Camp Lejeune - MCAS El Toro: A Few Good Men, Too Many Chemicals

We’re the Veterans of
contaminated land,
No mama, no poppa, no Uncle Sam.

No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces.
No rifles, no planes, or
artillery pieces.
And nobody gives a damn.

Few Good Men, Too Many Chemicals tells the story of the thousands of veterans, their families and civilian workers at former MCAS El Toro and Camp Lejeune, at one time two of the most hazardous military installations in the U.S. Those who lived and worked on these bases and were exposed to toxic chemicals and other environmental hazards continue to be ignored by the U.S. government, including the over 70 Marine Veterans of Camp Lejeune with male breast cancer, the highest incidence of occurrence of this rare cancer in any other demographic in the U.S.

Camp Lejeune has been labeled as ‘death camp’ for those who drank, showered, and cooked with the contaminated water on the base from 1957 to 1987.

At Camp Lejeune, the contamination of the base wells with organic solvents and benzene is a documented fact. The contamination covered a 30 year period from 1957 until 1987 and may have exposed as many as one million people to toxic chemicals.

The base wells at MCB Camp Lejeune were contaminated with toxic chemicals for 30 years, according to The Subcommittee on Investigations & Oversight of The Committee on Science & Technology, U.S. House of Representatives.

With 130 military installations on the EPA Superfund database, the Defense Department faces a huge potential liability from dependents and civilian workers (the only ones who can file tort suits). This may be the raison d’etre for the Navy and Marine Corps’ refusal to accept responsibility for injuries from Camp Lejeune’s contaminated wells. To do so, may be the proverbial Pandora box, opening the door to many others who were exposed to environmental hazards on 130 military Superfund installations and were injured from these exposures.

For Camp Lejeune, MCAS El Toro and the many military bases on the EPA Superfund list, these are not just examples of one or two drums leaching into the groundwater. For our military, dependents, civilian workers and in many cases those living near these bases, the volume of toxic chemicals in the soil and groundwater posed a serious environmental health risk.

The Source

Agent Orange/Other Toxic Subantances & Alzhemier's: Marine Awarded 100% Disability

Korean War and Vietnam War veteran totally disabled. Daughter completes successful VA claim on the first try.

Jim Brooks has Alzheimer’s, a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. A Marine Mustang, Gunnery Sergeant Brooks, a jet engine mechanic, was promoted to 1st Lieutenant during the Vietnam War.

Scientific literature identifies more than 100 industrial chemicals that are known to affect the human brain, causing cognitive symptoms. TCE is one of those chemicals.

The VA approved a 100% disability for Jim Brooks in 2011. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2002 and by 2010 the disease had advanced to the severe stages of dementia.