Updated April 28, 2015.
Mike Partain, a breast cancer survivor, was conceived and born at Camp LeJeuene Marine Corps Base. After his diagnosis, he learned the source of his cancer and early childhood health problems - toxic water on the military base.
Q: Tell me how you learned about the Camp LeJeune water contamination, and how it has changed your life.
A: A month after my surgery I was heading home from a follow-up visit with my surgeon.

My father called me on my cell. There was an unsettling tone in his voice that shook me. I thought something terrible had happened to my mother or sister. You just don’t hear panic in my father’s voice. He asked me if I was at home and then told me to go straight home and turn on CNN. When I turned on the TV, the story was about a Congressional hearing into the water contamination at Camp LeJeune. A man (Jerry Ensminger) was testifying about his daughter and how she had died from leukemia because of her in-utero exposure to the contaminated water on the base. The report said the base’s water supply was contaminated from 1957 through 1987 and that ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) was studying the children conceived and or born on the base between 1968 and 1985. I was born at Camp LeJeune Naval Hospital on January 30, 1968. As I watched the report, my blood turned cold and I started shaking. It was a gestalt moment and I realized what, how and why I was sick. I was one of the kids… the whole time I never knew.

I immediately called Rep. Stupak’s office in Michigan (sponsor for the hearing) and asked to be put in touch with Mr. Ensminger. He called me three days later, ironically the same day my chemo began. Somehow, it made me feel better to speak to him. There was a connection there because of his daughter. Because of him and her I knew why. He informed me of their website and I began to voraciously read everything on the site that I could get my hands on.

Q: How did you react when you learned more about the Camp LeJeuene water contamination?
A: What disturbed me the most was to learn that the Marine Corps had known about this contamination since 1980. They allowed it to continue until 1985 and then reactivated a contaminated well because of water shortages until 1987. While all this happened after I was born, it did not sit well with me to know that the organization my family loyally served could do such a thing. Then Jerry Ensminger told me about a set of Naval instructions regulating potable water at Marine and Navy installations. It dated back to 1963 and, if followed, would have prevented most of the human exposures aboard the base… including me. Jerry said in the hearings that what has happened has filled him with a terrible resolve. I share the same sentiments. In 2004 I had symptoms of my cancer. I went to my doctor and they missed it. The only test to detect breast cancer is manual and a mammogram. I nor my doctor had any reason to suspect breast cancer and they were looking in the wrong place. My government knew I was exposed and did not tell me. I was even part of the study and they did not tell me. In fact it literally took an act of Congress last year to force the Marine Corps to notify some (not all) of the people exposed. They drug it out over the past year and are still in the process of notifying people. Semper Fi, I think not! My wife was the one who saved my life, not the Marine Corps.

Q: How many other men at Camp LeJeune have been diagnosed with breast cancer? Have women with no other risk factors also been diagnosed with breast cancer?
A: Over the past year I have found seven other men besides my self who were at the base and now have male breast cancer. There are two other men that have had benign tumors. I also understand that Montel Williams underwent a double mastectomy for a tumor growth in one of his breasts while a Marine and before he entered the U.S. Naval Academy. The tumor later turned out to be benign. Multiple Sclerosis is also associated with Camp LeJeune. I am not sure, but it is more than likely that Montel also spent time at Camp LeJeune. There are also several women who were at the base and later developed breast cancer as well.

Q: What is the military doing about the water problem? What would you like to see happen?
A: Like I mentioned before, the Marine Corps has been less than forthright in this matter. They were forced to tell the families by Congress, they have lied and provided incorrect data to the scientists trying to study the problem and continue to publicly blame or allow the media to blame all of the contamination on ABC Dry Cleaners. The recent interview with Dan Rather is a case in point. This is a rather complicated matter. Please see this blog on betrayal of trust and honor for more info. I also created a timeline, which is referenced to Marine Corps Documents. I am currently assembling the second half of the timeline. One of the challenges we face on this issue is educating people -- this is more than just Camp LeJeune. PCE and TCE are present at many military, civilian and industrial installations.

Q: Any other information – other things you want to express?
A:PCE (Perchloroethylene) and TCE (Trichloroethylene) are dangerous chemicals and contaminate an estimated 80% of the ground water across the country. Dry cleaners, heavy industry and military installations/contractors are the major sources for environmental releases of these toxic compounds. Science has been crippled by political interference from polluters and special interests, at the cost of our health. Male breast cancer is just a warning that we are poisoning ourselves slowly but surely and that the effects are generational. If men are getting breast cancer from exposure to these compounds, think of what they are doing to women, whose bodies are more sensitive to their environment and changes in the environment than men.

Want to Get Involved?
You can find more information and contact Mike at The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten. Mike speaks to various groups about environmental contamination and its impact on health, and wants to connect with as many former residents of Camp LeJeuene 1957 and 1987 as possible.