The following is a personal story submitted to Civilian Exposure and published as part of our new series: “Contamination Chronicles: Personal Stories of Exposure”. If you would like to submit your story, you may fill out our form here or send directly via email to share-@-civilianexposure.org.
Isn’t it funny how the CDC and other health organizations only put out diseases that are at most rare and not common, but leave out others that truly affected Marines and Navy personnel? After having cancer on the base of my tongue and lymph nodes all down my neck, forty-two (42) days of radiation and chemo, a blood disorder, an enlarged heart, hepatic steatosis of the liver, and syncope, I have been denied for over six (6) years.
The VA told me I walked around Camp Lejeune with my mouth open and that caused my cancer. I have been accused of being a heavy smoker, drinker and many other things in my medical records that are total lies.
I finally wrote to the CDC and was told that no one should have been exposed to that water and all the doctors there support that. I have a written letter from them, but the VA would rather rely on their doctors who don’t even see you. It’s all guess work done from far away!
Congress will not reply to your letters as well. They only let on like they have no control over them (VA). That is far from the truth. They assign who controls the VA and have the final say in their Congressional committees. I am tired of the same politicians making the decisions and lying to us about what they can do or not do. I am only asking that they take a stand on Camp Lejeune poisoning. It would cost them money to do so, but yet they feel they deserve a $2800.00 COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) every year while seniors get only $5.00 COLA.
For those of us who have lost friends or are seriously ill with diseases or the Marines or Navy who have lost family members, Congress doesn’t care. We need to start a campaign and an open letter to Congress from all that served at Lejeune from 1953 to 1987 (sick or not) and make them serve those of us that are ill and honor our disability claims as we were promised when we joined. Congress gets theirs and most didn’t even serve!
I am a Marine, 65 years old, and I will always be a Marine. Semper Fi to all those who are ill and being refused by Congress to have claims taken care of with the respect and the dignity we earned.
God Bless all of you.
USMC Vet 1969-1972 – Exposed for 317 days at Lejeune Poison Water Hole!
Note from the Editor: The author currently resides in Kentucky. The account/editorial is verbatim from the author, with the omission of their name to preserve anonymity.
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1 comment
I was @ Hadnot point camp Lejeune N.C.for 57 months as a SGT. My son was born on the base 1974. my wife passed @age 42 from breast cancer.I,m at stage 4 liver.The V.A.dumped all the data DR Portier (head of ATSDR) had & DR Clapp &DR Bove .The NRC was paid $ 600.000 for the report they gave by the DOD.(FOIA).My wife & son paid A heavy TOLL for me serving my time in the USMC.