Since becoming the Service Officer here in Orlando I’ve been asked and have attempted to answer many questions. I often find myself being asked the same one. “What’s going on with the drinking water at Camp LeJeune?” That strikes at the essence of everything I was taught as a baby Marine. I’d like to tell you what I know about this, and what you need to do if you think you may have been affected by contaminated water.

By all accounts the problem seems to have occurred between 1957 and 1987. In 1982 officials became aware that something was interfering with the analysis of drinking water samples from a 1981 test. In 1982 and 1983, continued testing identified trichloroethylene (TCE), a metal degreaser; tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a dry cleaning solvent; benzene, a constituent in fuel; and other toxins in two water systems that served base housing areas, Hadnot Point and Tarawa Terrace. The contaminants came from both on base and off base sources. The base took 10 wells out of service as a result of this contamination. Nine of those wells were destroyed and one was actually re-opened and is still functional today.

There is limited/suggestive evidence of an association between chronic exposure to PCE or TCE and adverse health outcomes such as: cancer of the liver, kidney, breast, bladder, ovaries, prostate or lung. Also cervical cancer, leukemia, non Hodgkin’s lymphoma, liver disease, miscarriages, birth defects: cleft palate, heart defects, Choanal atresia (a breathing problem in infants caused by tissue blocking the passage between the nose and mouth) neural tube defects, low birth weight, and small size for gestational age. There are more but these are the most common.

While researching this subject I came across a website completely dedicated to this. It has information about the history of this issue and explains how to register if you think you could be affected by it in the future. If you wish, you can access the information through the VA website or you may log on at: https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clwater/index.aspx. I found it quite interesting that Florida is the second leading state in terms of registrations. The only state with more registrants is North Carolina, the actual location of the base.

One of the most important things you can do if you think you have been affected is to file a claim. Many of our Vietnam brethren filed claims for conditions related to Agent Orange exposure which were initially denied but finally were granted service connection for the condition. This often came with significant retroactive pay. The claim process is a veteran’s way of advising the VA of a physical problem which may be related to his/her military service. By doing so, we also look out for our fellow veterans who may have similar circumstances.

One of the things that resonates in my mind from my basic training was the saying: “He’s not heavy, He’s my brother”. As a Marine, I loved that saying and truly believe it. To this very day the belief that my fellow servicemen are my brothers and sisters guides me in my attempts to get everything for them that they’ve earned from their time in the service. If you feel you may have been affected by the drinking water at Camp LeJeune then, by all means, allow me assist you.

David Ray

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