Al Jazeera America will debut the three-part story Burn Pits tonight, where veterans discuss their illnesses and their fight for government compensation from the practice in Iraq and Afghanistan, the network announced today.
Consider This will air the first report at 10 p.m. tonight (Dec. 1), while parts two and three will debut Dec. 2 at 9 p.m. on America Tonight.
Sheila MacVicar delves into the crisis of burn pits, where thousands of troops have been affected with life-altering illnesses, such as cancer and respiratory disease.
The show presents stories from veterans and their families as they strive for compensation from the DOD and VA. MacVicar also brings viewers to the doctor at the forefront of the diagnosis, as he finds out about the continuation of burn pits, which was made unlawful in 2009.
The practice is used at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan to burn trash, including metals, cars, electronics and human waste, which is in turn releases toxins into the air.
Along with victims, a former VA official and whistleblower is interviewed, where he says the DOD is not taking responsibility for the link between veterans' illnesses and burn pits.
