DOD, VA asked to address allegations saying base made soldiers sick

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    FAIRWAY, KS (KCTV) — The United States House Oversight Committee wants the Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to respond to allegations that a military base made U.S. soldiers sick.

This concerns Karshi-Khanabad or “K2” in what is now Uzbekistan. Veterans say that base was a toxic waste dump for the Russians.

They said they immediately noticed bad smells and black goo around the base. There were glowing green ponds of water they called “Skittles ponds” because the color was so intense.

K2 has been the focus of previous investigative reports at KCTV5 because a local veteran is collecting information on sickness and death.

The committee recently heard from Scott Welsch and others about K2 and is now following up with letters demanding information.

On says, in part:

“The response from the Department of Defense (DOD) has been inadequate. Veterans who deployed to K2 in Operation Enduring Freedom served bravely in defense of the United States, yet many of them have not received answers to their legitimate questions about the potential hazards they may have been exposed to while deployed there.”

A separate letter to the VA points out the lack of action on the government’s part to directly affect the care and benefits:

“These men and women deserve answers from their government. Time is of the essence, as many of these veterans are battling advanced stage cancers. We have also been made aware of at least one instance where a K2 veteran sought treatment from the VA after your February 5, 2020, remarks, but was told the VA could not conduct the requested depleted uranium and radiation testing.”

The full letters sent to the DOD and the VA are available at the end of this article.

Both letters ask for a full briefing regarding what is known about K2 and who was aware of that information.

The letters point out soldiers from K2 are filling out questionnaires and are already aware of 30 deaths among the 7,000 soldiers who served there. Those deaths are mostly cancer related.

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