After the 9/11 attacks, thousands of U.S. troops were deployed to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2) in Uzbekistan in support of operations in Afghanistan. But what many service members didn’t know at the time was that they were entering a highly contaminated environment.
K2, a former Soviet military facility, was riddled with toxic substances. Matthew “Nick” Nicholls, a U.S. Army environmental technician who was part of the initial assessment team, described the site to Fox News Digital as “probably the most toxic soup of chemicals that any service member has ever been exposed to.”
Nicholls reported that yellowcake uranium leaked from the ground, while jet fuel and other hazardous chemicals permeated the air and soil. Toxic fumes and dust surrounded the base. His team recommended safety measures such as gravel coverage and restricted exposure times in certain zones. While some precautions were implemented, others were ignored.
Today, many of the veterans who served at K2 are battling serious health conditions, including rare forms of cancer and debilitating joint issues. Some have died young. “These are not the cancers that young people normally get,” Nicholls said. “People I served with are dying.”
Between 2001 and 2005, more than 15,000 U.S. troops and thousands of contractors passed through K2. Many now face difficulties receiving adequate medical care or recognition from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Although the VA has acknowledged exposure risks, it maintains that available studies do not definitively link K2 service to the illnesses reported.
However, U.S. lawmakers are pressing for action. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) has criticized the Pentagon for neglecting early warnings and underestimating the risks. Alongside Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Green introduced a provision in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act mandating a study into toxic exposure at K2. Nearly four years later, the study remains incomplete.
“This is unjust,” Green told Fox News Digital. “The Pentagon ignored the health and safety of our service members.”
Green has renewed calls for the Department of Defense to complete its report, stating that veterans continue to wait for answers. While the Pentagon has pledged a private response, veterans and advocates demand public accountability.
In 2024, the VA relaxed eligibility requirements for K2-related disability benefits. But Green argues that this is insufficient. He has proposed additional legislation to ensure that medical conditions linked to toxic exposure at K2 are formally recognized by the VA.
“These veterans served their country with honor,” Green said. “Now it’s time for the country to stand by them.”
