A Trust Betrayed

While the big bad corporation has often been the offender in many of the world’s greatest environmental disasters, in the case of the mass poisoning at Camp Lejeune the culprit is a revered institution: the US Marine Corps. For two decades now, revelations have steadily emerged about pervasive contamination, associated clusters of illness and death among the Marine families stationed there, and military stonewalling and failure to act. Mike Magner’s chilling investigation creates a suspenseful narrative from the individual stories, scientific evidence, and smoldering sense of betrayal among those whose motto is undying fidelity. He also raises far-reaching and ominous questions about widespread contamination on US military bases worldwide.

“Had it been a hostile force attacking Camp Lejeune, mowing down family members and fellow Marines alike, the base’s commanders would have thrown everything they had at the enemy. But when the enemy was tap water poisoned by their own negligence, Marine Corps brass ran from the fight, leaving their own behind to suffer and die for decades. To see what real Marines are made of, read this page-turning, inspiring account of those who courageously fought for justice after losing sons, daughters, and their fellow jarheads to the shockingly lethal drinking water of Camp Lejeune.”—Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group

“If you ever wondered what water contamination could do to human health, here are the data. If you ever wondered about the human lives behind the data, here are their stories. And if you ever wondered what explanation those responsible for poisoning generations of U.S. Marines and their families might offer, here are the unforgivable excuses. In their own words. A Trust Betrayed is a masterful expose and is sure to make Lejeune a household word."—Sandra Steingraber, author of Living Downstream

“Whether you call it friendly fire or collateral damage, the results are the same: shattered lives, pain, and suffering of innocent people. This is the story of how the Marine Corps presided over one of the largest hazardous waste exposures in history. It is in turns maddening, dismaying, infuriating, but also inspiring for the heroism and perseverance of A Few Good Men.”—David Ozonoff, MD, MPH, Boston University School of Public Health