Mysterious Cancer, Camp Lejeune, And A Government Coverup About To Be Exposed!

Thirteen years of Government coverup, the lid is about to be blown off on Thursday, September 16th 2010.
Finally, the vindication of many lives lost, and many lives that hang in the balance.

First, a little history on Camp Lejeune, N.C, Marine Corps Base Est 1941, and the Government coverup.

From at least 1957 through 1987, Marines and their families at Lejeune drank and bathed in water contaminated with toxins at concentrations up to 240-3400 times permitted by safety standards, and at least 850 former residents filed claims for nearly $4 billion from the military. The main chemicals involved were trichloroethylene (TCE), a degreaser, perchloroethylene (PCE), a dry cleaning solvent, and benzene; however, more than 70 chemicals have been identified as contaminants at Lejeune.

A 1974 base order required safe disposal of solvents and warned that improper handling could cause drinking water contamination. Yet solvents were dumped or buried near base wells for years.

en.wikipedia.org...

Unbelievable, is it not? Yet, still, even though the deaths mounted, and the contamination was widely acknowledged, Thirteen years ago, the Federal Scientific Agency that was investigating in 1997 issued a report that failed to consider closely the effects of a key poison: benzene, which is a component of fuel and a chemical known to cause cancer.
It concluded that exposed adults were unlikely to get cancer from the water!

The "omission" happened even though scientists had been warned that they were overlooking crucial data, and even though the scientists themselves had reviewed a document that mentioned the benzene contamination!

"There was evidence that there were very high levels of benzene in the drinking water, and they did not include benzene in the assessment," said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., and the chairman of the oversight subcommittee of the House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee.

Finally, a hearing in which the Government will be taken to task!

On Thursday, Miller's subcommittee will question scientists, military leaders and Marine veterans about the water contamination — and who knew what about it, and when.

As many as a million people were exposed to water contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), benzene and other contaminants for three decades before the wells were closed.Nearly 160,000 people from every state have registered with the Marine Corps to get information about the contamination.

As many as 40 men from Camp Lejeune now report breast cancer! www.tampabay.com...

This rare cancer cluster has been identifed and linked to Camp Lejeune contamination.

These Marines and others who lived at the base and contracted breast cancer, appear much younger and all were exposed to TCE at the Lejeune site known to be contaminated with TCE.

www.salem-news.com...

A 1974 base order required safe disposal of solvents and warned that improper handling could cause drinking water contamination. Yet solvents were dumped or buried near base wells for years.

"The Marine Corps knowingly poisoned their own people," Partain recently said in his living room, surrounded by stacks of military documents and water analysis reports. "They were told about the water, and they did nothing. Nothing. And then they lied about it."

articles.latimes.com...

Yet, many of the 500,000 men and women that are affected by this still can not afford medicat treatment!
www.salem-news.com...

www.truth-out.org...

This matter has had little attention here on ATS, not for the lack of trying though.
It appears that seveal threads that were started were quickly attacked.

Related ATS Threads
www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Its time for this to be acknowledged, and for the Government to make it right.

Home of The Few, The Proud, The Forgotton
Site Dedicated To The Marines/Naval personnel, dependent family members and civilians, and residents
www.tftptf.com...

edit on 15-9-2010 by burntheships because: Format

edit on Wed Sep 15 2010 by DontTreadOnMe because: correct spelling in title

S & F

Now there is a scary revelation.
It might help to find and post some contact information for people who have more questions and about some sort of recourse.

Great find!

reply to post by burntheships



WOW. I mean really? You want to poison your fighting forces what the hell are they thinking? I am glad I was never stationed at Lejune, but if it is going on there then how many other US bases are dealing with this? When I was stationed at Ft. Knox my wife complained the water was slimy tasting, so she bought those tap purified things, I am not sure if they would actually purify the water but it did taste better.

Our government has a history of dumping toxins on its own citizens (testing to), I can see if it was a case of a lazy soldier not properly disposing of said chemicals but over a period of 20 years? And the fact that this has been Identified earlier really just irks, scares, and pisses me off.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Slayer, Thanks for your input!
I just found that the men who have been affected by this have made a calender, to try to garner more attention and support.
www.jdnews.com...

With respect to the levels of toxicity at Camp Lejeune, it is also confusing why more Marines did not end up the same affliction as those 22 (men) stricken with breast cancer. Another mysterious factor is that male breast cancer usually doesn't appear until about 60-years of age.

These Marines and others who lived at the base and contracted breast cancer, appear much younger and all were exposed to TCE at the Lejeune site known to be contaminated with TCE.

www.salem-news.com...

More Resources for Information, Contacts, Studies, and Help

Camp Lejeune Historic Drinking Water
The Marine Corps encourages all those who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune before 1987 to register to receive notifications regarding Camp Lejeune Historic Drinking Water.
clnr.hqi.usmc.mil...

Department Of Veterans Affairs BenefitsCamp Lejeune Water Contamination Fact Sheet

reply to post by poedxsoldiervet


Yes, wow! Thanks for dropping into the thread Poed! I am sure that purifier your wife bought did some good.

Imagine, these men and women have cancer and had lived on this base, and have been lied to for over a decade, decades!

Here is an excerpt from a story about a veteran seeking medical attention, and he was exposed at Camp Lejeune...

“The veteran has made a claim for neuropathy due to chemical exposure as well. You are not to consider that claim at this time because we have not confirmed his exposure. This exam is exclusively to determine if he has a service related radiculopathy.” In the margin of the file noting this decision, Townsend wrote, “The exposure [at Camp Lejeune] date[s] back to 1957-1987 per ATSDR/CDC public health data.

(Doctor) Where have you been? I have lost a son and a wife to this government-generated water system. To boot I have severe neuropathy diagnosed as ‘most likely caused by this exposure.’ This was a FAKE EXAM by the VA and you knew it!”

dcbureau.org...

I have been following this story for years, I am relieved to see that finally, finally these patriots may have a recourse!

We lived at Lejeune throughout the nineties and then in the early 2000's until last year. We used a reverse osmosis system for the house, as the water was not right, as soon as that technology became available.
We continuously would receive mailings on the safety of the water.
I truly hope that we will suffer no ill effects. I hope those who do will be compensated and cared for. We knew some families with cancer, and some children with leukemia and cancers in our base neighborhood. Cannot say whether it was due to environmental factors or not, though most folks were young, healthy, and fit where we lived.
Lejeune is an interesting base to say the least. Lots of things going on.

God Bless~

reply to post by thegoodearth


I really really hope that you, and your family stay healthy, and your health remains untouched by this tragedy!
It is a terrible thing that this has been covered up for so long. It was war on our own patriots!

How do former residents themselves react when the facts are before them? One of the most powerful feelings veterans experience when they learn about the water contamination, strangely enough, is relief. Sims now sees himself primarily as “a victim of circumstance” rather than somehow responsible, as he feared he was. “I’m just relieved to know [it wasn’t me]. I’ve been walking around for 35 years with this monkey on my back.” Townsend said much the same: when he saw a notice 10 years ago that ATSDR was looking to speak with mothers who bore children at the base between 1968, when medical records were first computerized, and 1985, “it relieved the guilt in my heart that I’d done something to [my son].” At the same time, before his wife died she “was relieved. It got the guilt out of her system.”

The Pentagons War On The Patriots[

One mans story, and his win for others. His struggles will not be forgotten.

CBS 2s Investigation Poisoned Patriots is making new progress in the fight for veterans. CBS 2 exposed a problem hardly anyone knew about until now. Now, Senators are getting wind of the problem that is possibly killing many...

The bill is named after Janey Ensminger, who died from childhood Leukemia at the age of nine.

Congressman Brad Miller, D-N.C. introduced the Janey Ensminger Act earlier this month. The bill, if passed, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide health care to veterans and dependents with medical issues related to exposure to the toxins in the water.

The bill is named for Janey Ensminger, who died from childhood Leukemia in 1985 at the age of nine after being exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune while still in her mother’s womb.

Partain said there is precedent for health care to be provided by the VA.

But it’s a very narrow precedent, said Brooks Tucker, who serves on Burr’s staff on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

According to Tucker, the VA cares for dependents of veterans who have Spina bifida resulting from exposure to Agent Orange.

Burr’s bill, S. 1518, is similar to the House bill. Tucker said the Senate bill was eclipsed by a proposal by Sen. Daniel Akaka, chairman of the Senate Committee of Veterans Affairs, which would require health care be provided by the Department of Defense.

But, said Tucker, there is no precedent requiring DOD to take care of dependents.

As a disabled veteran, I believe the VA should be reserved for veterans. As a human being, rules be damned. The government should be caring for all those affected as a result of ineptitude and deceit.

www.enterprisenews.com...

reply to post by burntheships


This is not surprising. The Department of Defense and the Department of Energy have been covering up massive poisioning for years, both inside and outside of the US.

I recently moved from Washington State, where the incidents of MS are way higher in the rest of the country. "Official" explanations are that it is due to vitamin D deficiency due to the amount of cloud cover and rain. OK. However Oregon has more rain than Washington and the rates are relatively normal. Eastern Washington is high desert and very sunny as well. If you live in Western Washington, you know someone with MS. At the very least you know someone with a direct family connection to MS.

Washington is a heavy military state with several bases. Washington also was home of the Hanford nuclear reactor that produced weapons grade nuclear material from 1942 through 1992. Information about what happened at Hanford and what the government did not do about it (still is not doing) can be obtained by the link below:

www.doh.wa.gov...

This waste was dumped into one of the most pristine areas in the country, the Columbia River basin which is a major salmon fishery. It is in and will never leave the water table.

It will always take a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain these documents and much of what is obtained is redacted.

Legislation is fantastic and a step in the right direction. It is important to understand where you live and what has been in or near that location, both from an industrial, military and energy perspective. Review water table information, soil and air contaminant levels before you decide where to live.

Also understand that areas that are extremely pristine are exactly where this stuff was put, especially during the cold war.

As far as the government coming clean on these matters, as my father used to say "don't wait with your hand on your butt - it will grow there.

My father, by the way worked at Ft. Dix and McGuire AFB base for 30 years, retiring in the 70's. Even back then people used to bring water from home due to the underground knowledge of what they did while testing new jet fuels during WWII and beyond. They would dump tens of thousands of gallons into the soil. They just figured "its all that crap in the ground that makes the water taste bad" they did not think that it could make you sick.

The challenge with respect to military installations is that they are by definition transitory places. It is very hard to track down a soldier who was in a base for 8 years 20 years ago and find out if he is sick. If he is sick, there are a million ways to justify it.

Did they know better at the time? Perhaps not. Does that negate their responsibility to deal with the ramifications of their ignorance? It does not.

Research where you live and take action accordingly.

I have a friend who was in the Marines during the 80's. I don't know how much time he spent at Lejeune, but I do know he spent part of it at Kaneohe Bay, and some at Guanatanamo, where he was injured.

I also know his health is not what one would expect these days.

He's a few years younger than I, but health-wise I'm a comparative spring chicken. Something had to cause that, and I suspect it's not just "good genes" on my part.

What's been done is done, and can't be undone. They can NEVER fix what they've broken in this case. The next best thing is to hold themselves responsible, provide as much aid as is possible to increase the quality of life as much as is possible for those affected (NOT just the vets, but the dependents affected too), and to emplace provisions to insure that this sort of thing NEVER happens again.

I'll not hold my breath, though. The government is rather notorious for shafting vets, going all the way back to the Revolution, and I doubt that will change any time soon.

reply to post by dolphinfan

Dolphinfan,

Thank you for your contribution, invaluable information for those who will read this thread now and in the future!

Very scary stuff about Washington and The Columbia. I dont doubt it for a minute. I find the most tragic aspect is that these illnesses, deaths could have been to some degree negated if someone had taken timely action to stop the contamination, stop the exposure.

As you said, and your fathers wise words, dont wait for The Goverment to help. They maybe resposible for the problem, but they sure wont be part of the solution.

reply to post by nenothtu


Ninurta,

That is telling about your freinds health. While he may not have been exposed to Camp Lejeune, it seems by the way of Dolpinfans post that there was incredible negligence going on with disposal of toxic chemicals for quite some time.
I can imagine he was exposed to something, then again all of those vaccines...makes one wonder, really it does.

Originally posted by nenothtu

What's been done is done, and can't be undone. They can NEVER fix what they've broken in this case. The next best thing is to hold themselves responsible, provide as much aid as is possible to increase the quality of life as much as is possible for those affected (NOT just the vets, but the dependents affected too), and to emplace provisions to insure that this sort of thing NEVER happens again.

I wont hold my breath, but I will hope they are held accountable, even if unwillingly.

reply to post by burntheships

As you said, and your fathers wise words, dont wait for The Goverment to help. They maybe resposible for the problem, but they sure wont be part of the solution.

My father has said this for as long as I can remember and in the case here, they apparently not only don't help but do hurt. Hopefully, there will be some justice and some peace for all of those affected.

reply to post by LadySkadi


LadySkadi,

As you said, peace and justice hopefully. What I find amazing is that many of these men, and women are not bitter, they just want some support, they worry about their families ability to continue on, they just want some acknoledgment of the truth, and some relief!

reply to post by burntheships


Unfortunately, this is nothing new, not the story, but the atrocities Government in any sense will do.

Being raised by a Vietnam era Marine I know damn good and well my stepfather was at Camp Lejeune.

When it comes to soldiers and a lack of care, malfeasance, an or experimentation takes place.

It makes me sick each and every time I hear of any case of this type because it just shows ramshackle leadership.

Irresponsibility, lack of comprehension, or just outright not giving a damn really pisses me off.

The Marine Corps is supposed to set leadership standards in the armed services and this shows lacking.

I certainly realize this leads to one, two, or a few leaders and does not reflect on the entire Marine Corps.

Examples like this is exactly what gives an entire organization like them a bad name because of the cover-up.

Soldiers, no matter the armed service, are the backbone of our nations defenses and they need responsible leadership. And the Marines by far teach dedication, leadership, and hard-core values that our nation needs. Something about this stinks to high Heaven and I am irritated to see it happening at all in any way, shape, or form.

I was there! 1982 - 1986.........I have received letters from the DOD. I need a good lawyer now. Wait! There are no good lawyers. Anyone know of a class-action taking place?

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


Hey SpartanKL,

I hope your Step Father was not there long enough to be affected, or at least during a different timeline!?

What you say is really the case, this most likely has a few rotten apples at the heart of the sickess. Thats all it takes, a few men in powerful positions that will do the wrong thing, to advance, or keep a position. What is really hard to imagine is that this has affected even children born to the residents, the enlisted, and frequenters on the base.

How do they sleep at night? I wonder...

reply to post by thegoodearth

I lived at camp lejeune as well(2001-2005)I remember seeing the signs posted at the front gate about the safe levels of the drinking water.We drank bottled water,in fact we always had a filtration system installed in every military house we lived in.Its such a shame if you can't feel safe on a military instillation where else can you??