A Toxic Tale: Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune Part II by Andrea Byron

A Toxic Tale: Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune Part II
By Andrea M. Byron

I am a daughter, a sister and a mother. I am a hard worker, a tax payer and a contributor to society. I pay rising gas prices, day care costs and insurance premiums. I am an American and I have a dream. I am supposed to be entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…but I have not been able to fully experience what is known as the "American Dream."

My dad, Jeff Byron, proudly served his great country in the United States Marine Corps. We lived on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in the early-mid 1980s. I was a sickly child- I was seen 57 times at the Naval Hospital for various ailments in the short period of 30 months. At 3 years old, I was diagnosed with aplastic anemia…

Aplastic anemia is a rare and serious condition in which the bone marrow stops producing enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to keep the body healthy, resulting in an increased risk of infection and uncontrollable bleeding. Nine years later, at the age of 12, I was classified as in remission.

Ten months ago, at the age of 25, I again had to start seeing a hematologist for "questionable" blood counts.

People deal with medical problems every day and most never know why they received such a burden. I know in my heart why I have the problems that I do and it all stems back to the 1980s and Camp Lejeune. Of course, I didn’t know this until May 27, 2000 when my dad received a letter stating that the water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (perchloroetyhlene or PCE).

Now, almost 8 years later, we know that the contamination occurred from 1957 until 1987, more than 70 chemicals were present in the water and that some people estimate that up to 1 million Marines, Naval personnel, dependents and civilians were exposed. Most of these people still have no idea they were exposed to toxic water.

In my opinion, the Marine Corps has been less than forthcoming in all aspects of the contamination, as well as not being very cooperative. People are sick and dying and these are the same people who proudly served their country. Isn’t it about time that their country serve them?

"Semper Fidelis" is the Marine Corps motto. It is Latin for "always faithful." I have just one thing to say to that…"PROVE IT."