbestos in the past. In addition, the insulation surrounding pipes, sleeping quarters, and ventilation units all used to have asbestos in them.

Because of the new data provided within the military, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will allow any veterans who have developed mesothelioma from there service in the military to apply for benefits.

It is important that all service men and women who think that they may have been in contact with asbestos, to have annual checkups for signs of mesothelioma.

This Washington Mesothelioma Report is brought to you by Mesothelioma News Now for mesothelioma attorneys and asbestos cancer lawyers.
Military Personnel At High Mesothelioma Risk

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.
read more here
Marine Veteran Dies of Lung Cancer Caused by Iraq Burn Pit

Asbestos 'emergency' declared in Montana

Asbestos 'emergency' declared in Montana
A Montana town where asbestos contamination has been blamed for more than 200 deaths will get new cleanup and medical assistance from the Obama administration under a "public health emergency" declared today. The declaration is the first ever issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has overseen the cleanup of Libby, Montana, for 10 years. full story

This is the wondeful part to all of this,,,,,,,

The Libby operation began producing vermiculite -- a mineral often used in insulation -- in 1919. Dust from the plant covered patches of grass, dusted the tops of cars and drifted through the air in a hazy smoke that became a part of residents' daily lives.

But the product was contaminated with tremolite asbestos, a particularly toxic substance that has been linked to mesothelioma, a cancer that can attack the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.

Vermiculite was used in a lot of houses and everyone was told it was safe,.,,,

Veterans Exposed to Asbestos

One more thing for the troops and their families to worry about along with our veterans. Also, one more thing the media has not reported on.

Mesothelioma Cases Remain High for Military Veterans Exposed to Asbestos
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stated that out of the millions of veterans who have served the country, hundreds of thousands have been exposed to asbestos during their service. Regarded as one of many cover-ups jointly executed by corporations and government, it appears that the asbestos scandal still has not reached its climax.Widely used by every military branch in the United States, over 300 products containing asbestos were used by the Navy and other military sectors from the 1930s through the 1970s.

This has led to asbestos exposure among hundreds of thousands of military personnel. Although not everyone who is exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos-related illness, long-term exposure does increase the possibility. Asbestos exposure can cause severe ailments such as asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma, a highly aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure.

Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States alone.Due to an intense latency period associated with mesothelioma, many soldiers will not experience related symptoms until 20 to 50 years after exposure, when the disease has already progressed to its later stages. Many symptoms of mesothelioma are ones found with other less serious conditions, making early diagnosis a significant challenge for physicians.Around the turn of the 20th century, asbestos business grew into a major corporate industry with large profits and thousands of employees. By 1922, the Navy issued a medical checklist that placed asbestos in a list of hazardous occupations and recommended the use of respirators.

The U.S. Navy was not ignorant of the dangers of asbestos and evidence shows the hazardous qualities of asbestos was swiftly covered up by asbestos manufacturers. Any asbestos concerns were silenced in the race to build the U.S. Navy fleet prior to World War II.Working in shipyards during WWII became almost as dangerous as fighting in the war itself. As many as four million service men and women worked in shipyards repairing and building giant vessels. Thousands of tons of asbestos were used as piping and boiler insulation aboard navigation rooms, sleeping quarters and mess halls in ships.The Navy issued a ban on asbestos-contaminated materials on new ships in 1973, but then violated its own ban for the next five years.In 1983, the Navy Asbestos Control Program was created to help facilitate compliance with asbestos-related regulations set by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Despite these actions, many veterans continued to be exposed to high levels of asbestos even after the Navy began to replace contaminated ships.The majority of veteran asbestos exposure continues to occur when veterans work on naval vessels where asbestos-contaminated products were heavily used. Many of these older ships are decommissioned and sent for overhaul to third world countries that have limited regulations or little knowledge of the dangers of asbestos.This phase of exposure began in the 1990s when the U.S. Navy began to sell obsolete ships for scrap materials where workers have no prior knowledge of the dangers involved in handling asbestos. Usually these workers are not given any protective equipment to prevent potential exposure.

Since March 2003, United States combat troops have been stationed in Iraq where they face many dangers while performing military operations. Many are unaware of the potential threat of asbestos exposure. Documents from 2003 reveal that over $194,000 worth of asbestos was imported into Iraq. This presents a significant hazard for all soldiers stationed in the country because intense winds and desert sands can carry asbestos dust for long distances.Veterans with asbestos-related disease unfortunately find themselves in a tough situation because they experience difficulty in obtaining assistance and benefits for their illness, there are currently very few mesothelioma doctors-- making treatments hard to come by.

Currently, mesothelioma is not readily recognized as a service-related medical ailment. However, veterans can apply for Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits for asbestos-related illness and must provide proof of a mesothelioma prognosis, and that their exposure occurred at the time of their military service.Some naval vessels and public facilities may still contain asbestos-laden materials, such as clutches, brakes, gaskets or older construction materials. Thus, the potential remains for yet another generation of veterans and civilians to be exposed to asbestos on a global scale.