Connecticut Vet Exposed to Noxious Smoke in Afghanistan Fights for Disability
Every day for 10 months, this Army vet inhaled smoke from burn pits in Afghanistan and now he's asking his country for help.
For 10 months in 2012, West Point graduate Peter Antioho was stationed in Afghanistan with his platoon. Every single day during Antioho's deployment, he was subjected to black smoke known as burn pits. They burned 24 hours a day fed by diesel fuel as they fired up human and medical waste and plastics along with ammunition and toxic chemicals.
According to an article in the Hartford Courant, five years later in 2017, doctors told Peter he had terminal brain cancer. His symptoms include loss of memory, damaged vision, speech, and motor function and now he isn't able to work.
Peter has passed along medical records, doctor's and commander's notes to prove there's a connection between the burn pits and his brain cancer. Unfortunately, he's been turned down twice for federal disability benefits.
He placed his life on the line to protect his country. At the very least, don't you think his country could lend him a hand before it's too late? Antioho claims there was absolutely no way to avoid breathing in the air from these burn pits that were always smoldering 24/7.
As of April 1st, there were 173,195 vets across the United States enrolled in what is called, the burn pit registry which is a tool to help identify health conditions related to burn pits. The VA has told Antioho and his wife Amy they will do everything in their power to help him secure federal disability.