Semper Fi - Sometimes

“Always faithful” for those untrained in Latin or not familiar with the motto of the US Marine Corps.


Too bad it apparently doesn’t apply to all Marines all the time.

It seems back in 1980 those military bureaucrats found out the water being used by Marines and their families at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina was dangerously poisoned with a variety of chemicals, including trihalomethanes. After getting test results in 1980 and verifying them again and again, it took the Marine Corps and the DOD over five years to shut down the tainted water supply.

While the Marine Corps was told to contact 500,000 people about the problem and very real health risks, the Marines continue to say no problem existed.

Fast forward to 2009.

Over 1,600 people have filed claims against the DOD and Marine Corps for poisoning them, causing everything from cancer to Leukemia

Ex Marines are also coming up with a rare disease, breast cancer.

What they want is the Marine Corps and the government to admit their diseases were caused by the tainted water on base and to allow them to get VA health benefits.

But, the Marine Corps and the DOD are balking, saying breast cancer and other diseases caused by known carcinogens in the water don’t merit VA benefits.

Let’s hear it for supporting our troups!

This isn’t new. Remember Agent Orange poisoning? It took decades before the government would admit what scientists already knew - Agent Orange made people deathly sick. Many of the military victims of Agent Orange died horrible deaths because they couldn’t get VA benefits.

All because the government didn’t want to admit a mistake and take care of those who served their country.

And let’s not forget the government refusing to allow soldiers to get treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome through the VA even though, once again, medical experts said the syndrome was directly related to serving in combat situations.

So once again, military men and women suffered because the government wouldn’t allow the VA to treat them.

Remember the treatment scandal at Walter Reed Army Hospital?

Why does the government feel the need to make getting VA benefits for service related injuries so difficult?

Why do we not take proper care of those who choose to serve in the military?

We ask them to put their lives on the line, we make lots of promises about benefits and healthcare should they get injured.

We promise!

Then we jerk the rug out from under them every chance we(the US Government) can. The Marine Corps has the reputation for taking care of it’s own. When did that change?

It’s a shame. It’s a crime.

It’s dishonorable.

Our marines, soldiers and sailors deserve better from us.

Back in 1957 my family moved to Camp LeJeune. A mere tot back then, I remember very little of our time there.

What I do know is that my mother died from breast cancer and my sister is a breast cancer survivor.

Was it in the water?

How many more have to die or get sick before the Marine Corps owns up to its error and helps the Marines who need it.?

Why is it taking so long?

“Semper Fi” used to be the Marine Corps Motto.

Now I think it’s changed to “Semper Fi…. Interdum”

Always faithful…. sometimes.