Military Personnel File Suit Alleging Toxic Exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan

Two military airmen who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have filed a lawsuit against four defense contractor firms claiming the companies burned trash containing asbestos and other toxic materials, exposing them to cancer-causing chemicals and other dangers.

Staff Sgt. Wendy L. McBreairty and Senior Master Sgt. Glen S. Massman were stationed at U.S. military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq from 2004 to 2009. Their lawsuit names as defendants defense contractors KBR Inc., Haliburton, Kellogg, Brown & Root Services, and Kellogg, Brown & Root, LLC.

According to the lawsuit, the companies would burn building insulation containing asbestos, empty plastic bottles, truck and car tires and other vehicle parts, human waste, and other materials in large pits dug near the military bases. Toxic smoke generated by the trash fires was inhaled by military personnel, exposing them to risks of cancer and other severe injuries, the airmen said in their suit.

Mesothelioma Risk Alleged

Asbestos is a known toxin that was used for many years in building materials, including insulation. Exposure to asbestos is a cause of mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive form of lung and liver cancer. Plastic bottles may contain cancer-causing dioxins and other toxic chemicals which when inhaled may cause lung cancer and other respiratory diseases and injuries.

Massman said he inhaled airborne toxins during his time at Camp Bucca in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. He now suffers from a variety of respiratory issues, including persistent cough, allergies, headache, and chest pain. McBreairty claims that she was exposed to toxins while in Balad, Iraq, and that she now suffers from the same respiratory conditions as Massman as well as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Other Sources of Toxic Exposure

Other soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan have complained of asbestos exposure from residing in deteriorating housing built with insulation containing the toxic material or working on military vehicles which use asbestos in their brake pads. In some cases, military personnel have developed lung cancer, respiratory disorders, and other conditions as the result of toxic exposure linked to their war-time service.

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