Camp Lejeune Water Contamination: What Benefits Are Available

From August 1, 1953, through December 31, 1987, the drinking water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina was contaminated with industrial solvents and other chemicals. Veterans who served there and family members who lived on base during that period may qualify for VA health care and other benefits related to exposure.

This article explains in plain English the benefits available in 2026 for eligible veterans and family members.

Eligibility basics

To qualify, you generally must have lived or served at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River for at least 30 cumulative days during the qualifying period and not received a dishonorable discharge (for veterans). Family members who resided in base housing during the same timeframe may also qualify for certain health-related benefits.

##Benefits for veterans Eligible veterans can receive:

• VA health care for any condition, even without a presumptive diagnosis (except dental care in some cases). This includes cost-free care for covered conditions.
• Disability compensation on a presumptive basis if diagnosed with one of the eight presumptive conditions: adult leukemia, aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or Parkinson’s disease.

Presumptive service connection means the VA presumes the condition is linked to the water contamination when you have the diagnosis and qualifying service. You do not need to prove the connection.

Additional benefits may include access to VA health care enrollment priority and related supports.

Benefits for family members

Family members (spouses, children, or others who lived on base) are not eligible for disability compensation. However, they may qualify for the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program (CLFMP), which reimburses out-of-pocket health care costs for up to 15 specified conditions, including:

• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Female infertility
• Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver disease)
• Kidney cancer
• And others such as leukemias, lung cancer, miscarriage, neurobehavioral effects (including Parkinson’s as of later updates), and more.

To receive reimbursement, submit medical records and proof of residency and relationship to the veteran. The program covers costs for treatment of the qualifying conditions.

How to apply

1. Gather service or residency records (such as DD-214 for veterans or housing records for family).
2. Obtain medical records showing any relevant diagnoses.
3. File a claim for disability compensation (veterans) or apply for health care/reimbursement (veterans and family) through VA.gov or with help from a Veterans Service Officer.
4. For family members, contact the VA about the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program specifically.

The VA processes these claims with the presumptions in mind, which can speed approval when criteria are met.

Additional considerations

Some veterans may also pursue claims under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act for civil remedies, though that is separate from VA benefits. Survivors of veterans who passed away from related conditions may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). The 2026 base DIC rate for a surviving spouse is $1,699.36 per month, with the SBP-DIC offset fully eliminated since January 2023.

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All 14 VA tools on Bill Advantage are permanently free for all users with no monthly limits. Use the PACT Act Benefits Screener and VA Benefits Navigator to get started.

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Bill Advantage is a document literacy tool. Nothing in this article constitutes legal or medical advice.