I was at Lejeune in 66. el toro and Tustin 66 to68. Mjc0MmE0ZGRkN2IwY2ExODg1M2JmY2ViNWM2ZDJlYmY0MDQ3ZjlmMTI4YTcx You just need to claim your condition was caused by the water or even connected to your military service. Contaminated: Groundwater Soil. YjY5OWIyYjNkZGU0M2Q5NDc4MGJkYjAzOTNiMDkwMzE0Mzk1ZGE3MmFjNzJh Construction of the Tustin LTA facility began on April 1, 1942; it was operational in just over 6 months. Worst contamination I know of was the aircraft wash rack and the Auto Hobby shop. For many years, the US military leased more than 500 acres surrounding the Tustin ranch road base for agricultural purposes. Salem-News.com is an Independent Online Newsgroup in the United States, setting the standard for the future of News. I'm guessing that they both were irrigating the crops with groundwater. M.C.A.S. Many approved benefits deny within months of approval due to all the bureaucratic red tape and snail pace investigation. NGZmN2Y0Njg5MzdkMTQ2ZDlmOGIzZmQ4ZDgyYTc3ZjkzYTkwNTNmMzIxMTAx El Toro, California Marine Base contaminated with TCE and PCE solvents lot of information on sites below: A trichloroethylene (TCE) toxic plume was discovered in 1985 off of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro, California. The aquifer is a pocket of porous rock near the earths surface where water collects. Even with documentation of paperwork 3 feet high I am constantly in battle to keep my disability. Trouble is, this is a big place, and people forget that were like a small city. In 2013 I had a 3cm golf ball size tumor/mass removed from my brain stem. Tim King: Hey Susan, I knew they were in that area but not specifically where; I am not trying to set off alarms but I do receive quite a bit of contact over these reports and it compels me to continue investigating, and I am only one of many in this mix. I have a baby and this is caused to move out asap!! Holms remarks, some say, reflect the U.S. Marine Corps gradual change of attitude toward environmental issues. Former MCAS Tustin was extensively used for agriculture prior to being commissioned in 1942 for a lighter-than-air patrol base and re-commissioned in 1951 to support helicopter operations. MCAS Yuma veterans were exposed to fuel wastes like benzene, mercury, lead, TCE, DCE, and PCE. There are no drinking water wells located in the TCE plume emanating from the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Varying levels of trichloroethylene, or TCE, have been detected in the ground water beneath the El Toro air base and portions of Irvine. NjU2YTAzMjIzYWZkNzQyNjY4OWJhZmMzMmFlYTk3NjQ5YTdlMDlmYjg1MTFh Also, the Base/Gov. I am a vet. Thanks Tim, great article. Just wondering if there's any other reports of this? The government doesnt have to acknowledge responsibility in order for everyone that was at these two bases to file a claim. The 246-square-mile military training complex was established in. Orange County's Tustin Marine Corps Air Station has contaminated one well with 770,000 ppt of PFOS/PFOA. ok We use cookies on our website to allow you the best possible service. If it is shown that we were at fault, we will take full responsibility, Holm said. In particular, the high . . Please pass this story to all Marines who may have served at any of the 3rd Marine Air Wing bases and let's continue to bring people onto the same page. Military.com is a good place to start. The station overaw military blimps, which were used to patrol the coast during World War II. He told me that the chemicals they sprayed would eat the bottom of their boots. Experts estimate it could take up to 15 years to pump the TCE-contaminated water from the ground at a cost of several million dollars. Both bases closed permanently in 1999 and the Third Air Wing Marines were shipped to Miramar, the Navy's 'Fighter Town, USA' made famous by the movie Top Gun. Agricultural farm workers and well operators are exposed to contaminants in groundwater through unintentional ingestion of contaminated groundwater, dermal contact with contaminated groundwater, and inhalation of aerosolized groundwater contaminants. One of the primary contaminants found by EPA at the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin was PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl substances. Environ Health Perspect 107(4):265-71. YzYyYWVjZmRjMTI5ZGNmODE1NDdhZWUzZmE1MWRhMjlkNWQwNGRiNzg1Yzhm After years of extensive study and public outreach, a Reuse Plan was adopted by the community in 1996 which was subsequently amended and adopted also as a zoning document entitled the MCAS Tustin Specific Plan/Reuse Plan in 2003 and has been subsequently amended. HAZMAT did not exist until the early 90s and has only recently become an other than collateral duty. I live here in Salem and I was Stationed at MCAS Tustin from 1996 until they shut it down in 1999, and was then transferred to Camp Pendleton. PFAS at Former MCAS Tustin and Its Health Effects One of the primary contaminants found by EPA at the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin was PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl substances. I was stationed at MCAS Tustin from 1989-1992. Besides AFFF, burning chemicals, jet fuel, and other toxins released other hazardous particles into the environment. Thanks again for the article and I'll do more research on my own. I was stationed at Tustin from 1978-1990. But he predicted that the Marines new attitude will be tested as water and health experts begin acting to clean up what is potentially the largest ground-water contamination case in Orange County history. My husband was stationed at el toro 1981-1986. Dr. Phil Leveque of Salem-News.com, is a Forensic Scientist and Professor of Pharmacology, he says perchloroethylene (Which we have always cited as PCE rather than the LA Times' 'perc') is a degreasing chemical that used four types of chlorine, whereas trichloroethylene (TCE) is comprised of three types of chlorine. Located in the heart of Orange County, the nearly 1,600 acres former Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Tustin was commissioned in 1942 and played a critical role in Navy and Marine aviation for over 50 years. VA plans to propose expanded disability benefits eligibility for Veterans exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune - VA News VA announced today that it plans to propose expanded disability compensation eligibility for Veterans exposed to contaminated drinking water while assigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. 14. Any way is it possible that the contamination from both air bases may have been what started or contributed to my lung failure. Since then I've had multiple Electro Cardioversions (shock the heart) as well as a Heart Ablation. The doctors told him that he only had five years to live. Since 1984, the Marines have added five experts to their environmental staff, headed by Navy Ensign Michael Rehor, a chemical engineer. Tim King: Ray, that is so amazing to read, it must be tough to see it as it is today, if you can share any details about the earliest days I would be extremely interested. We did not start to gain a true picture of the damage caused from upwards of 70 years of use at the time. OWFkNzJiNjc4YTk0YWQzNDU4MGUyMTQwZDYyMGRkYmMzNGM0NGRmZGI2ODMz Years of Operation 1942-1999 Located in Orange County, CA, the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin was established in 1942 as Santa Ana Naval Air Station. But Orange County Water District officials warn that if the polluted ground water, which has contaminated several miles of the aquifer, is not removed, it eventually could seep into Irvines domestic drinking supplies. I worked primality as a motor mech. NGNmN2ExZDJmYWY4OGQyNWJhYzY2NzRiZmZhM2M0Y2QwYzc0YzZkNjkxYjQz Do I need a permit to have a garage sale. MCAS Tustin is one of many bases that became a superfund site, polluted locations in the United States requiring a long-term response to cleaning up the contamination. The document includes detailed planning standards, policies, regulations, and implementation strategies to guide the reuse and the development of the site. I'm healthy, but I stayed away from the Trike. This is in stark contrast to Irvine's handling of MCAS El Toro, which they have billed as a future park and housing community, for which it is vastly unfit as a dangerously toxic, EPA Superfund site. Fortunately, todays Marine is much more sensitive to the environment than 10 years ago. About 95 acres are located in the City of Irvine. ZjE3YzJkMWFhZTJhYTg4NzU5NDg2NzQwYmMwMTRhZjg3ZGM3NDU0NDdlODM1 The contaminants were discovered in 1985, the majority of the removal done in 1997, base closure in 1999, a shopping center built around 2005, and grading for houses in 2008. Although the Tustin U.S. Marine Corps Air Station closed in 1999 it has left behind astonishingly high levels of contamination. The ground-water issue remains he most serious problem, however. When I was there most of the fields to the northwest were strawberry fields. I was based at MCAS Tustin 85-89. Under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) of 1990, the US moved all its assets, including personnel, equipment, and support from MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin, to other locations in Southern California, such as NAS Miramar. Constructed of Oregon Douglas fir, they are among the largest freestanding wooden structures in the world at 1072 feet long by 292 feet wide by 192 feet tall. Like his compatriots . If not for me, for my fellow Marines. The City of Tustin reported spending approximately $680,000 on capital improvements for the South Hangar through June 30, 2019, and planned an additional $4,300,000 to improve the functionality. Perhaps contaminated properties can be reused for certain purposes, but the cards must be laid on the table. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, El Toro, California. The VA initially refused to process her claims before reconsidering and offering her full benefits after Ray lost both his feet. Cal., not to mention the great memories for families like mine. Established in 1942, the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin is a former US Marine Corps Air Station in Orange County, California. Therefore, the Marine Corps had . Since being out I've had diverticulitis, 2 colonoscopies with polyps removed both times and in 2012 Acute Myeloid Leukemia for which I needed a bone marrow transplant. Like many other bases, MCAS El Toro used TCE to degrease aircraft parts. If so, can anyone imagine how much jet fuel might have seeped into the ground? We would dump gallons upon gallons in our compound behind the building. The studies also suggested the plume was moving in a westward direction at a rate of 1 to 4 feet a day. !! We know people dumped TCE and other chemicals on the ground. Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, one of the militarys harshest local critics, agrees that the Marines have begun to show a greater inclination to listen to concerns and complaints from surrounding cities and outside agencies. Contamination was first suspected in 1985, when local water agencies found traces of TCE in agricultural wells near the western edge of the El Toro base. I am not a scientist, but I can look at the associated map and see that the plume from El Toro reaching Irvine, is stretching at least in the general direction of the contaminated government building in Orange. More MCAS Tustin Pics as promised Attached are some more pictures and information. NjgyZTlkOTgxZGM3ODU4ZjA0ZTBiODAwYjc3OGNmNzcxMWRmMzdlOWZjMjZm We, and I am just as guilty as all aircraft maintainers back in the day, just did not know. On July 3, 1999, MCAS Tustin was officially closed, 57 years after the base and its iconic hangars arose from the farm fields of Orange County. As part of a $7.5-million military contract awarded recently to a Santa Ana firm, a long-awaited inspection of 460 underground fuel storage tanks at the El Toro base is scheduled to begin this. Airship patrols along the California coast were conducted 24 hours a day from the LTA bases at Tustin and Moffett Field. Contact usfor legal assistance ad speak to one of our attorney-members under a free consultation to learn more information about your potential your toxic exposure claim and get it moving. I can't say exactly what happened, I recall being told the lines had rusted out and I'm sure that probably is exactly what happened. MzViODNhMjAyYzJhNWI5NzE1YzQyYzNiN2NmNmEyYWI3Y2I2YWFiMzg5OTQ0 When he stood, surprisingly, he had no counterattack, only a conciliatory offering. The DOD data from Tustin, a base that closed in 1999, only includes information on two types of PFAS chemicals - PFOS and PFOA. The underground pipes that fed the fuel from the tank to the flightline had gone south. but also was responsible for the ground support equipment for HMM-362 3dMaw MCAF. MDM5ODZhMDIwNTM1YmEyZWRhNDViNDk5ZjZmN2MzMjgyNmU2Y2UyOWIzMGY1 When you pass through the Marine Corps Air Station (Helicopter) Tustin, you will see two giant decommissioned blimps reminding you of the height of US innovation and their road to military success. Will never forget the late night phone call I received informing me that there was a very strong smell of fuel around the HMM-164 Flight Line. To make that determination, the corps says that within the next year, it will use more than $500,000 from the militarys $400-million Defense Environmental Restoration Account--the U.S. Defense Departments special environmental cleanup fund--to investigate the suspected hazardous waste sites at each base. Strange that I've never been contacted about it. Y2E5ZDM3MGIxODM1ZGUwNWU5Njc0YmFmYzdkZTMzM2Q1NTM1OWUzNjViNWIw It was commissioned in October of that year as one of two new blimp bases on the west coast. However, many do not know the history behind the blimps or why the Tustin base became the center of US helicopter operations and training for the Vietnam War. This air station started working in 1942, and it's in Orange County, CA. Download VA Form 10-10068 (PDF) Fax it to 512-460-5536, or. NDg3OWUyNTgyMTEyYWE0YzYzYjg4OTU1YWI2ZDY5NWJmZjNlZDYzODI2ZDJi On September 25, 1942, the area presently known as Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, California was designated an auxiliary landing field and served as a sub-unit of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. Similarly, 11 such sites have been identified at the Tustin base. At former MCAS El Toro, veterans and dependents reported cancer and other . . As it turns out, thousands of veterans and their dependents lived and worked on military installations that are now listed as EPA Superfund sites. Not unless they also served at Camp Lejeune and fall within the PACT protective scheme otherwise. Posted in Uncategorized. -----BEGIN REPORT----- President Signs Historic Toxic Exposure Bill What It Means for Vets? In 2011, Ray was officially diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disease that left him crippled in a wheelchair requiring a respirator to assist in breathing during his last few months. Salem-News.com's John Uldrich, Bob O'Dowd and Tim King at MCAS Tustin in 2009. Depending on your disabilities and military service you may be entitled to a pension whether your disability is service connected or not. As for help from the VA one can only hope. The Air Force failed to disclose to the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs that George Air Force Base, CA had several radiological decontamination centers for aircraft and personnel that were involved the nuclear cloud sampling program in the 1950s-60s. The pits were used to train Marine firefighters to extinguish fires involving jet fuel in the event a jet fighter or helicopter crashed. The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the air quality district on behalf of all military bases in the region contesting the fees. PFAS chemicals are linked to birth defects, infertility, developmental delays and some cancers. But thats not to say we dont have a long way to go.. Is there a connection? Surface Disposal Area. Recent revelations on the environmental damage by the Environmental Protection Agency and human health forced the implementation of new laws and regulations about chemical disposal at bases. 100 miles north of the California-Mexico border, and seven miles from MCAS El Toro; occupies approx . NGNiNWE0MzY3NTFiMGMxZWEyNTA2YTM5ODIyNTJkODJlY2NlYTU0NjlmODA5 The north hangar was closed in 2013. A number of Marines report serious illnesses linked to toxic exposure. As an EPA Superfund site, El Toro's MWG-37 area is so toxic, that the asphalt in a warm summer day becomes sticky and actually will adhere to your car tires after being parked for only fifteen or so minutes, as I learned in 2008. As far as tracking like LeJeune, nothing! In my case, I have a 30% non-service connected pension which is 1,072.00 a month. It appears increasingly to be the case. So far only one tank at El Toro has been examined. MzBiM2U5NjExZjhjMmMyYThlOGM0ZDhjZGE1MGU1MWUxMmNmZTAwYzU0MjYz The evidence was troubling: A vast pool of underground water, stretching more than 3 miles from the edge of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to the heart of residential Irvine, had been contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical. ZDc1ODgwN2VhNzk5ZWZjNjUwOGUwZTU3Zjc1ZmYyZmVlOGJiNWRlZTIwZjBi Is DoD/DoN going to continue ignoring claims by Vietnam Era veterans for anomalies not in the original cancer listing; colon/rectal cancer, bacterial & fungal growths completely blocking nasal cavities, growths on/in both kidneys, continuing raspatory issues, complete adrenal failure/shut-down, etc? Like so many others I served at MCAS Tustin, starting as CO of HMM-164 and later serving as MAG-16 XO, Ca.1980-1983. ODVlZmNiMWM1ZmVhZjBlNDM1MzlmOTFkYjU3ODdhZjg4ZTY3NmZhZmExNjlh Portsmouth, VA 23708-2103, on June 30, 2009. As I recall, it was finally determined that there was a major underground leak and it was stopped in the next few days. Since then I have been diagnosed with hypertension. , VA 23708-2103, on June 30, 2009 with 770,000 ppt of PFOS/PFOA lost both feet! Plume emanating from the tank to the northwest were strawberry fields, setting the standard for the ground a! 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