Mike Rowe and the BURN PIT Whistleblower: War Veteran Dan Clare | The Way I Heard It

On this episode of "The Way I Heard It," Mike Rowe talks with Dan Clare, the Iraq War veteran and Chief Communications and Outreach Officer for Disabled American Veterans. Dan explains the circumstances that led him to blow the whistle on the Iraq burn pits.

#mikerowe #thewayiheardit #Whistleblower #burnpits #danclare

Listen to the ENTIRE episode of "The Way I Heard It" #316 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

FOLLOW MIKE ROWE:

[yzenynot]

I've stopped saying thank you for your service. I now say thank you for your sacrifice.

[michaelmarks]

My time in Vietnam was in the Delta where agent orange was extensively used, during an exam by a VA doctor he refused my claim of being “in country”. This is when I went to the DAV for my disability claim and finally after 15 years I was awarded 100%. Thanks Miss Johnson.🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸

[DustinDiamond-nc]

Mike I appreciate you talking about the burn pits with the DAV rep. I am one of the service members that was affected by the burn pits. Due to my time I Iraq I was diagnosed with particulates in my lungs from the burn pits and was medically discharged. The unfortunate situation was the VA didn’t recognize this until the PACT act in 2019. I’m still one of the lucky ones. I have a friend that I served with that recently passed away from lung cancer due to the toxins inhaled from the burn pits. We are in the registry, I’m hoping it helps all of us.

[helicopterdriver]

I talked to a guy that served in Vietnam and his job was to retrieve body/parts after a battle. His choices were do burning barrel duty and burn body parts or go retrieve corpses. He was assigned an Armored personnel carrier ordered to go out and hunt down dead soldiers and put everything in a body bag. Every day. The things he endured are unbelievable. Having to spend the rest of your life remembering the horror is unimaginable for me. What a terrible dilemma.

[russh]

Thanks Mike for amplifying this issue! I am pretty sure burn pits did in my step sister. She used to talk about them when she was in the Army. She came down and fought lymphatic cancer while in the military and never put one and one together. She was in her late 50's when she passed she fought the cancer to the end with the love and support of her family and extended family support group.

[WvlfDarkfire]

The DAV was fantastic to me when i got out. They really helped me get the care i needed while walking me through all the steps i never knew id have to take. They still offer fantastic assistance to veterans in general

[Wawalsh]

My dad was a member of the DAV. His ship USS LST 496 was sunk in WWII off Normandy beach and he suffered 2 major nervous breakdowns after his service. He was honorably discharged. Thank you for your organization.

[jenniferbutcher]

Thank you for helping our veterans! As an Army mom of an overseas young soldier, I can tell you that telling a soldier "thank you for your sacrifice " means much more than service. They have sacrificed their family time, relationships, careers and so much more to become part of the military that defends our freedoms. And you are so on target with the basic training...they need support and civilian training as they transition back to "normal" civilian life. I can't imagine how difficult switching roles will be for our son when the time comes. Thank you for you support ❤

[Desecrator]

Rip to all the service men and women that we've lost. My family has seen the horrors of these burn pits and the impact it had on their health. Thank you for all you've done for our country. You are braver than I.

[donaldpereira]

My late Dad, a Pacific Theater World War II army Veteran manned a .030 machine gun. Came home nearly deaf. He worked his entire life, but missed most of it, because he couldn't hear what people were saying.

[bobthecannibal]

The "Transition assistance program" was one 4 hour class for me while I was outprocessing when I ETSed.

Consider that (in my case) my basic training was 16 weeks on a 4 year contract. Some guys were "two year" contracts. "Needs of the Army" means they train you, and then you're practically on your own when you get out, because the "needs of the Army" aren't generally served by people separating from the Army.

[Psalm_]

My husband said they had the same burn pits too when he was in Iraq, but he doesn't fall into the dates. They wait till the majority of the service men die off before finally acknowledging the problem.

[Nevets]

I deployed several times to several countries but it was my 2nd deployment to Iraq in 2008 that I realized just how Bad burn pits were. It was mid July in Baghdad and 120 degrees outside. All of a sudden the sky went dark like one of the many hurricanes I’d grown accustomed to. It started to Snow in July and everyone simply stared at the sky. Once it actually hit my truck I realized it wasn’t Snowing, it was raining Ash. This one particular time it was more than an inch thick. I started asking questions and they burned Everything!

[cherylstaples]

I wasn't gonna listen in to yall men talk about dry man stuff, but I'm nosey so plugged in and realized the topic is anything but dry. One, I love our service people. Two, I'm a retired public health nurse, so it matters a whole lot to me that things like this happen to our people who have to take orders from people who should know better than put their health and lives at risk. Thank you! For everything you've done and are doing.

[loudmcleod]

I love the idea of a reverse boot camp. I came out of the Air Force with skills that didn't translate to the civilian world so well. Not a lot of call for maintaining and loading aircraft weapons systems outside of the military. My earliest resumes had to be VERY creative. Lol

[Spetznatz]

An excellent show Mr Rowe. I can certainly relate. I served 27 years in the Army with 2/3 of my time as a Reservist. I served in the Gulf War then later I went to Iraq again in 2005 to 2006. A few years after that I went to Afghanistan in the far East region near Pakistan in 2011 to 2012.
Early last year, 2022, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I had genetic tests done because I was concerned for my two young sons. Later last year in June I had 90% of my colon removed and went through several rounds of chemotherapy. It has debated my health and weakened me beyond what I thought was possible. Since then I have pushed myself to eat better and work out consistently to regain my strength. I’m much better than before but still suffer from some nerve damage mostly in my feet/toes and some in my hands. This is a result of the chemotherapy.
I’m glad the VA finally set up the Burn-pit registry and has helped me to recover.
Now I’m trying get back to some sort of work and take care of my family!
Thanks for helping to bring these problems to light!!!

[electrochaser]

It’s a shame what a combat veteran goes through while serving. But to make them be ashamed of their medical issues from their service should be shame put on the elected representatives who sent them.

[jimipickle]

Mike, this is an endeavor that needs to be explored. Not to point fingers, blame or find justification but to meet the needs of those who served. As a survivor, 100% disabled vet with several unexplained medical conditions upon return from Iraq, there is an understanding that we need to put an effort to this. We, survivors, who lost our health and much more, we need to address, create a trusting agent and do whatever is necessary to care for those who are STILL trying to survive. How many more will we allow to perish? Dan, thanks for standing. There is also another unspoken, not on my watch atrocity that needs attention. No one wants to touch it, no one wants to address it and it has nothing to do with fighting a war but it was present. This one needs accountability. Dan knows.

[mamadotscreations]

People are STILL afraid to be "a disorder". We all need some kind of help, but asking for it is still scary

[RealRickCox]

Grateful for each and every service member and first responder who have protected Americans both here and abroad. Hoping one day, the thirst for war will end.