Fort Benning is a United States Army post located near Columbus, Georgia, on Georgia’s border with Alabama. Known as the Home of the Infantry, it was established in 1918 as Camp Benning. Today, as part of the process of renaming all bases with names associated with the Confederacy, it is known as Fort Moore in honor of General Hal Moore and his wife Julia Compton Moore. It supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees, and civilian employees.
As is true of many U.S. Army bases built before the 1970s, Fort Benning was constructed with asbestos-containing materials and the material also contaminated machine and automobile parts that were used there. Exposure to this asbestos put thousands of people who lived, worked, and passed through Fort Benning at risk for diseases including malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer.
The History of Fort Benning/Fort Moore
In 1918, the U.S. government established a temporary camp in Columbus, Georgia in the area originally occupied by the Dawson Artillery during the Civil War. The site was opened to provide basic training for units during World War I, including tank units. Named Camp Benning after Confederate Brigadier General Henry Benning, it was founded as a permanent installation in 1920, and that provided funding for new construction and the opening of the School of Infantry. In 1922 it was officially renamed Fort Benning, and over the next decade it was the site responsible for modernizing the infantry.[1]
When the Great Depression struck, the government began an expansive spending program that significantly benefitted Fort Benning. The Works Progress Administration, Public Works Administration, and Civilian Conservation Corps were all built at Fort Benning in 1935. At the same time, the base earned the label “Home of the Infantry” with the introduction of the automatic weapon, the machine gun, and the modern tank. This equipment led to the reorganization of the way that the infantry operated.[2]
In the years leading up to World War II, Fort Benning saw the activation of the 2nd Armored Division under then-Brigadier General George S. Patton and the Infantry Officer Candidate School was created. Those two episodes signaled an innovation that would change the way that battles were pursued: Troops began being moved onto the battlefield via parachute.[2] Fort Benning became the primary infantry and airborne training center during World War II, as well as home to the first all-black unit of paratroopers.[1]
The end of World War II led to military demobilization, but with the beginning of the Korean Conflict, Fort Benning reactivated, most notably with the opening of the U.S. Army Ranger School where selected officers and enlisted soldiers were trained with special combat skills in a realistic tactical environment. In the 1960s, the 11th Air Assault Division introduced helicopter battlefield training.[2]
In the last several years, Fort Benning has absorbed Army services from other bases closed by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, including the U.S. Army Armor Center and School from Fort Knox. Today the site encompasses 287 square miles of Chattahoochee and Muscogee counties and continues to fulfill its original mission of training soldiers to be combat-ready leaders.[2]
How Was Asbestos Used at Fort Benning/Fort Moore?
Fort Benning became a permanent Army base in 1920, and extensive building and expansion began shortly thereafter. Because asbestos was a material known for its strength and ability to insulate against heat and flame, the military used it extensively in barracks, mess halls, and administrative buildings, as well as in machinery and infrastructure. It was not until the 1970s that the public became aware that asbestos was a carcinogen, and not until 1980 that the military began working in earnest to remove the material from the many applications where it had been used.
As soldiers at Fort Benning worked in their assigned duties, many were being exposed to asbestos. Those tasked with construction, plumbing, electrical work, and mechanical or automobile maintenance and repair were placed at risk. Even those who didn’t work with the material were at risk of inhaling airborne asbestos fibers as they ate, slept, or spent time with others who worked with it. Asbestos could be found everywhere on the base, from building insulation to roofs, ceiling tiles, and floor tiles.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Fort Benning included:
- Adhesives
- Automobile and truck brakes
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement foundations
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Epoxies
- Fireproofing materials
- Floor tiles
- Gaskets
- HVAC systems
- Insulation materials
- Paint
- Pipes
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Sealants
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Fort Benning?
Fort Benning has a long, proud history of training service members for leadership, but many of those who served there, worked there, and lived there, as well as their family members at home, were exposed to asbestos. The base consistently supported tens of thousands of active-duty military and others. Many of them worked in jobs and lived in environments that put them at risk.
Those who built and maintained the base, those who worked on the base’s power generation and infrastructure, and those who maintained its artillery, tanks, and helicopters were at significant risk. Those who were most endangered at Fort Benning included:
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Roofers
- Plumbers
- Carpenters
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Helicopter mechanics
- Tank system mechanics
- Vehicle mechanics
- Artillery mechanics
- HVAC workers
- Firefighters
In addition to the risk posed to those who served, worked, and lived at Fort Benning during the days when asbestos use was at its height, those who are currently serving or working at what is now Fort Moore also face risk. Asbestos continues to be discovered in buildings at the base: In 2016, the last World War II building was demolished,[3] but there are still hundreds of structures built through the 1970s that have asbestos hidden throughout their structures.
In a single example of legacy asbestos found at Fort Benning, the Army paid over $4 million for an asbestos abatement project that involved the infamous Building No. 4, Maneuver Center of Excellence. The project included interior and exterior demolition of approximately 539,600 square feet of interior floor space and 169,200 square feet of exterior brick. Over 338,000 square feet of asbestos-containing materials were abated.[4]
Though great care is taken when asbestos is discovered at Fort Moore, and removal is pursued by trained and licensed abatement professionals, there is no telling how long the people who lived or worked where it is discovered have been exposed, or whether they will end up being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease.
Help for Fort Benning/Fort Moore Asbestos Victims
Army veterans who served at Fort Benning, civilian employees and contractors who worked there, and the family members who greeted these individuals when they returned home each day were all put at risk by being exposed to asbestos on the base.
If you are one of those whose time at Fort Benning led to diagnosis with an asbestos-related disease, help is available. Veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their service are entitled to special disability compensation from the VA and care from a VA Medical Center or any other specialized treatment center.
Whether you were at Fort Benning as a service member, working as a civilian on the base, or as a family member exposed by asbestos carried home on your loved one’s clothing, if you’ve been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease you may be eligible for compensation. You may be able to file a claim against an asbestos trust fund set up by a bankrupted asbestos company, or a personal injury claim directly against a company that’s still operating.
The best way to learn about your options is to reach out to an experienced asbestos attorney. They have the resources and information you need to help you make the decision that is best for you and your family.
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