Rep. Green Continues Fight for K2 Veterans

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rep. Green Continues Fight for K2 Veterans

WASHINGTON—Rep. Mark Green, a veteran of the War on Terror, is introducing the bipartisan K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2024 alongside Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08). The bill establishes additional presumptions of service connections for certain diseases—including cancer—that occur in veterans who suffered toxic exposure while serving at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2) in Uzbekistan, also known as Camp Stronghold Freedom, during the War on Terror. 

Rep. Mark Green said: “For more than two decades, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) refused to provide K2 veterans the medical care they needed. It took years of advocacy to get their stories heard, but today, lawmakers know what K2 is and what happened there.”  

“Sadly,K2 veterans are dying at an increasing rate, and there’s a desperate need for medical care for those who are still battling toxic exposure-related illnesses. We cannot wait any longer. These veterans deserve swift action and medical care. That’s why I introduced the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2024. This new legislation establishes additional presumptions of service connection between deployment to K2 and illness.”

“It shouldn’t take decades to determine a link between toxic exposure during military service and diseases like cancer. We now know military leaders were supposed to communicate with K2 servicemembers about health risks, but many claim no briefings ever took place. Further, declassified documents produced by the U.S. military in 2001, 2002, and 2004 reveal servicemembers were exposed to a variety of petrochemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which was known in 2001 after subsurface soil testing.”

“As someone who survived two forms of cancer—likely from burn pit exposure—and flew through Camp Stronghold Freedom with my unit, I understand what these families are going through. They shouldn’t be forced to jump through bureaucratic hoops to receive care from the VA. My bill is a significant step forward in the fight to ensure K2 veterans receive the medical care they need and deserve.”

Rep. Stephen Lynch said: “I am proud to join my friend and colleague Mark Green (R-TN) to co-sponsor this legislation to provide additional healthcare and benefits to K2 veterans. As evidenced by our two year investigation, thousands of service members that were deployed to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan after September 11th were exposed to multiple toxic hazards and chemicals, including dangerous petrochemicals, burn pits, and more. These veterans continue to battle debilitating health conditions, including unusual advanced-stage cancers, and yet the VA refuses to fully acknowledge the link between their service at K2 and their illness. We must make every effort to ensure that they and their families receive full healthcare and disability benefits that are reflective of their service and sacrifice to our nation." 

DAV National Commander Daniel Contreras said: "For years, we've known that thousands of service members deployed to Karshi Khanabad (K2) Air Base, Uzbekistan, were exposed to toxic substances, many of whom find themselves suffering from a range of diseases that impact nearly every bodily system. This expansive bill would redefine and broaden definitions of diagnosed illnesses to unlock VA disability compensation and health care for veterans who once called K2 their home by establishing presumptions of service connection for diseases stemming from their toxic exposures. K2 veterans have waited long enough, and we thank Rep. Mark Green for his leadership in introducing this bill.

Read the bill here. 

Background on K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2024:

The presumption of service connection includes any cancer, thyroid disease, bone disease, cardiovascular disease, skin disease, neurological disease, reproductive disease, respiratory disease, endocrine disease, liver disease, kidney disease, and cataracts.  

Additional Legislative Efforts:  

Background on Karshi-Khanabad:

now admits that “up to 100%” of the nearly 16,000 service members stationed at K2 were likely exposed to hazardous petrochemicals as well as radiation on a daily basis. An Operational Health Risk Assessment from November 2001 found that soil contaminated with jet fuel could have adverse health effects should vapors be inhaled. Approximately 2,500 current and former service members have reported rare cancers or other illnesses they believe are linked to their deployments. To date, neither the Department of Defense nor the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledges a link between K2 and these illnesses. 

Rep. Green’s story: 

Rep. Mark Green deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq during the War on Terror. After returning home, Green was diagnosed with thyroid and colon cancer with no genetic predispositions. The likely explanation for the cancers was his close proximity to burn pits while stationed in Iraq. Because of his own experience with toxic exposure, Green has worked diligently in Congress to ensure veterans get the health care they need, and to hold the military accountable for preventable toxic exposure. Listen to Rep. Green talk about his burn pit exposure and cancer diagnosis at the United in Blue Colorectal Cancer Rally here and with the Washington Post here. 

After speaking with the Stronghold Freedom Foundation and a fellow special operations medical officer in late 2019 about K2 veterans suffering from the effects of toxic chemical exposure, Rep. Green introduced the K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act and the  K2 Veterans Care Act.

Read Rep. Green’s op-eds on K2 veterans in the Tennessean and CNN.  

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://markgreen.house.gov/2024/8/rep-green-continues-fight-for-k2-veterans