A Father’s Legacy, A Son’s Fight for Justice: The Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Crisis

In the quiet town of Elmira, New York, Eric Gergel still feels the absence of his father David, a proud Marine whose life was cut short by bladder cancer in 2012. What makes this loss particularly devastating is the growing realization that David’s cancer wasn’t random or genetic—it was the result of systemic water contamination at Camp Lejeune, the North Carolina military base where he was stationed in 1978. “He never thought for a second that the water he was drinking, showering in, and cooking with was poisoning him,” Eric explains, the pain still evident in his voice more than a decade after his father’s passing. The cancer that took David’s life was completely foreign to their family history, a puzzling development until the connection to Camp Lejeune’s toxic water emerged. For Eric, the loss extends beyond just missing his father—David never got to meet his grandchildren or experience the joys of being a grandfather, dreams he had cherished during his lifetime.

The contamination at Camp Lejeune represents one of the most significant environmental tragedies in U.S. military history. In the late 1980s, military officials discovered that two water wells at the base contained dangerous levels of volatile organic compounds. Further investigation by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in the 1990s revealed that between 1953 and 1987, the water had been contaminated by multiple sources, including an off-base dry cleaner, leaking underground storage tanks, industrial spills, and improper waste disposal sites. For nearly 35 years, service members and their families unwittingly consumed and bathed in water containing carcinogens and other harmful chemicals. The health consequences have been devastating—including various cancers, neurological disorders, birth defects, and other serious conditions affecting hundreds of thousands of people who lived or worked at the base during those decades.

After years of advocacy by affected veterans and their families, Congress finally passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022, which was signed into law with much fanfare. This legislation provided a critical pathway for victims to sue the federal government for damages—something that had previously been impossible due to various legal barriers. For Eric Gergel and countless others who had watched their loved ones suffer or had suffered themselves from conditions linked to the contaminated water, this act represented a long-awaited opportunity for accountability and compensation. “When Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022, I finally thought justice would be served,” Eric recalls. “But that didn’t happen.” Despite approximately 400,000 claims being filed since the law’s passage, progress under the Biden administration has been painfully slow, with only a small fraction of cases reaching settlement and many veterans continuing to face challenging legal hurdles.

The frustration among Camp Lejeune victims and their families stems not just from the initial contamination but from what many perceive as decades of governmental stonewalling and denial. “For years, I felt like we had been betrayed by my government,” Eric explains. “My dad served his country, was poisoned on the job, and then was lied to and misled while the government tried to cover it up.” This sentiment is common among the Camp Lejeune community—the feeling that they’ve been fighting not just against illness but against the very institution their loved ones served. For many veterans, time is running out. Those who haven’t already succumbed to their illnesses are aging, with many facing expensive medical treatments while still waiting for their claims to be processed. The bureaucratic delays have added another layer of suffering to an already tragic situation, leaving many to wonder if they’ll live long enough to see any form of justice.

Now, with the transition to the Trump administration, some victims and their advocates are cautiously hopeful for a shift in approach. A new nonprofit organization called Justice for Lejeune is launching with the explicit goal of pressuring the incoming administration to fulfill the promises of the 2022 legislation. The group argues that the “roadblocks” erected under the Biden administration’s Department of Justice are inconsistent with both the intent of Congress and President Trump’s stated commitment to veterans. Eric Gergel shares this cautious optimism: “With new leadership at [the Justice Department], we finally have a real shot at seeing some accountability. All we want is to see that justice is served. Many veterans like my dad are sick or dying, and they and their families can’t afford to wait any longer for justice.”

The spotlight on the Camp Lejeune issue may intensify with upcoming visits from prominent figures. First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Usha Vance are scheduled to visit Camp Lejeune to meet with military members and their families, though it remains unclear whether they will directly address the contamination issue during their visit. For Eric Gergel and thousands of others in similar situations, their advocacy continues regardless of political transitions. They speak not just for themselves but for the many who have already died without seeing justice—veterans like David Gergel who served their country with pride only to be poisoned by the very institution they dedicated their lives to protecting. “For the first time in a long time, I’m hopeful the federal government will finish what should’ve been done years ago,” Eric says, embodying the persistent hope that sustains the Camp Lejeune community even after decades of disappointment. Their fight transcends partisan politics—it’s about fundamental accountability, long-delayed justice, and ensuring that the sacrifice of those who served isn’t further diminished by continued institutional neglect.