Veteran Awarded Compensation for Exposure To Contaminated Water on US Navy Ship – 7 Years Later

A crew member who was exposed to contaminated water aboard the warship U.S.S. Boxer seven years ago has been declared eligible for medical compensation. It’s believed to be the first such case since the U.S. Navy acknowledged the contamination earlier this year, and may open the door for hundreds of other Boxer veterans to seek relief. 

A years-long investigation by Military.com (led by this reporter) and subsequent reporting by The Messenger revealed in June that U.S. Marines and sailors were exposed to contaminated water when the ship sucked up fuel the crew had allegedly dumped into the ocean during a 2016 deployment off the coast of Japan. The investigation prompted the Navy to admit for the first time that the incident had occurred. 

A lack of documentation had kept the Department of Veterans’ Affairs from providing Boxer veterans with compensation for injuries or ailments that may have stemmed from the exposure.  

A U.S. Marine veteran has now been granted a higher “disability rating” by the VA, which makes her eligible for compensation. The Marine, a woman who asked not to be named given ongoing government work, shared documents with The Messenger showing that she used the investigation as part of her claim, along with medical studies linking health effects to fuel exposure in the contaminated water.

All veterans may apply for health care and disability compensation with the VA. The agency uses a disability rating system between 0% and 100%, with veterans receiving pay based on the extent of their disabilities incurred during their military service and other individual factors. 

Initially, in May 2017, the Marine received a 0% rating from the VA for her claim “irritant contact dermatitis,” on the grounds that less than 5% of her body had been affected and because the VA said she lacked proof that the water on the Boxer had been contaminated. 

In its reversal, the VA upped the Marine’s disability rating to 30%. A veteran with a 30% disability rating can earn $6,300 annually, with the compensation increasing to $7,500 if the veteran has a spouse and child.

Fuel in the water

As The Messenger reported in June, during the Boxer’s 2016 deployment the ship’s fuel contaminated the supply of drinking water and water used in laundry machines, showers and the mess galley. Crewmembers reported the smell of diesel fuel when they bathed and washed their clothes. The compromised water storage tanks were not completely flushed out for months, according to Military.com. 

Multiple medical studies have found that skin exposure to diesel and jet fuels is known to break down protective barriers on skin, trigger inflammation, and lead to the condition known as contact dermatitis, according to the Society of Federal Health Professionals, which is affiliated with both the VA and Defense Department.

The Navy’s delayed admission of the incident sparked outrage among crew members who had reported a range of health problems they believed were caused by the contamination. The revelations sparked an investigation by Congress.

Other U.S.S. Boxer members exposed to the contaminated water told The Messenger they have now submitted or plan to submit claims to the VA for disability compensation. 

The pushback

Some former Boxer leaders have pushed back against the claims made by Marines and sailors. 

“The water was tested and satisfactory, everyone wants a free paycheck, this was blown way out of proportion. The records don’t lie,” wrote Michael Gonzales on Facebook in response to a former Marine who served on the Boxer. “If there was issues with the water don’t you think medical would of stopped this? Everyone is trying to get money is the real issue here, fraud waste and abuse.”

At the time of the contamination, Gonzales, who retired from the Navy as a chief warrant officer, was a senior supervisor in the ship’s oil lab department. Four former Boxer members—an officer and three enlisted sailors—who worked in the ship’s oil lab and main propulsion departments told Military.com that Gonzales ordered sailors to dump diesel fuel into the ocean. That dumping was believed to have caused the contamination of the Boxer’s water supply. 

Gonzales told the publication he did not recall any water contamination during the 2016 deployment and suggested it was a rumor.

Sarah Blanton, a Marine veteran who served on the Boxer, replied to Gonzales with a screenshot of an email printed out by former Hospitalman Third Class Aaron Rawlings. The email was an alert sent by the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s watch officer alerting Boxer crew members that fuel was in the water. Rawlings told Military.com he had been concerned for his Marines after they were exposed to fuel in their drinking and bathing water, and wanted to make sure the incident was documented.  

Navy briefs members of Congress

In July, lawmakers on Capitol Hill sent a letter to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro demanding answers and asking the Navy to “hold accountable those responsible” for the contamination of the Boxer’s water supply.

The Navy briefed members of Congress in September and admitted that the contamination had occurred, but said it was unable to determine how the water had been contaminated. A person familiar with the Navy brief said the service told lawmakers the ship's crew had not intentionally dumped fuel. 

The Navy also said that its ships lack testing mechanisms to detect the presence of petroleum products such as diesel or jet fuel in the water, but that during the incident, a senior medical officer noted the odd smell and taste of the water. The Navy said there had been no increase in the number of Marines and sailors reporting to sick call or of reports of headaches, dizziness, or vomiting among crew members, according to the person familiar with the Navy brief. 

The Navy told lawmakers they were working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to connect with Boxer members who have left active duty. 

The Navy did not answer questions submitted by The Messenger about the briefing to Congress, but provided a brief statement. 

“The safety and wellbeing of our Sailors and Marines remain our top priority,” a Navy spokesperson said. “If Sailors and Marines who served on USS Boxer during this deployment believe they were adversely affected by water contamination, we encourage them to contact the VA.”