I was born in Camp LeJeune’s base hospital and have “neurobehavioral effects” such as bipolar, depression, anxiety, migraines causing blindness, and light & sound sensitivity. These have put me in the hospital at least 10 times. My mother died from one of the VA listed poisons (breast cancer) and my daughter has severe scoliosis from her DNA damage that needed open spine surgery as a young girl. Yet, I have experienced consistent discrimination from the Indiana Supreme Court, where I used to work.
When I complained about it, the ADA coordinator attacked my bipolar and other Camp LeJeune disabilities, getting my Indiana license and 4 U.S. District Court licenses suspended indefinitely. The Indiana suspension terminated my American Bar Association membership so I am unable to even advocate for change with the largest legal advocacy group in the nation.
The federal courts repeat over and over that my attempts to defend myself are “frivolous,” when there is nothing frivolous about defending a law license from discrimination. The 7th Circuit even compared me to a person disbarred (I never was disbarred) and 3 different criminals. I have no criminal record.
This Midwest mess has caused me to be unable to defend my family at the 11th Circuit in the Camp LeJeune appeal. Straw v. United States, 16-17673-GG (11th Cir.). I decided to sue North Carolina for violating the powers of Congress and the president to govern military installations. I also believe and advocated that the NC statute of repose and statute of limitations violate the ADA Title II because they hurt disabled children of Marines who were poisoned at birth or later. Straw v. North Carolina, 7:18-cv-74-D (E.D. N.C.).
Because the 7th Circuit has bitterly attacked me without any good reason multiple times over the past 4 years, violating my 5th Amendment due process rights, I am suing to have the 7th Circuit abolished as a court. Straw v. United States, 18-5247 (D.C. Cir.). I am just too tired of courts discriminating and retaliating and violating the Constitution. I must do this to clear a path for others to be able to ask for justice without an entire circuit court thumbing its nose.
I am also suing Indiana in Virginia court for the same disability discrimination, since the ADA coordinator specifically mentioned that her attack on me was due to my Camp LeJeune disability making me unfit to practice law. The Virginia State Bar said that the Indiana attack on a former employee with two broken legs and a broken pelvis from driving to the Indiana Supreme Court to work, “had all the grace and charm of a drive-by shooting.”
Worst Water Contamination Incident in U.S. history
I have mixed feelings about the Marine Corps, but in 2018, the Corps found me to be “among the best qualified” lawyers to advise HQ at Quantico and teach younger JAG lawyers. I am sure that if I got this job at the GS-15 level (O-6) that I would have even more opportunities to teach young lawyers in the USMC how to prevent this kind of catastrophe from happening again–USING THE LAW. This base poisoning disaster was a failure of those in charge to follow the law. This was not an innocent error, but a deliberate cover up and that violates the UCMJ. Every person disabled was a maiming prohibited by the UCMJ and every death is a manslaughter prohibited by the UCMJ.
I became a lawyer because I believe when the system of justice works properly, it is a Godly, magical thing. When there is interference and those who are to blame for violations escape accountability, tragedies happen. Consequences that are severe prevent others from breaking the law also by putting the fear of God in them. This is why I am so angry at both the USMC and the judges who have been violating my disability and constitutional rights. They must be punished. Otherwise, more tragedies will happen as U.S. Marines are ordered to cut corners. Irresponsible cutting corners needs to stop.
Even with all my sacrifices and the sacrifices of my family, the VA spits in my eye, not allowing me the meagre Camp LeJeune Family Member Program “last payer” insurance because my parents lived off base. I WAS BORN THERE in the contaminated hospital and first water to touch me was toxic, but I can’t even get this puny amount of recognition. I was on that base for over 30 days, just like any veteran, but I am excluded. I am not a member of the “family.” BORN THERE, but not a member of the family. POISONED IN THE SWIMMING POOLS full of toxic water, but not a member of the family. USED THE COMMISSARY with toxic water sprayed in the produce section, but not a member of the family. Went to Family Day every month with my mother on the base, but not a member of the family. I have been waiting for over 2 years for the BVA to decide if I am a member of the family. It’s pathetic. I WAS BORN THERE. Even Janey Ensminger cannot say that she was born there. I was poisoned just like her, even if my disabilities were not cancer, but a lifetime of painful mental illness.
David Anderson says
This is an incredible article. I had never heard of this hideous toxic tort for which there seems no redress. AND you’ve been persecuted in trying to fight it. How damn shameful of our gvt.
Keep up the fight, counsellor. These fights (look at Agent Orange) drag on for decades.
D.A., J.D. NYC
Andrew Straw says
Thank you. Your kind words mean a lot to me.
Danielle Scott born Danielle Schwartzhaupt says
Thank you!!! I’m glad to know I’m not alone or crazy. I was born on base in 1971 and my parents lived in a trailer park just outside of the gates. My dad was Drill Instructor and my Mom moved to the base during her first trimester with me.
goldcrown says
There are a lot of bad things about the military we never hear about. On Antiwar.com, I read about US Bases causing toxic waste. Most US Bases in Japan are located in Okinawa. Most of the people there including the governor want them off their island. The US & Japanese Governments insist on keeping them there.
US Troops in war-zones commit war crimes & so do their allies. US Troops also commit crimes abroad outside of war zones. They mistreat people from enemy nations taken over there & commit other crimes. On Bill Clinton’s Watch, there was a marine that murdered another marine because he knew or believed the man was gay. In Italy, members of the Air Force caused an accident at a ski resort. In both instances, no action was taken against the perpetrators.
A Straw says
20,000 people were born in this EPA Superfund site. 1 million Marines and their families affected
Andrew Straw says
The BVA denied my appeal. I am now appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Straw v. Wilkie, 18-7129 (CAVC).
There is only one right answer here since I was born at the base and my father stationed there for 18 months before his Vietnam War duty. I am a member of the family. Grant coverage. It’s that simple.
keith says
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semper fi