Wolfpack Wednesday #13: Camp Lejeune — The Water That Poisoned a Generation

WOLFPACK WEDNESDAY | ALPHA VI BATTALION | ISSUE #13

Camp Lejeune: The Water That Poisoned a Generation

No one fights alone. Remember the fallen. Support the living. Preserve the lessons. Strengthen the Pack.

From 1953 to 1987, the drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was contaminated with toxic chemicals at levels hundreds of times above what is considered safe.

Trichloroethylene. Perchloroethylene. Benzene. Vinyl chloride. Industrial solvents, degreasers, and chemicals linked to cancer, neurological damage, birth defects, and a long list of conditions that showed up in Marines, Navy personnel, civilian workers, and their families who lived and worked on the base during those decades.

For years, the people who reported getting sick were told there was no connection. The government denied. The military denied. Families buried children and did not know why. Veterans developed rare cancers and could not explain how. The full scope of what happened at Camp Lejeune is still being counted.

What Was in the Water

The contamination came from multiple sources. An off-base dry cleaning company leaked perchloroethylene into the groundwater for years. On-base storage tanks and waste disposal practices introduced trichloroethylene and other solvents. The ABC One-Hour Cleaners off base contributed to contamination that spread into the Tarawa Terrace water system serving family housing.

These chemicals are classified as probable or known human carcinogens. Benzene is directly linked to leukemia. TCE is linked to kidney cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. PCE is linked to bladder cancer. Vinyl chloride, a breakdown product of TCE, is one of the most potent carcinogens known.

The contamination was identified by the early 1980s. Parts of the water system were not shut down until 1985. For the years in between, people kept drinking it, cooking with it, bathing their children in it, and nobody told them to stop.

Who Is Eligible for Benefits

In 2012, the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act was signed into law, extending VA healthcare to veterans and family members who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987.

The PACT Act of 2022 significantly expanded presumptive conditions for Camp Lejeune veterans, meaning the VA now presumes a connection between service at Camp Lejeune and a list of covered conditions including several cancers, Parkinson's disease, neurobehavioral effects, and more. Veterans no longer have to prove a link between their illness and the water. Service at the base during the covered period is sufficient.

Additionally, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 opened a two-year window for veterans and family members to file civil claims against the federal government for harm caused by the contaminated water. That window has since closed for new filings but existing claims are still being processed.

What to Do Right Now

If you or a family member lived or worked at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, file a VA claim for any covered condition. The presumptive list is broad and the VA is currently processing these claims. Do not wait.

If you know someone who was stationed at Lejeune during that period and has been dealing with unexplained health issues, share this post. A lot of those veterans and families never connected the dots or gave up on the system years ago. The rules changed. They need to know.

Resources

• VA Camp Lejeune Information: va.gov
• ATSDR Camp Lejeune Resources: atsdr.cdc.gov
• VA Benefits Hotline: 1-800-827-1000
• Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then press 1

No one fights alone.

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