Calling All Marines

If you ever served as a Marine, or have friends or family who are or were Marines, please make sure they are aware of the Camp LeJeune Water Study.

Here's an excerpt from a recent St. Pete Times story:

Camp Lejeune, a sprawling Marine base on the North Carolina seaboard, is the site of what some scientists call the worst public drinking-water contamination in the nation's history. Its water wells were tainted with cancer-causing industrial compounds for 30 years, ending in 1987.

An estimated 500,000 to 1 million people — including Marines and family living on base housing — drank, bathed and cooked using that fouled water.

Congress has dubbed ill Marines "poisoned patriots," and in 2008 lawmakers ordered the Marine Corps to notify those who might have been exposed.

So far, almost 10,000 affected Floridians have registered with the Marine Coprs to take part in a health study, the highest total for any state except North Carolina. About 1,500 claims have been filed against the government seeking $33.8-billion in damages.

"This is worse than any Love Canal," said Jody MacPherson, 47, referring to the New York neighborhood that became notorious in the 1970s as a toxic waste site. "This is worse than Hurricane Katrina. And nobody knows anything about it."

According to The Few The Proud The Forgotten website:

It is imperative that you register with the USMC & ATSDR. The more affected people who register, the more information they have to go off of (ie. further studies) etc. You may register with the USMC at https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clsurvey/ (please click here for a link explaining the privacy disclosure so that you can draw your own conclusions) or by emailing the USMC at clwater@usmc.mil and the ATSDR by emailing atsdrcamplej@cdc.gov or by calling 800-232-4636. If you prefer to email the USMC or ATSDR, please make sure that you provide your name, contact information, medical issues and dates and addresses at Lejeune.