The strength and security of the country have long depended on the courage of service members, as well as their families, who have sustained them throughout their careers. Concurrently, they form the foundation of national defense through exemplifying resilience and sacrifice.
As such, the annual traditions held every November — the Veterans Day and the National Veterans and Military Families Month — provide critical opportunities to reflect not only on their service but also on our commitment to care for them even after they return home.
This contemplation is more crucial in North San Diego County, where many years of military operations have created unforeseen environmental hazards. At this time, the region calls for stronger safeguards to successfully address the dire impacts of exposure to dangerous substances — such as asbestos, lead, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), burn pit fumes, and Agent Orange — which continue to affect service members, their families, and local communities.
Persistent Health Consequences of Military Service in North County
Military service comes with various inevitable dangers. Yet while active duty personnel receive training to handle the immediate physical threats of combat, many find themselves unprepared for the long-term consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals believed to be revolutionary advancements in defense technology.
Among the most concerning is asbestos, a mineral renowned for its remarkable versatility and low cost. Such advantageous properties have driven military branches — particularly the Navy — to rely heavily on asbestos in the construction of their equipment.
As a result, sailors were at an elevated risk of exposure, much like the shipyard workers, extensive research has demonstrated. Even at installations like Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, located just 27 miles south of Encinitas, this mineral was used extensively to insulate eight boiler tanks and line their ancillary piping.
However, exposure to asbestos-containing materials has long been associated with deadly illnesses and has caused the death of 27,080 residents in California from 1999 to 2017, including 2,905 in San Diego County alone.
Still, asbestos is far from the only hazard that has shaped the region’s military legacy. Across North San Diego County, years of defense activity have left a complicated trail of contamination whose impacts extend well beyond the confines of former installations.
Nowhere is this more evident than at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in Oceanside, which the Environmental Protection Agency has designated as a Superfund site after identifying nine areas of concern that require ongoing remediation.
Groundwater testing within the base has also detected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations reaching as high as 996.1 parts per trillion, placing families and neighboring communities that depend on shared water sources at significant risk.
A Call for Strong Accountability and Care in North County
North San Diego County’s profound military connection exemplifies both pride and serious responsibility. That is why honoring veterans and their families cannot just end with ceremonies or symbolic gestures — it also underscores the urgent need to address the environmental as well as health burdens that have followed them home.
Legislative advancements, specifically the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022, have begun to close long-standing gaps in care by broadening access to medical services and compensation for veterans severely impacted by toxic substances. Since its enforcement, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has processed nearly three million claims nationwide — including more than 219,600 from California alone.
As of September 2025, almost two million veterans have already had their applications approved, while thousands have received over $6.8 billion in benefits in 2024.
Yet, even with these soaring numbers, the fact remains that numerous individuals and families still struggle to receive prompt care, adequate financial aid, and transparent information about the risks of chemical contamination that insidiously affect their communities.
Recent federal initiatives — such as the expanded survivor benefits and newly passed VA Home Loan Program — also represent meaningful steps toward restoring that trust. But they must be paired with local vigilance, continued environmental testing, public reporting of cleanup progress at sites like Camp Pendleton, and medical outreach programs that actively involve affected families.
For the thousands of veterans who settled in Encinitas, Oceanside, Carlsbad, and nearby cities after years of service, this accountability is not a privilege but a promise that has yet to be fully honored.
This November’s observances of Veterans Day and National Veterans and Military Families Month should therefore mark more than remembrance — they should reaffirm a shared duty to safeguard those who have already sacrificed in service to the nation.
Upholding that duty in North San Diego County means making sure that recognition is matched with reform and that gratitude finds its most genuine expression in lasting care, environmental safety, and justice for every veteran and family who call this community home.
Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for the Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to raise awareness and educate veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships, and to assist them in navigating the VA claims process.
