by Miguel Leyva

Since the mid-20th century, the U.S. Military’s haphazard use and disposal of dangerous chemicals have irremediably impacted the lives of countless troops and civilians who were none the wiser to the toxins they were frequently exposed to. In infamous cases like Camp Lejeune, contamination lasted over three decades, leaving an indelible mark on veterans and military families.

While significant legislative efforts were made to address former Camp Lejeune residents’ health issues, veterans who served on other contaminated US Army bases around the country, including several Michigan installations, aren’t afforded the same benefits or recognition.

A Crass Legacy of Toxic Issues

From 1953 to 1987, about a million troops and dependents served and lived on Camp Lejeune. During this period, they were exposed to volatile organic compounds resulting from decaying degreasers, solvents, oil, and various other industrial chemicals that made their way into the base’s drinking water. 

Analysis of Camp Lejeune’s grounds identified over 70 toxins in concentrations up to 3,400 times above adequate safety levels, including carcinogens like vinyl chloride, benzene, trihalomethanes, perchloroethylene (PCE), and trichloroethylene (TCE). In particular, the army’s use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) since the early 1970s to put out petrochemical fires led to vast amounts of per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminating the base’s premises.

Also known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS represent a distinct environmental threat due to their strong molecular bonds that prevent natural decomposition, meaning that they last longer in the environment and can permeate the soil affecting drinking water sources. Exposure to PFAS has been clinically linked to testicular and kidney cancer, liver damage, high cholesterol, thyroid issues, infertility, and reduced vaccine response in children.

In 2016, the EPA established non-binding health advisories of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS, the main PFAS compounds in AFFF. A year later, analysis of soil and water samples from Camp Lejeune uncovered forever chemical concentrations that were over 2,500 times above advisory guidelines (179,348 ppt).

Despite its infamy and designation as a Superfund site in 1989, Camp Lejeune is only one of over 700 army installations across the U.S. where PFAS contamination has been confirmed. Even more concerning, a recent study found that nearly 3,500 active and inactive military locations are presumed to be affected, with grim implications for both service members and neighboring communities.

Unequal VA Coverage

Due to the egregious extent of Camp Lejeune’s toxic issues, Congress passed legislation providing improved access to VA health benefits and disability compensation for former residents in 2012. Five years later, the VA recognized 8 diseases as service-connected presumptive conditions.

Although the road to VA assistance is mired by the Department’s challenging bureaucratic process and high rejection rate, Camp Lejeune victims are marginally fortunate compared to veterans who served on other contaminated bases for whom bespoke legislation wasn’t adopted.

In Michigan, the legacy use of AFFF led to PFAS contamination on several bases, including KI. Sawyer Air Force Base (110,000 ppt), Alpena Regional Airport (82,000 ppt), Wurtsmith Air Force Base (79,772 ppt), Battle Creek Air National Guard Base (55,000 ppt), W.K. Kellogg Airport (76,000 ppt), and Selfridge Air National Guard Base (22,000 ppt). While these bases are accounted for among the state’s many PFAS-contaminated locations, none of them are listed as Superfunds, which would require expeditious remediation efforts.

The Air Force’s reluctance to admit responsibility for contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base inadvertently complicates affected veterans’ pursuit of compensation. Since diseases stemming from PFAS exposure aren’t afforded presumptive status, veterans have to undergo the grueling VA process of demonstrating their condition’s service connection. 

Additionally, since forever chemicals are formidably mobile in the environment, contamination extending beyond bases’ grounds can further impact veterans and civilians in surrounding communities. In 2018, PFAS discharged from Detroit’s Selfridge ANGB contaminated Lake St. Clair and the Clinton River, which provide drinking water to neighboring municipalities.

The PACT Act overlooks PFAS’ risks

In August 2022, the signing of the PACT Act represented the most significant development for veterans and military dependents who suffered the consequences of toxic exposure on contaminated military installations. The bill also incorporated the Camp Lejeune Justice Act proposal, which allows former residents to file lawsuits if the VA rejects or doesn’t address their disability claims.

However, despite the PACT Act’s extensive coverage of toxic exposure risks, emerging contaminants like PFAS remain overlooked as valid threats. Although 23 new diseases are now granted presumptive status, PFAS-related illnesses like thyroid and prostate cancer remain unrecognized. Furthermore, a proposal to establish a registry of PFAS-exposed veterans which the VA would oversee wasn’t adopted into the bill’s final form.

Perhaps the most contentious aspect of the PACT Act is the seemingly preferential consideration of Camp Lejeune victims’ exposures and their ability to seek compensation via lawsuits. Notably, this option doesn’t extend to veterans who were exposed to excessive amounts of PFAS on other bases like Wurtsmith AFB, who already have to contend with miles of bureaucratic red tape impeding their access to VA benefits and compensation required to address the debilitating outcomes of their diseases and urgent medical costs.

Fortunately, the discussion surrounding forever chemicals’ enduring risks has prompted several promising developments. Remediation efforts on the most PFAS-contaminated bases will be financed through the National Defense Authorization Act, the Department of Defense has adopted new specifications for non-toxic firefighting foams, and the EPA recently proposed federal limits for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water at just 4 ppt.

Considering the long-term implications, federal legislators should consider amending the PACT Act to address the broader range of PFAS-related conditions affecting veterans and military families. Alternatively, a more expedient solution may come in the form of bespoke legislative proposals such as Dan Kildee’s re-introduced VETS PFAS Act, which has been submitted and overlooked since 2018.