In Jacksonville, North Carolina, there is a military training center called Camp Lejeune. Camp Lejeune, constructed in 1941, is still a working Marine Corps station today. Almost a million marines (and their families) deployed at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 were exposed to harmful substances discovered in the water.
These chemicals include the volatile organic molecules benzene, perchloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and trichloroethylene, which are used to clean metals and remove grease. According to estimates, the quantities of these pollutants in the water at Camp Lejeune ranged from 240 to 3400 times higher than those permitted by safety guidelines.
Although several signs and symptoms since the 1980s showed that the type of illnesses found in the camp had a link to contaminated water, it was not taken seriously until the first veteran in 2010 got a 100% cancer rating (Multiple Myeloma) and confirmed that the disease was linked to exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. This was the first time the government agreed that the illnesses in the camp were connected to water contamination.
Various government programs have been launched to help people harmed since the connection between water contamination and diseases was discovered. For instance, the Janey Ensminger Act, enacted in 2012, mandates that the VA treat patients suffering from up to fifteen illnesses linked to service at Camp Lejeune.
An engineer’s daughter working at Camp Lejeune inspired the bill’s name. After growing up on the base, the daughter, Janey, passed away from cancer at nine.
With such exposure, there are several symptoms but, more significantly, illness. Illnesses that the VA is likely to discover are presumed to be treatable in Camp Lejeune, which means that you may be eligible for a disability rating based on the severity of your symptoms.
Symptoms of Benzene
Between the 1950s and the 1980s, those who worked and lived at Camp Lejeune may have also been adversely affected by benzene exposure. Benzene can be ingested or inhaled.
A Marine or other impacted individual may have felt the following after exposure to benzene:
- Convulsions
- Sleepiness
- Fertility problems
- Vertigo and dizziness
- Decreased overall immunity
- Decreased ovary size in women
- Confusion or disorientation
- Headaches
- Decreased red blood cells/anemia
- Erratic menstrual periods
- Stomach irritation, nausea, and vomiting
- Excessive bleeding
Symptoms Of Vinyl Chloride
- Arm or leg numbness or tingling
- Fatigue
- Digestive discomfort, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Eye irritation
- Mucous membrane irritation
- A feeling of inebriation or intoxication
- Dizziness
- Liver ailments include cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer
- Blood platelet diseases like thrombocytopenia and purpura
- Irritability
- Disruptions in sleep
- Loss of libido
- Headaches
- Different neuropathies (nerve malfunctions)
Symptoms of Trichloroethylene
- Impaired memory
- Loss of dexterity
- Gut discomfort (GI) symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea (from TCE ingestion).
- Sluggish response times
- Weakness and fatigue
- Headaches, especially with prolonged exposure
- Other sleep disorders and insomnia
- Persistent headaches or dizziness
- Decreases in cognition, including issues with word associations
- Ongoing digestive issues, such as persistent nausea or vomiting
- Memory issues in the short term
- Decreased appetite in general
Most exposures for those who did not reside at Camp Lejeune were probably obtained from water consumption. In contrast, residents of the base often experienced exposure by inhaling or direct skin contact when taking a bath or doing other domestic chores, drinking contaminated water, and eating food prepared there.
During this period, not everyone who worked or resided at Camp Lejeune showed overt signs of toxic exposure. However, many people eventually had life-threatening health concerns like cancer, cognitive decline, central nervous system injury, and developmental issues, even when they did not exhibit any obvious symptoms.
You could still be eligible for service connection via the VA if you served at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 and have ailments that I haven’t listed. According to the VA, only these disorders currently have enough scientific and medical evidence to warrant the formulation of presumptions.
However, the VA will continue to analyse pertinent material as it becomes available. Veterans are urged to contact their primary care physician and submit a claim if they are dealing with further health issues and believe the polluted water may cause them at Camp Lejeune.
