‘Why Did Justice Take So Long?’

VFW leaders stood in solidarity with Camp Lejeune veterans and their families during a two-day Capitol Hill rally in June, calling for congressional action on H.R. 4145, the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025.

VFW General Counsel John Muckelbauer was among the veterans who shared their stories, speaking on behalf of his brother, Matt, a fellow Marine who died from a rare case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma linked to exposure to toxic water while stationed at Camp Lejeune.

"Like so many families here today," Muckelbauer said, "we were left wondering if his service contributed to his illness. Could this have been prevented? And why did justice take so long?"

Muckelbauer's testimony highlighted the human toll of decades of contamination and the VFW's urgent call for justice. He was joined by VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci and National Legislative Committee Chairman Jason Johns, who shared their insights and experiences to further amplify the voices of Camp Lejeune veterans and their families.

The passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act in 2022 included a provision known as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). The CLJA allows veterans, family members and contractors suffering
from the effects of toxic exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to file lawsuits for compensation.

Eligible veterans and civilians were those who served at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987.

There are currently more than 400,000 pending claims with the Department of the Navy. Despite the overwhelming number, not a single case has gone to trial while the Department of Justice litigates against victims.

To correct the record and ensure victims have access to appropriate justice, the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025 would make technical corrections to the law and give swifter relief to victims by:

• Clearly providing for jury trials, not just bench trials.
• Expressly stating that victims must show general causation.
• Permitting cases to be heard in any federal court in North Carolina or South Carolina.
• Capping attorney fees at 20 percent for settlements and 25 percent for trials.

This article is featured in the 2026 September/October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., associate editor for VFW magazine.