The organizers of a community forum on poisoning at the U.S. Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune have had to close pre-registration because so many impacted Marines and families want to attend.
The North Carolina base's drinking water contained toxic chemicals from the 1950s to the 1980s. Hundreds of thousands of people — Marines and their family members — were exposed to the water. The Lejeune Community Assistance Panel, administered out of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention offices, was created 13 years ago to share information and give those poisoned, many who are sick, a forum to be heard.
An AJC article on Sunday highlighted complaints about recent efforts designed to help those suffering. Veterans and their families say programs administered through the Department of Veterans Affairs are failing to properly notify those affected and leaving family members behind.
There was so much interest in Tuesday's meeting that organizers had to move it to a larger venue. Information about attending the meeting at Emory Conference Center Hotel and viewing it by livestream are available at this CDC website.
As of last week, 285 people had signed up to attend. Organizers have made arrangements for an overflow room. The Atlanta Mobile Vet Center parked outside to offer assistance to veterans.
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