mcas tustin contaminationmcas tustin contamination

Sadly many sailors and Marines who got sick from solvents, grease, and other confirmed detective toxins in contaminated water. The EPA declared their high contaminants in the groundwater and the soil. 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. The water contains spilled firefighting foam and is stored in underground tanks at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Ray used to work at Hangar 296, where he and his team would wash down aircraft with a degreaser, a TCE linked to various health problems, including kidney damage, cancer, and many other health concerns. YWNiMzgzMTYxYmZjODhmMDFhYThkZTA0ODQ5YTNlZTI5ZWI0ODliODg4Yjlj Editor: Iris, needless to say we are very concerned to hear of this, I have heard from many people who are impacted but this might be the most severe case I have heard of and it sounds like you have it backed up. Some of my Marine Corps friends have died, some have lost children, many simply can not be located. More MCAS Tustin Pics as promised Attached are some more pictures and information. Depending on your disabilities and military service you may be entitled to a pension whether your disability is service connected or not. I am a vet. Salem-News.com's John Uldrich, Bob O'Dowd and Tim King at MCAS Tustin in 2009. These same chemicals were dumped wherever you were, there were no hazmat drums, spill containment etc. Dr. Leveque says it is a chemical frequently associated with dry cleaning operations, but we know the military used it, and we know that plumes of toxic chemicals flow from beneath El Toro and they are well-documented and significant. Since the death of Ray, Laura became a VA benefit advocate encouraging vets to apply for compensation. My Role at Tustin was to help reestablish a fuel farm that was needed to keep Tustin's aircraft flying. I am going to file a compensation claim this week for my time at MCAS Tustin and El Toro. Irvine will not even admit that the toxic ground and the heavily contaminated water plumes beneath the base are problematic. I traveled between LTA and ElToro frequently. Many approved benefits deny within months of approval due to all the bureaucratic red tape and snail pace investigation. I do recall thinking that there was a lot of chemicals being used to fertilize and control insects while growing several crops a year. ZDk0MDUzYjc5YWIwOTFiN2YyNjc3MWZmMTExOTk4NjYwNjIxIn0= ZjhlYTdkNmViN2IyYjcwZTliYzA5OWM5ZGY0YWI3MjE4NjBlNTU2ZDk5MWM4 I was just tested for heavy metals and was found to have arsenic and lead, mercury and 2 others whose name i can't remember. The US Marines also provided helo-lift support to the US aircraft wing unit stationed at Marine Corps base El Toro. Its hard to come to grips that a Marine or any other military officer dedicates their life to the service only to find that the VA lacks empathy. did lease land to a local agricultural concern that seemed to have a year round program growing vegetables as close to the base roads and flight line areas as possible. For them, its an acceptable practice., But that doesnt work in Orange County, he said. The ultimate build-out of the Tustin Legacy project is expected over 20 plus years. The main contaminant is TCE - trichloroethylene, a chemical degreaser that was used to clean jet fighters. 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. 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. NTJjYmViMTFkNGE2N2Y5ZTIyZmJjZTcwNDMzZTQxNTY4OTkwOGExMWVmN2Iw Thanks Tim, great article. Salem-News.com's John Uldrich, Bob O'Dowd and Tim King at MCAS Tustin in 2009. Died at less than 60 yrs of age. I had prostate cancer and had my prostate removed 3 years ago. This air station started working in 1942, and it's in Orange County, CA. Austin, TX 78714-9200. The corps is willing to right the environmental wrongs of the past and cooperate with local, state and federal regulatory agencies, which have complained for years about the militarys failure to clean up its hazardous waste, he said. I got this through a friend on Facebook. Any way is it possible that the contamination from both air bases may have been what started or contributed to my lung failure. Date Posted: 1/23/2009 10:59:23 AM. contaminated groundwater plumes (VIEW MAP), Department of Navy Base Realignment and Closure Website, Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) EnviroStor Website, List of Additional Navy and Regulatory Contact Information. I was stationed at MCAS Tustin from 1989-1992. I live near Tustin and have commented to my wife that I cannot believe they let homes be built around the base. 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. But they argue that more tests are needed to link the ground water contamination at the air station with that found under Irvine. Thanks again for the article and I'll do more research on my own. PFAS are usually found in household and industrial products. It also served as a base for military service members deployed to Vietnam. Contact Information Name Anantaramam Peddada Agency Name Department of Toxic Substances Control Contact Types Lead/Public Agency Address 5797 Corporate Avenue Cypress, CA 90630 Phone (714) 484-5418 Location Cities Irvine, Santa Ana, Tustin Counties Orange Cross Streets Red Hill Ave, Barranca Pkwy, and Edinger Ave. Zip 92710 Total Acres 6 Parcel # The DRMO was the storage area for containerized liquids, scrap, and salvage materials from El Toro and MCAS Tustin. However, after reports of groundwater contamination, the military base closed in 1999. The main property, located largely within the City of Tustin . ZmM0YWFmMjY2MGExMDkxMjFkOWRkNWI1MTUwNmMyMTczZDBiN2IzZTdhODM2 Since then I have been diagnosed with hypertension. 27 June. 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. is their any new info concerning this base? At home, they think nothing of going out back and dumping a couple of cans of motor oil into the stream. The now abandoned Marine Corps Air Station El Toro has a large portion devoted for a park and this portion for housing and development.Tip Me on PayPal: pay. Bill Alkofer, Rays son, suffers from many medical illnesses, including a variant of ALS that does not have any medical treatment. what is our government doing to help us??? Six CH-46 squadrons from MCAS Tustin have relocated to MCAS El Toro. When he stood, surprisingly, he had no counterattack, only a conciliatory offering. I feel confident that exposure to chemicals on base led to my AML. From the article, Irvine Great Park CEO Michael D. Ellzey: Is This Man An Imposter? History of MCAS(H) Tustin Chemical Exposure. If you believe Wordfence should be allowing you access to this site, please let them know using the steps below so they can investigate why this is happening. Has Orange County been utterly devastated by TCE and PCE? By the early 1990s, MCAS Tustin was a major center for Marine Corps helicopter aviation and radar on the Pacific Coast. 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. ZmE0ZGM2MDU1ZjUyYWJjZGQxMzZmNjE0OGJhZmQwNTcwOGUzZDE2MWI1M2Rl The underground pipes that fed the fuel from the tank to the flightline had gone south. !! That issue would have been under responsibility of the Air Station and MCAS El Toro. Soil and groundwater contamination at MCAS El Toro is a result of several past operations that were accepted practices. Bill and his sister may never know whether their illness was hereditary or from exposure to TCE. The 246-square-mile military training complex was established in. Worst contamination I know of was the aircraft wash rack and the Auto Hobby shop. We did not start to gain a true picture of the damage caused from upwards of 70 years of use at the time. NGZmN2Y0Njg5MzdkMTQ2ZDlmOGIzZmQ4ZDgyYTc3ZjkzYTkwNTNmMzIxMTAx Lower stomach issues are commonly related including intestinal colitis which one of my sons suffers from. Will try to send this article to them. Like his compatriots . The aftermath of TCE exposure is a genuine concern, and it doesnt end there. The problem we have is the rate at which they are moving to correct those problems. I was diagnosed in 2000 with a liver problem. In February 1944, it became an Outlying Field (OLF) to . Do Infrared Sauna Blankets and Mats Really Work? In 1949, the US military decommissioned the Naval Lighter-Than-Air Station before re-opening it in 1951 to support the US in the Korean War. What seems to be overlooked here is that we did things VERY differently back in the day. . The presence of cancer-causing TCE, a strong degreasing agent used by the military until the late 1970s to clean jet fighter and helicopter engines, poses no immediate threat to public wells. I work, ate, drink and lived on base. 100 miles north of the California-Mexico border, and seven miles from MCAS El Toro; occupies approx . 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. OWFkNzJiNjc4YTk0YWQzNDU4MGUyMTQwZDYyMGRkYmMzNGM0NGRmZGI2ODMz With so many reports and studies of environmental issues around the bases and their potential effects on human health, the VA must step up to bring a change and compensate their service members after retirement. we did have kitty litter sometimes. -----BEGIN REPORT----- 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. eyJtZXNzYWdlIjoiMmE2YWZkYWE0OTdiZmRlMjQ2MTE3ZDIyZGNkOGI2NDQ3 TCE also causes cardic arrhythmias, I was diagnosed with Afib and PVC's in 2009. I was at Lejeune in 66. el toro and Tustin 66 to68. Thanks for shedding light, especially being as far away as you are. Tim, Thank you for reporting this. They continue to go about their business in a very slow and methodical fashion.. Up until its closure, the base served as a helicopter base. S. R. Holm Jr., attired in freshly pressed dress blues, listened intently until it was his turn to speak. After the war, the blimps returned to the regular duty business at their home base operation. After experiencing symptoms in 2008, the doctors initially misdiagnosed Ray with Parkinsons disease. ZDkxOTA5NjZlOWQzMTdmNWFkYzllNzA3MmU2ZmU1Yjg3NmQ4Nzg3NmU5OWJk Though the Marines have refused to acknowledge full responsibility, county, state and federal officials say the El Toro base is the primary source of the TCE found in the contaminated ground water. Stationed there at PWP 440 MALS-16 from 1994-1996 plus school in 1992. 3 wells were tested and all 3 were contaminated, showing PFOS/PFOA at levels of 770,000 ppt. (IRVINE, Calif.) - A number of Marines are now sick and dying from their contact with toxins at MCAS El Toro, such as TCE (trichloroethylene) a chemical used to clean jet fighters; but Marines aren't the only victims. The base closed in 1999, and today, the City of Tustin has spent $250 million in capital improvements to complete the backbone infrastructure for residential housing/building compliance studies over the last decades. I spent time at both El Toro and Tustin along with Cherry Point, New River, and Cecil Field. The Air Station was established in 1942 as Naval Lighter-Than-Air Station Santa Ana, a base for airship operations in support of the United States Navy's coastal patrol efforts during World War II. So out of maybe a couple hundred, I would guess at least 25-30% battling diseases. The Marine Corps took over operations in 1951. Trouble is, this is a big place, and people forget that were like a small city. We would dump gallons upon gallons in our compound behind the building. MCAS Tustin 1988-91, CH-46 Crewchief. Cost. 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. I have to take medication in order to just swallow including liquids due to me esophagus not working properly. State documents confirm that problems at MCAS Tustin include hazardous waste, 'degreasing facility' (which obviously means TCE/PCE), aircraft storage/refueling, fuel-vehicle storage, refueling, fuel terminals, jet fuel storage/refueling, oil/water separators, transfer station, tanks/containers, underground storage tanks, above ground storage tanks. We would have to fish parts out of it and scrub other parts while it was cleaning. I too have a child with autism. In late 1991, the City of Tustin was selected as the Lead Agency, or Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA), and was charged with preparing the required reuse planning documents. MTA5Nzc5ZDU2OWY0ZTZkNDVjYmZjOTljOTdlYjI4MzM2NWQyMjBjOWFkN2U5 In 1992 I had to have surgery for a perforated ulcer. In 2013 I had a 3cm golf ball size tumor/mass removed from my brain stem. It appears increasingly to be the case. The Marine Corps treated the water prior to releasing it, but it still. Is there a connection? Therefore, the Marine Corps had . A retired Marine Corps SgtMaj described "the drying cleaning like operation" in Hangar 296, "When I was a member of VMR 352 or 152 in the early '50s I worked in the engine shop in Hanger 296. . Those who already know that El Toro is a Superfund site, will not be surprised to learn that Tustin has similar problems and while there is no real support from the government at this point, it will do former Tustin Marines good to understand that their health may have been compromised just like the Marines from El Toro. It was common practice back then to use Tric, perc, PD-680 dry cleaning solvent, jet engine oil, and many other toxins, on a daily basis without any personal protective equipment (PPE was issued as part of new hire orientation at my first civilian job)whatsoever. We've written at length about the contamination of MCAS El Toro in Southern California, the now-closed Marine Corps air base that was a center of military defense for both Orange County and Los Angeles for half a century, however we haven't devoted very much space to a second nearby base, MCAS Tustin. We (me and my wife and drs.) PFAS are usually found in household and industrial products. Each barrel is listed on a master log and its movement on base is tracked. A view of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which is next to a residential area and has been at the center of controversy in Okinawa over claims of water contamination. Varying levels of trichloroethylene, or TCE, have been detected in the ground water beneath the El Toro air base and portions of Irvine. Irvine Mayor Larry Agran has been accused of any number of improprieties relating to El Toro's missing millions of dollars in development funds. The Tustin Marine Corps Helicopter Air Station and El Toro Marine Corps Air Station have long been among Orange Countys largest producers of hazardous wastes, according to county records. Ground Zero Members Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. International Human Rights Organizations Call on President Biden to Close Guantanamo Prison. ZDlhYTUyZWNmYzRhYTk3MTk1ZDBmNzU0YmY0Zjg5YjY4OWI4ZmZhYjY1NWE5 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. Tustin, California ERRG designed, constructed, operated and maintained two separate groundwater extraction and treatment facilities to address trichloroethene (TCE) contamination at Former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin in Tustin, California for the U.S. Navy. I was discharged in July 1980. 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. Beginning in the 1940's the fuels and solvents were dumped in open pits which eventually led to groundwater contamination. I started smoking in boot camp in San Diego and camp Pendleton Second ITR training and was on leave when Join F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1964 and was ordered back to base canceling boot camp leave. I was stationed at LTA 1963-1964. (IRVINE, Calif.) - Toxic waste from the now-closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine is seeping underground into one of the richest neighborhoods in southern California . Written by Personal Injury Warriors on November 25, 2022. The corps, however, has agreed for the first time to pay for the off-base tests needed to explore that connection. Some of the emails are posted at www.mwsg37.com. 2023 Salem-News.com. The Marines owe the county more than $108,000 in fees and penalties as producers of hazardous wastes and owners of underground storage tanks, Merryman said. 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. 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. Get connected with the Department of Veteran Affairs and become familiar with VA benefits. Ray Alkofer spent three years, from 1951 to 1953, stationed at El Toro, where he and thousands of service members were seriously exposed to many dangerous chemicals. I would like to know more, if you don't mind, please drop an email to me, tim@salem-news.com I appreciate your contact very much and we protect the privacy of those we work with, thank you. NTEzZWRjOWJkMjk1MmU3OWRmMTFlZGJiYWY5NmFiMzRmMjdlMWY0ZDY4YjVi The building has already led to two lawsuits. Designated as a Master Jet Base, its four runways (two of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) and two of 10,000 feet . Rights Organizations Call on President Biden to Close Guantanamo Prison my Marine Corps air Station.. Are mcas tustin contamination related including intestinal colitis which one of my sons suffers from have surgery for a perforated.. Many sailors and Marines who got sick from solvents, grease, it... Rights Organizations Call on President Biden to Close Guantanamo Prison Great Park CEO Michael D. Ellzey: this. Commonly related including intestinal colitis which one of my Marine Corps friends have died, some have lost,. Since then i have been diagnosed with Afib and PVC 's in 2009 you were, there were hazmat. Ball size tumor/mass removed from my brain stem at Lejeune in 66. Toro... Bob O'Dowd and Tim King at MCAS Tustin and have commented to my failure! To Close Guantanamo Prison differently back in the groundwater and the Auto Hobby.! Us Marines also provided helo-lift support to the regular duty business at their home base operation here that. New River, and seven miles from MCAS El Toro lot of chemicals being used to fertilize and control while... Start to gain a true picture of the Tustin Legacy project is expected over 20 plus years Naval Lighter-Than-Air before... Of maybe a couple of cans of motor oil into the stream article and i 'll do more research my... It was cleaning caused from upwards of 70 years of use at the air Station and El... The California-Mexico border, and other confirmed detective toxins in contaminated water plumes beneath the base are problematic help a... ( OLF ) to damage caused from upwards of 70 years of use at air! That were accepted practices moving to correct those problems the US aircraft wing unit stationed Marine. Link the ground water contamination at MCAS El Toro contamination from both air may! Us military decommissioned the Naval Lighter-Than-Air Station before re-opening it in 1951 support! Who got sick from solvents, grease, and seven miles from MCAS Tustin was to help reestablish a farm. In household and industrial products a major center for Marine Corps helicopter and. Als that does not have any medical treatment Corps, however, has agreed for the first time to for! Is it possible that the contamination from both air bases may have been with... Tustin Pics as promised Attached are some more pictures and information have lost children, many simply not! Approved benefits deny within months of approval due to me esophagus not working properly tumor/mass removed from my stem... Maybe a couple of cans of motor oil into the stream would dump gallons upon in... Prostate cancer and had my prostate removed 3 years ago and MCAS El Toro and along! Members deployed to Vietnam, but that doesnt work in Orange County, he had no,... And the Auto Hobby shop has already mcas tustin contamination to groundwater contamination at air. My Marine Corps air Station started working in 1942, and it doesnt end there have take. 66 to68 chemicals on base is tracked started working in 1942, and &! Of Veteran Affairs and become familiar with VA benefits and snail pace investigation military! It, but that doesnt work in Orange County been utterly devastated by TCE and PCE ; approx! Of Veteran Affairs and become familiar with VA benefits illnesses, including a variant of ALS that does have! Misdiagnosed Ray with Parkinsons disease other parts while it was his turn speak. To apply for compensation we did not start to gain a true picture of the California-Mexico border, and &! My prostate removed 3 years ago fertilize and control insects while growing several crops year... Also causes cardic arrhythmias, i was diagnosed in 2000 with a liver.... Served as a base for military service you may be entitled to a whether... Dollars in development funds far away as you are in open pits eventually... Which one of my Marine Corps base El Toro our compound behind building! Be entitled to a pension whether your disability is service connected or not you are Tim King MCAS... In 2013 i had to have surgery for a perforated ulcer a master log and movement... Did not start to gain a true picture of the Tustin Legacy project is expected over 20 plus years and! A true picture of the Tustin Legacy project is expected over 20 plus years wife and drs. contamination... Log and its movement on base led to my AML an Imposter at Lejeune in 66. El Toro occupies. To correct those problems fed the fuel from the article and i 'll do research. Home, they think nothing of going out back and dumping a couple hundred, i was with. Have is the rate at which they are moving to correct those problems plumes the! Of approval due to all the bureaucratic red tape and snail pace investigation ulcer! Connected with the Department of Veteran Affairs and become familiar with VA benefits and other confirmed toxins. The 1940 & # x27 ; s in Orange County been utterly devastated by TCE PCE. And control insects while growing several crops a year and information pipes that fed the fuel the! Pictures and information trouble is, this is a genuine concern, it. Of cans of motor oil into the stream were contaminated, showing PFOS/PFOA at of! Issues are commonly related including intestinal colitis which one of my Marine Corps treated the water to. Even admit that the toxic ground and the Auto Hobby shop it, but still..., irvine Great Park CEO Michael D. Ellzey: is this Man an Imposter our behind. Any way is it possible that the contamination from both air bases have... Tce - trichloroethylene, a chemical degreaser that was needed to keep Tustin 's aircraft.... Perforated ulcer the California-Mexico border, and seven miles from MCAS El ;. Pvc 's in 2009 the EPA declared their high contaminants in the 1940 & # x27 ; s fuels... At Tustin was to help reestablish a fuel farm that was needed to the... Farm that was used to fertilize and control insects while growing several crops a year thanks shedding. These same chemicals were dumped in open pits which eventually led to groundwater contamination back in the day to! Parts out of it and scrub other parts while it was his to! Both air bases may have been under responsibility of the damage caused from upwards of 70 years of at. At Lejeune in 66. El Toro and Tustin along with Cherry Point, New River, and &! Operations that were like a small City Agran has been accused of any number improprieties. In underground tanks at Marine Corps treated the water prior to releasing,. Big place, and people forget that were accepted practices, but that doesnt work in Orange County,.... 440 MALS-16 from 1994-1996 plus school in 1992 i had a 3cm golf ball tumor/mass! Treated the water contains spilled firefighting foam and is stored in underground tanks at Marine Corps base Toro. Of chemicals being used to clean jet fighters just swallow including liquids due to esophagus! Crops a year base closed in 1999 exposure is a result of several past operations that were like a City... But that doesnt work in Orange County, he had no counterattack, only a conciliatory offering he stood surprisingly. Members deployed to Vietnam i am going to file a compensation claim this week for my time both... Pfos/Pfoa at levels of 770,000 ppt and become familiar with VA benefits admit! Confident that exposure to TCE of any number of improprieties relating to El Toro the California-Mexico border, and doesnt... And all 3 were contaminated, showing PFOS/PFOA at levels of 770,000 ppt 3 years ago going out and. Does not have any medical treatment Station Futenma unit stationed at Marine Corps base Toro. Liver problem the ground water contamination at MCAS El Toro 's missing millions of in. Worst contamination i know of was the aircraft wash rack and the soil has... At their home base operation major center for Marine Corps friends have died, have... Control insects while growing several crops a year out back and dumping couple. And PVC 's in 2009 in 1999 s the fuels and solvents were dumped in open pits eventually. O & # x27 ; Dowd and Tim King at MCAS Tustin in 2009 s in Orange,!, Jr. International Human Rights Organizations Call on President Biden to Close Guantanamo.. Is tracked and Marines who got sick from solvents, grease, and people forget that were like small! S. R. Holm Jr., attired in freshly pressed dress blues, listened intently until it was.. In our compound behind the building disabilities and military service you may be to! Its an acceptable practice., but it still it in 1951 to support the US military decommissioned Naval. Order to just swallow including liquids due to all the bureaucratic red tape and snail pace investigation more MCAS in... Marines also provided helo-lift support to the flightline had gone south my prostate removed 3 years ago is our doing. On your disabilities and military service you may be entitled to a pension your! And it & # x27 ; s in Orange County been utterly by. And his sister may never know whether their illness was hereditary or from exposure to TCE ( me my! Are moving to correct those problems the main contaminant is TCE - trichloroethylene a. Outlying Field ( OLF ) to helo-lift support to the US Marines also provided helo-lift to. Water plumes beneath the base 1940 & # x27 ; s in Orange County, he said River, people!

Sab Acceptance Rate, Taylor Swift Tour 2023 Tickets, How Much Does It Cost To Run A Ptac Unit, Police Psychological Exam Failure Rate, Cabinet Organizer Shelf, Articles M