In a recently launched blog, Robert J.O'Dowd is calling on the Marine Corps to warn all those stationed at MCAS El Toro that they may have been exposed to toxic levels of TCE and PCE while stationed at the base:

The Marine Corps takes great pride “in taking care of its own.” Marines who were attached to Marine Wing Support Group 37 at former MCAS El Toro are at risk for potential exposure to toxic chemicals as a result of the contamination of the soil and groundwater. These Marines may have been exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), suffered serious health consequences, and have no idea of what hit them.

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Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro was officially closed in 1999. Prior to its closure, El Toro was the subject of a massive environmental clean-up by the Navy. The first indication of chemical contamination came from a routine inspection off the base in1985 when civilian workers discovered trichloroethylene (TCE) in the groundwater. Before its closure, some 25 contaminated sites were found at El Toro. Site 24, the MWSG 37 was one of the most toxic sites and the source of the TCE toxic plume spreading several miles off the base. It took a number of years before the source of the toxic chemicals was known. Most Navy and Marines veterans not living in southern California who were stationed at El Toro have no knowledge of the toxic chemicals found on the base, its eventually closure in 1999, and sale at a public auction in 2005. Some of these veterans were exposed to these toxins and likely became seriously ill.

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The Marine Corps can remedy this situation without incurring great costs by: (1) establish a link on the existing 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing website (http://www.3maw.usmc.mil/) to register and inform all MWSG-37 Marines stationed at El Toro of the potential exposure to contaminated soil and groundwater; (2) request the various Veteran Service Organizations to alert their memberships of the contamination associated with former MCAS El Toro; and (3) and use Public Service announcements to alert Marines who do not have access to the internet.

Be sure to check out more of the MCAS El Toro history at Robert's blog.

For our previous coverage of contamination concerns at El Toro (some of which came from the mysteriously-no-longer-active Tox News website), see here.