. >> reporter: he worked as a prison guard at camp booka.e says smoke from burn pits lingered above his living quarters, three years after he tumor. >> produced a lot of powerful organic compounds and toxics and furons and for example benzine carcinogen. >> reporter: a former affair official and analyzed the toxins found in burn pit smoke, for three years since he left the agency he has been fighting to get the department of defense and va to recognize the burn pit exposure has sickened veterans. >> some of them are dying. we have claims from widows who cancers. we have claims from young guys who just have diabetes or have lymphoma or leukemia. >> reporter: representing 31 year odd rodney a specialist who lived a quarter mile from the largest burn pit in iraq at joint base valad and that burn pit covered several acres, evening, plastics, human wastes and tires and batteries and old fire. >> they would use jp 8 fuel, jet fuel to set it on fire. there was always a yellow haze over that base. and everybody that you talk to had some type of resp