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Burn pits and contaminated water may have sickened Fort Ord veterans

Abandoned buildings at the former Fort Ord U.S. Army base
Jerimiah Oetting
/
KAZU News
Abandoned buildings at the former Fort Ord U.S. Army base

Fort Ord was once a coveted station for military service members. But many of those veterans now suffer from cancer and other diseases. A recent Associated Press investigation revealed that exposure to toxic chemicals — including in the base’s drinking water — could be to blame.

Martha Mendoza was one of three journalists on the project. She's won two Pulitzer Prizes for previous investigations with the Associated Press.

What Lies Beneath: Vets worry toxins caused cancer

Jerimiah Oetting is KAZU’s news director. Prior to his career in public media, he was a field biologist with the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service.