VA Disability Benefits for Fort Ord Toxic Exposure

Fort Ord, once a home and training ground to more than a million service members and civilians, may be responsible for the illnesses of hundreds of veterans, many of whom might be wondering if they can file a Fort Ord VA claim. 

In this article, we provide an overview of harmful contaminants you may have been exposed to at Fort Ord, the potential long-term health effects of exposure, and we explain the connection between Fort Ord and cancer. Then, we talk about how you can file a claim for the health issues you’re facing from Fort Ord toxic exposure. 

Fort Ord military base history

Fort Ord, located in Marina, California, was a military base for basic and advanced training and staging, and was home to military personnel and their families from 1917 to 1994.

Fort Ord was one of the largest light infantry training bases in the United States, training more than a million military personnel the art of firing a mortar and aiming a rifle.

What caused Fort Ord contamination?

Every day, thousands of live grenades and bullets were fired into canyons and sand dunes along the coast of Marina.

Additionally, dangerous chemicals were improperly dumped at Fort Ord for decades, exposing people to high levels of cancer-causing substances. Recruits at Fort Ord sprayed chemicals on burn pits of scrap metal and poured toxins down drains and into underground tanks that leaked into the soil, eventually seeping into the aquifers that provided drinking water to the base.

What resulted was highly contaminated soil and drinking water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pollution at Fort Ord includes several chemicals that pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. 

In 1990, the base was added to the EPA’s Superfund Program, a program that allows the EPA to clean up contaminated sites. In 1994, the base was officially closed. 

Fort Ord toxic exposure

Dozens of harmful toxins have been identified at Fort Ord. Some of these toxins are now known to cause cancer.

Below is an overview of chemical substances Fort Ord veterans may have been exposed to on base, as well as some of the health risks associated with them. For a full list of the specific contaminants found at this base, see this link. 

Volatile organic compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a class of chemicals that evaporate easily and have low water solubility. VOCs can enter the air through things like gasoline, pesticides, smoke, solvents, and various types of industrial processes. Dangerous levels of VOCs, including the particularly carcinogenic VOC, trichloroethylene (TCE), have been found in the groundwater and soil at Fort Ord. VOCs don’t break down easily and can stay in the air for a long time, increasing the risk of overexposure. 

Exposure to VOCs can increase your risk of eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, central nervous system damage, liver and kidney damage, and cancer.

Some studies suggest exposure to TCE may be associated with an elevated risk of rare blood cancers, including multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, although limited research has been done on the connection. We talk more about Fort Ord cancer claims below.

Semi-volatile organic compounds

Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) were also detected in Fort Ord’s groundwater and soil. Unlike VOCs, SVOCs are more likely to be liquids or solids at lower temperatures. They do not have an aroma when released, making them more difficult to detect. 

Pesticides and herbicides that contain phosphorus, flame retardants, cleaning products, personal-care products, solvents, and chemicals used in manufacturing can bring SVOCs into the environment.

Exposure or ingestion of high levels of SVOCs can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, type 2 diabetes, cancer, immune system suppression, and damage to the liver, kidneys, central nervous system, and reproductive system.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals that form by burning organic material such as coal, garbage, wood, or food. Exposure to PAHs can also come from smoking cigarettes, wading in or drinking contaminated water, contact with contaminated soil, and breathing contaminated air. 

Some PAHs are known to increase the possibility of developing cancers such as lung, skin, breast, and bladder cancer.

Unexploded explosive ordnance

Unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO) are military explosives like mortars, grenades, and bombs, that either did not explode, partially exploded, or did not function as they were supposed to. No matter how old a UXO is, it is still dangerous. 

Over time, UXO can corrode, releasing explosive residues and heavy metals into the soil and groundwater. Metals including lead, barium, and antimony were all found in the soil at Fort Ord, posing a risk to both the wildlife and humans that lived and worked there. 

Exposure to or ingestion of heavy metals could increase your risk of:

• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Brain damage
• Reproductive issues and birth defects
• Cancer
• Skin lesions
• Immune system dysfunction

Agent Orange

Agent Orange, a tactical herbicide used to control dense vegetation, is well known for the health problems it can cause among those exposed to it. Evidence shows that Agent Orange was used at Fort Ord to control thousands of acres of poison oak and other weeds.

The VA recognizes the many serious conditions that can be caused by Agent Orange, which are listed in this article. Although service at Ford Ord doesn’t make you eligible for an Agent Orange presumptive service connection, if your doctor can provide a medical nexus connecting Fort Ord Agent Orange exposure to your current illness, you may still qualify for VA disability benefit

Total petroleum hydrocarbons

Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) are a group of hundreds of chemical compounds that come from crude oil. TPH can enter the environment though spills, leaks, and as byproducts of commercial or private uses.

Certain TPH compounds can cause cancer, nervous system damage, peripheral neuropathy, and damage to the immune system.

Beryllium

Beryllium, a naturally occurring alkaline metal, is typically released into the environment through dust, airborne particles, and the combustion of fossil fuels. 

Detected in the soil at Fort Ord, beryllium exposure has the potential to cause chronic beryllium disease (CBD), acute beryllium disease (ABD), and lung cancer.

Fort Ord cancer

Veterans and their families who lived and worked at Fort Ord were likely exposed to a number of dangerous contaminants, especially in the drinking water. Not knowing it at the time, Fort Ord veterans would drink, bathe, and cook with the base’s contaminated water on a daily basis. Now that more research has been conducted, we know that some of those toxins can cause cancer. 

Many Fort Ord veterans have developed multiple myeloma, a rare and serious blood cancer. In fact, veterans that lived and worked at Fort Ord have a 35% higher rate of multiple myeloma compared to civilians. This is thought to be the result of Fort Ord veterans’ prolonged exposure to high levels of TCE.

---

---

Fort Ord VA claims

Although the VA does not provide compensation directly related to Fort Ord toxic exposures, you may be eligible for compensation for health problems linked to your military service. 

To apply for VA disability benefits, you must submit an application along with evidence that supports your claim and proves that your illness is service connected. If you need help filing a claim or finding supporting evidence, a VA disability lawyer can help.

How Woods & Woods can help

Our team of VA-accredited attorneys, legal analysts, case managers, and intake specialists help veterans nationwide get the benefits they deserve. If you’re tired of appealing one VA decision after another, call us today for a free case evaluation.

Talk to Us About Your Claim: 
(812) 426-7200

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS