From 1953 to 1987, the drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with toxic chemicals. Decades later, the VA established presumptive service connection for eight conditions tied to that exposure. This guide covers who qualifies and how to file.
The service requirement
To qualify for the presumptive benefits, you must have served at Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River for at least 30 days (cumulative, not necessarily consecutive) between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This includes active duty, Reserve, and National Guard members.
The eight presumptive conditions
Effective March 14, 2017, the VA presumes service connection for these eight conditions for qualifying veterans:
- Adult leukemia
- Aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Parkinson's disease
If you served during the qualifying window and have one of these, you do not have to prove the water caused it. You need proof of qualifying service and a current diagnosis.
Two separate benefit tracks
Do not confuse these:
- Disability compensation for the eight presumptive conditions above.
- Health care or cost reimbursement for a broader list of conditions, under a separate 2012 health care law. This covers care, not monthly disability payments.
There is also the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (part of the 2022 PACT Act), which created a separate legal path to sue for compensation. That is a lawsuit route, distinct from VA disability benefits, and is outside what a nexus provider handles.
If your condition is not one of the eight
You can still file a claim, but you will need medical evidence linking your condition to the water contamination, since the presumption will not apply. This is where a nexus letter can help.
How to file
File a VA Form 21-526EZ with evidence of your qualifying service (your DD-214 and records showing dates and location) and a current diagnosis.
A real-world example
A Marine who served at Camp Lejeune in the 1970s was later diagnosed with one of the eight presumptive conditions. Because his records showed more than 30 days at the base during the qualifying window, service connection was presumed once he documented his diagnosis.