Guests/Speakers
James Hiter (host) – Patient Advocate, LCFA Speakers Bureau; founder of Streak For a Cure.
Gerry Spencer – Air Force Veteran and lung cancer survivor; LCFA Speakers Bureau member
Military exposure and lung cancer are closely linked for many Veterans, and so is the hope that comes from catching it early. A VA-led study published in 2026 found that three-year survival for Veterans with non-small cell lung cancer treated at the VA more than doubled between 2007 and 2019, from 24% to 51%. Host James Hiter talks with Air Force Veteran and survivor Gerry Spencer about what’s driving that progress and what he wants every Veteran to hear.
From Loring Air Force Base to a lung cancer diagnosis
Gerry entered the Air Force through ROTC and served as a hospital administrator and supply officer with the Strategic Air Command’s 42nd Bomb Wing at Loring Air Force Base in Maine. About nine years ago, a dry cough that wouldn’t go away led to an X-ray, a PET scan, a biopsy, and a stage 3B lung cancer diagnosis. His treatment, in his words, was to have it “cut out,” “poisoned,” and “burned”: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Served in the military? LCFA’s Breath of Honor campaign has screening information made for Veterans. Learn about Breath of Honor
Military exposure and lung cancer: what Veterans should know
Gerry smoked for only 18 months, decades before his diagnosis, so he went looking for other answers. He learned that Loring was a Superfund site with a long list of contaminants, and that a bunker he visited for supply runs stored nuclear weapons components. He’s careful not to claim certainty, but he believes his exposures “more likely than not” played a role.
He and James also talk about the exposures many service members share, from PFAS and asbestos to burn pits and dust on overseas bases.
“…there’s presumption you more likely than the general population, you have been exposed to a carcinogen.” — Gerry Spencer
That’s why both of them see screening as essential for Veterans, even those who feel healthy.
Screening takes seconds. A low-dose CT scan has no needles and you keep your clothes on. See who qualifies for lung cancer screening →
Getting past the “military mind”
So why don’t more eligible Veterans get screened? Gerry says the culture that serves you well in uniform can work against you afterward. Going to sick call can feel like weakness, and a part of everyone would rather not know.
“…you’ve got to get out of your military mind. … you need to take care of yourself, and you need to ignore that message that being sick is… a badge of dishonor.” — Gerry Spencer
James adds the reason it matters so much:
“…the earlier we find it, the more likely we can not just treat it, but cure it even.” — James Hiter
Talk to your VA care team. Eligible Veterans can get screened through the VA at no cost. Find screening resources for Veterans.
Biomarker testing and more personal treatment
At his brother’s urging, Gerry asked for next-generation sequencing, a form of biomarker testing. It showed his cancer wasn’t inherited, a relief for his children, and it gave him more information about his own disease. James explains why that matters for treatment choices:
“…if the medicine is a key, the cancer’s a lock, the biomarker testing helps us match the right lock and the right key together.” — James Hiter
Gerry has watched a fellow Legion member, diagnosed a few years after him, do well on an oral treatment, a sign of how much care has changed.
Ask about biomarker testing. Knowing your cancer’s markers can open the door to more personalized treatment. Learn about biomarker testing
Hope, peer support, and taking ownership
Gerry found hope in a support group, where a woman with stage 4 lung cancer was marking years past the six months she’d been given. Today he pays it forward through the American Legion, encouraging Veterans who’ve just heard the word “cancer.”
“Take ownership of your disease. Don’t be ashamed… it’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength that you’re gonna take ownership of this and beat it.” — Gerry Spencer
Newly diagnosed? LCFA’s First 7 Days roadmap walks you through your next steps. Start the First 7 Days roadmap
Read more of Gerry’s journey in More Than One Diagnosis: Gerry Spencer’s Lung Cancer Story.
“It’s normal to feel… overwhelmed… take a deep breath and get some help.” — Gerry Spencer
