What was hidden in the fiery pits of afghanistan and iraq, soldiers. A lot of people say it is our generalations agent orange america tonights Sheila Macvicar on the dangers concealed in flames. Thank for joining us, im joie chen. As memorial day approaches we consider the sacrifices of our veterans, we be given with veterans from iraq and afghanistan. Those that have physical wounds of war and lifelong psychological scars. There is concern that the military should recognise their wounds from poisons they were exposed to in the line of duty. America tonights Sheila Macvicar vets what many believe will be the toxic legacy of iraq and afghanistan. I have lost a lot. I dont like being like this. Reporter 35yearold Antony Thornton suffers a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. I could not tell you my wifes middle name or my daughters. Name. Reporter doctors had to take out part of his brain, his left temporal lobe. He has trouble speaking and cant read, and has trouble keeping up with his 3yearold daughter. Thornton believes he was sick from tox jips he was ex toxins he was exposed to while serving his country. There he goes. Massive open air burn fits operated on u. S. Military bases across iraq and afghanistan. At the height of the wars, more than 250 bases burnt their trash. Releasing large plumes of black smoke into the air. During the day time it was solid black. You could smell it. Depending on where the sun was, it would it was so thick, it would block some of the sun. He worked as a prison guard at camp buca. He said smoke from burn pits lingered above living quarters. Three years after he came home doctors found the tumor. It produced a lot of compounds, a lot of dioxins. For example, benzene. And a lot of ben zonelike substances were produced. It is a known human carcinogen. Kerry baker is a former Veterans Affairs officials who analysed the toxins found in smoke. Since he left the agency he has been fighting to get the department of defense and v. A. To recognise that burn pit exposure sickened veterans. Some were dying. We had claims from videos widows, we have claims from young guys who have diabetes, lymphoma or leukaemia. He is representing 31yearold rodney weise, who lived a quarter of a mile from the burn pit. It covered several acres. Everything, plastic, human waste, batteries, tyres, paint, fire. Theyd use j. P. 8 jet fuel to set it on fire. There was always a yellow haze over the base. Everywhere you talked to had respiratory issues with it. Reporter for seven years doctors couldnt figure out what biopsy. It showed that i had titanium, alum numb, iron, chromium, steel, silica in my lungs. Theres nowhere else i could have got metals in my lung. I never worked in anything that would have exposed me to that. He was diagnosed with bronchial disease. I get shortwinded. Its like sucking through a small straw. We have been seeing a population of patients with an unexpected shortage of breath. Dr Robert Miller is a pulmonologist at the university. At his clinic he began to see veterans with mysterious problems. To solve the mystery dr miller performed lung biopsies on his patients, one of the first doctors to do so. His diagnosis, consfricted bronchial itis. Is it something you would find in a healthy person, a person fit for deployment . No, its an uncommon diagnosis in an otherwise healthy individual. Dr miller says burn pits are an explanation. When he presented his findings patients. We know people are sick. We are trying to determine responsible. Reporter the department of defense top official says they looked at studies and found no link to burn pits for longterm health effects. We looked at several thousands individuals, Service Members assigned to locations with burn pits, versus locations without burn pits. We looked at that data and were unable to find a risk. The military needs to recognise that Small Airways disease could be linked to exposure in iraq and afghanistan. And should be treated like other battlefield injuries. We comment people for p. T. S. D. , we should compensate people who lost 70 of their air waves, and can no longer climb a flight of stares. Its not just veterans diagnosed with this disease. Tony was a civilian contractor, working as a firefighter and afghanistan. Diagnosed with asthma and Small Airways disease. Swim. Maddox said he was exposed to a burn pit in afghanistan. Theres a toyota with battery, seats, tires gallon drums of i dont know what. At 41 years old he had to responder. The e. P. A. Says burning trash is bad, and so does every Environmental Agency for every state in the union. Reporter we spoke to other contractors who believe missions from burn pits made them sick, costing them their careers. Many have not been able to get examination for their illnesses. They have to rely on private insurance or a federal Compensation Programme that they say usually rejects their claims. The Insurance Company that covers maddox paid part of his bills, telling him there wasnt enough evidence to link his injuries to burn pit. They werent hit by enemy fire, they come home, but within months they die from cancer. Completely preventible. Its heartbreaking. Reporter susan bourke is a baltimorebased lawsuit, leading a lawsuit against the contract yore hired to get contractor hired to get rid of base. She says kdr need to foot the bill for anyone sickened. The Company Received over a billion for logistical support, not just waste. They received the money if they didnt perform on the contracts. They didnt bring in the incinerators. They are not the military, they are not public servants, they are a forprofit enterprise. They declined to comment. Regardless, the first step is getting the military to recognise its responsibility. All the burning was done wrong, and everything knows that. We met other people that have been affected, and, you know, a lot of people are saying that orange. Thorntons wife jamie says her husband feels betrayed. After serving his country for more than 10 years. Here are these people going and risking so much, and forgo so much for our country. And our country, you know. Reporter with more and more veterans and contractors coming forward claiming that burn pits made them sick, pressure on the military and Veterans Affairs is mounting some heartbreaking news. We met tony thornton, the young father. We are sorry to report that he lost his final battle last week, spending his last few days in hospice. He is survived by his wife jaynie and two young daughters. Next on america tonight, a hospital meant to serve our veterans. Everywhere there is drugs. Right. These are all every one is prescribed. America tonights christopher putzel with a look at the v. A. Hospital termed candiland later, the long journey of many that served and survived in lives changed by war. Its not looking pretty. I gotta pay my bills. You gotta do somethin, you know . Try to keep your head above water. Sunday. 38. Thursday. 36. For this kind of money i really dont give a s t. A real look at the american dream. Only on Al Jazeera America. Part of our month long look at working in america. Hard earned. Being a musician, theres no demand. World renowned artist lang lang the moment youre on stage, its timeless american schools falling flat. There are no music class in public schools. And his plan to bring music back. Music makes people happier. Every tuesday night. I lived that character. Go one on one with americas movers and shakers. We will be able to see change. Gripping. Inspiring. Entertaining. Talk to al jazeera. Only on Al Jazeera America. The veterans administration. The v. A. Holds itself out as buying proud of those it serves. In recent months, mismanagement, poor treatment led to the ouster of its chief and scrutiny of the v. A. Now the death of a young patient at a v. A. Hospital exposed other flaws. Christopher putzel found it is a tragedy bound to raise questions on how to fix the v. A. I never thought he would dive marve and linda lost their son last august. The 35yearold former marine didnt die in a combat zone, but at a Medical Center near his home in central wisconsin. We wept in his room, he was laying, sleeping, with his hand on his side, on his head. I said jason, whats the matter with you. I said jason, i cant understand you. I went to the nurses stakes and said whats wrong with him station and said whats wrong with him, he cant talk . She said we gave him medication for a migraine hell be all later. Reporter but he wasnt. He stopped breathing. The hospital said his death was caused by an aneurysm. An autopsy revealed mixed drug toxicity. Every one is a medication the v. A. Prescribed to them. Reporter the medical system. They had him so drugged up. He took a drug to get up, get going, and drugs ot night to make him sleep. Reporter jason was one veteran treated at a hospital where many patients were kept doped up on high amounts of opiates. It had been a difficult journey for jason after four years in the marines enned in 2002. He was married and had a daughter. And joined marve in the family construction business, building homes in Stevens Point wisconsin. But an addiction to pain medication, a result of an injury from a service, led him to years of treatment at the v. A. One witness to jasons last day was a former v. A. Housekeeper, speaking out for the first time about what she saw. He seemed fine. He was mumbling, i didnt think anything of it. He was on a ward where people dont die. In an outward. Reporter christian knew the tomah not just as an employee, but a patient. She had received treatment on the same ward. I took his trash out. I shut his door. Two hours later he was dead. It was bad. They went running around everywhere. So confused. Screaming, yelling. I stayed out of the way, watching the whole thing. The death of jason and the subsequent report by the center for investigative reporting set off a fire storm. In january, bob mcdonald secretary of veteran affairs announced a few and practice. Including allegations of overmedication and accusations of retaliatory behaviour. At the heart of many of the allegations the chief of staff, Psychiatrist Dr david high schoola han hoolahan. America tonight reached out to dr huli han for comment. Our requests went to toma v. A. And they said it was up to the doctor. Five months before jason was found dead of drug toxicity, a report was released saying the chief of staff was prescribing an abnormal amount of opiates to patients. Shouldnt that be a red flag . We took seriously the issues raised in the report, and took action to address the report recommendations, including redreting the chief of redirecting the chief of staff and patient mode, and high provider. The v. A. Announced results to a clinical review, and found unsafe practices in Pain Management and psychiatric care. The prescribing of high doses of opiates at 2. 5 times the national average, and a culture of fear compromising patient care. Those findings came too late. Reporter did you voice concerns about how much medication he was taking . Yes. All the time you did. Reporter was there a medication . I fought for a reduction. Seemed like i always lost. Marve and lina how to press for change there and across the system, to honour the service and sacrifice of their son. The v. A. Inspector general expects to release a final report by the end of this month. Dr hoolihan was placed on leave pending the outcome. The toma v. A. Released a 30 day plan to improve communications between veterans and staff. Some say its too little, too late on this memorial day weekend honouring the sacrifice of survivors, the newest memorial salutes americas broken warriors. Why this monument was a long time coming. Overprotect next week correspondent Sheila Macvicar vets how your rights could be limited when the state becomes a guardian. Is it for your own good or no thats tuesday on america tonight. Trafficked labor on the front lines . Theyre things, theyre commodities. We go undercover. It isnt easy to talk at this base whats happing on u. S. Bases . The tax payer directly pays the human trafficker fault lines Al Jazeera Americas hard hitting. Today they will be arrested. Ground breaking. Theyre firing canisters of gas at us. Emmy Award Winning investigative series. Fault lines americas war workers only on Al Jazeera America finely from us, a thought about how we honour duty and sacrifice, this memorial day in the nations capital. America will rally around the national memorial, two disabled vets, broken warriors, brothers in arms finally getting a long overdue salute. Reporter it is possible for a man to lose half of his wellbeing and become whole. Reporter what echos here is the words of survivors, in a city known for its memorials to the dead. It rightly honours the sacrifice of men and women. This is the first monument to recognise the wound. Physical and emotional of those returning from battle, forever changed. When you are young, you are invincible, immortal. I thought i would come back. Perhaps i wouldnt. There was that thought too. I had this feeling that i would come back. Why so many quotes. What was the thinking . Well, we wanted to express different thoughts in the veterans journey. We wanted to express their call to service. We want to express what it was like to be injured. We wanted to express what it was like in healing and rediscovery in life. They are the voices often unheard. The sacrifices that play out over a lifetime. Long after the guns fell silent. I was naive and cluless about the horrors that war can inflict on human being minds bodies. Lois pope was a star the when starlet when she signed on to entertain veterans. As i walked into that room i saw young men lying on gernies, hobbling on crutches. Reporter between. Without limps. Some burnt so badly all over their body. Eyes that were sockets. No ears. I brought with me the song somewhere from west side story, it was a popular blow. I nervously began to sing that song. I got to the line, held myhand hold my hand, and i reached out to hold a young soldiers hand and he had no hand for he to hold. I thought when i left, okay, if i can, i want to do something for disabled veterans. I promised myself that i would. Reporter inspired by a visit to the vietnam vat reasons memorial, she began a journey to make good on that promise. Six years later the blame has been lit. This is for the 4 million living veterans, and the hundreds of thousands that died before them. I want people to know that the cost of war doesnt end with the guns of silence. Disabled veterans battle every day. Every day. Pope helped to raise money. Donated some of her own, lobbied congress and the then secretary of Veterans Affairs, jessie here. For every tragic story of a life unravelled by battle there are a dozen trails that triumphed over the harrowing experiences of war and ruin. Reporter the rows of transloosents glass have 18 quotes etched into them, and images. Depicting stories of servicemen and women. I felt alone watching what was happening. By this point i knew i was hurt. Company. Reporter the project director gave us a tour. You talk about the glass. Its not just pretty glass, its meant to tell us something. The glass this is starfired glass, and has a strength to it, but has a fragility to it. Theres two meanings, the strength of the glass and the fragility. They have been wounded. They came back. The memorial was designed and to give them a place to pause and reflect. This memorial has a lot to do with reflection and light. We have a star fountain with a flame in the middle symbolizing the fire in the grove, in the grove of the soldiers. After more than a decade of battles in iraq and afghanistan, the number of disabled veterans grew, 45 since 2000. I want our elected representatives to realise the human cost of war, and think twice before battle. Reporter the memorial is located in the shadow of capitol hill, and pope says she believes it will be a call to action. Every day life goes on. Every day for them is a life of pain. It is. I want people to know that. Before i watched my limbs, i was half a man. Now we have developed some humility. Before, i only myself. Words to remember. That is america tonight. Tell us what you think at aljazeera. Com americatonight. Talk to us on twitter or facebook. Come badge, well have more of america tonight tomorrow. On Al Jazeera America a team of scientists are taking their inspiration from nature. Technology. Its a vital part of who we are they had some dynamic fire behavior. And what we do. Transcranial direct stimulation. Dont try this at home tech knows team of experts show you how the miracles of science. This is my selfie. What can you tell me about my future . Can effect and surprise us. Sharks like affection tech know where Technology Meets humanity. Only on Al Jazeera America i. S. I. L. Claims responsibility for a bombing at a mosque in saudi arabia that killed more than 20 peoples. People. Hello youre watching al jazeera. Also coming up. In djibouti. Where thousands of yemeni eist have takenyemeniistyemenis havetaken refuge