I believe that every life has a story. That means you have a story to tell. Not everyone will like your story, however, many will. The issue is how to get it to those who will enjoy it.
This soldier appears to be showing great pride in this endeavor. But to what end is this task to achieve?
He is performing an essential task to ensure the health of every soldier assigned to this installation. He is burning human excrement. Say what. Yes, and to those that were tasked with this time-honored duty they received the following:
- Column 1: What was the purpose of burning the human excrement during Vietnam?
- Column 2: What diseases did it prevent?
- Column 3: What health issues could it cause to those who burned it and breathed it?
During the Vietnam War, burning human excrement was a method used for waste disposal in situations where sanitary and waste management facilities were not available. This practice was essential to prevent health problems and protect service members. Human waste was often mixed with diesel fuel and gasoline, then burned in a burn barrel or burn-out latrine.
The primary reasons for this method included:
- Sanitation: Proper disposal of waste was crucial to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain hygiene in base camps.
- Environmental Control: Burning waste helped manage the large amounts of refuse generated by military personnel, especially in remote or undeveloped areas where other disposal methods were not feasible.
- Health Protection: By burning waste, the military aimed to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful pathogens and contaminants that could affect the health of service members.
While this method was effective in managing waste, it also exposed service members to harmful pollutants and chemicals released during the burning process, which could have short-term and long-term health effects.
Burning human waste during the Vietnam War helped prevent several diseases related to poor sanitation and waste management, including:
- Cholera: A bacterial infection causing severe diarrhea and dehydration.
- Typhoid Fever: A bacterial infection causing high fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
- Dysentery: An infection causing severe diarrhea with blood.
- Parasitic Infections: Such as hookworm and other intestinal parasites.
- Hepatitis: Infections affecting the liver, often spread through contaminated water and waste.
By burning waste, the military aimed to reduce the risk of these and other diseases, maintaining better health conditions for service members in challenging environments.
Service members who burned waste and were exposed to the smoke faced several health issues, including:
- Respiratory Problems: Chronic cough, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory issues due to inhaling particulate matter and toxic chemicals.
- Throat and Eye Irritation: Burning waste released irritants that caused throat and eye irritation.
- Skin Problems: Exposure to smoke and chemicals could lead to skin rashes and irritation.
- Cardiovascular Issues: There is evidence suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases due to prolonged exposure to harmful pollutants.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Long-term exposure to burn pit smoke has been linked to an increased risk of COPD.
- Ischemic Stroke: Some studies have found a higher risk of ischemic stroke among veterans exposed to burn pits.
These health issues could be temporary or develop into chronic conditions, depending on the duration and intensity of exposure. The VA continues to study the long-term health effects of burn pit exposure on veterans.
1 ptsdlawyers.com
2 www.warrelatedillness.va.gov
3 www.research.va.gov