Recently renamed Fort Liberty, Fort Bragg covers over 251 square miles and is the headquarters of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Based on the 52,000 military personnel who serve there, it is one of the largest military installations in the world by population. It is located within Cumberland Hoke counties in North Carolina and borders Fayetteville, Spring Lake, and Southern Pines.
Originally built in 1918 as an artillery training ground, the base has seen many missions and deployments over the years. It has also been the source of significant asbestos exposure in Army veterans through the use of the mineral in the construction of its buildings and infrastructure.
The History of Fort Bragg/Fort Liberty
What is today known as Fort Liberty was sparsely populated farmland and pine forest in 1918 when it was targeted for purchase by the War Department. Over the next five years, the government purchased 50,000 acres of land for $6 million, named it Camp Bragg after a North Carolinian who’d shown bravery during the Mexican-American War, and built garrisons for six artillery brigades.[1]
After World War I ended, personnel and materials from Camp McClellan in Alabama were moved to Camp Bragg to accommodate long-range weapon testing, and numerous brigades began training at the camp, but by 1921 the camp was slated for closure. That order was rescinded following efforts by local civic organizations and military personnel, and the camp was slated to become a permanent Army post.[1]
Camp Bragg was redesignated as Fort Bragg in 1922 and became a training site for field artillery regiments for each type of field artillery weapon. Its airfield also served in the development of tactics that would prove critical to the war efforts during World War II. Significant construction was pursued throughout the fort, including four brick artillery barracks, 53 officers’ quarters, 40 noncommissioned officers’ quarters, storage sheds, streets, and sidewalks. A new highway connected the center of the post with the furthest reaches of the site and made it more accessible to the civilian areas surrounding it.[1]
In 1932, the site saw the addition of a hospital and additional barracks to accommodate additional troops and training units. By the summer of 1940, it was housing 5,400 soldiers and had added paved runways, and shortly thereafter a reception station was built. Within a year, Fort Bragg’s population had grown to 67,000 soldiers in preparation for World War II. The base served as the airborne training center for the Army’s original airborne divisions, and by the end of the war, all five of the World War II airborne divisions trained at the fort. By mid-1943, Fort Bragg was home to over 100,000 personnel and was still growing.[1]
Fort Bragg became the permanent “Home of the Airborne” and the headquarters of the Psychological Warfare Center, now known as the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. More than 200,000 soldiers underwent basic combat training at Fort Bragg between 1966 and 1970, and during the Vietnam War, its population rose to 57,840.[1]
Fort Bragg has remained an extremely active base of deployment, including the Airborne Corps deployment to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. There was constant construction of housing for soldiers and their families in the 1980s, with original wooden barracks being removed to make way for new facilities, renovations, and expansion. The troops stationed there began engaging in rescue operations following natural disasters and in support of international humanitarian efforts as well as playing a vital role in the War on Terror.[1]
In 2023, Fort Bragg’s name changed to Fort Liberty in compliance with a law removing all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor any person affiliated with the Confederacy.[1]
How Was Asbestos Used at Fort Bragg/Fort Liberty?
Asbestos is a mineral that was used in numerous applications throughout the 20th century, including in construction materials, vehicle brake linings and pads, gaskets, and valves used in high-heat and high-friction equipment, cement and concrete, and the insulation of pipes and infrastructure. The material’s popularity was based on its characteristic strength and ability to insulate against heat and flame, as well as its accessibility and low cost.
In the years leading up to World War II and through the early 1980s, the U.S. War Department specified the inclusion of asbestos in the construction of military housing, mess halls, and administrative buildings, as well as in weaponry systems, brake linings of Army vehicles, and more. These orders were based on a belief that asbestos would provide additional protection for service men and women. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the military learned what many of its suppliers had known and kept secret: that exposure to asbestos led to serious illnesses including malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Fort Bragg 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 Bragg?
With tens of thousands of military personnel and their families living in asbestos-contaminated military housing between 1930 and the present day, the potential for asbestos exposure is enormous. In addition to those service members and their loved ones who worked on base and resided there, as well as their children who attended schools there, civilian contractors and employees were also at risk — particularly those who were involved in construction or who worked as mechanics or who performed maintenance and repairs on the base’s equipment, vehicles, and aircraft.
Those who were most at risk of asbestos exposure at Fort Bragg included:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Roofers
- Carpenters
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
Unfortunately, the risk of being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease is not limited to those who were exposed at Fort Bragg decades ago. As recently as 2022, hundreds of soldiers had to be relocated from outdated barracks that were contaminated with mold and asbestos,[2], and a similar event occurred in 2008 when Fort Bragg paratroopers assigned to clean a barracks storage room were exposed unknowingly to asbestos. In that 2008 incident, soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division were tasked with scraping floor tiles and disposing of debris. The sergeant overseeing the work told soldiers to be careful because they were working with asbestos, but provided no protective equipment.[3]
Help for Fort Bragg Asbestos Victims
Fort Bragg has a new name, but asbestos is a problem that continues. From those who live there today and are potentially exposed to legacy asbestos, to anybody who served there, lived there, worked there, or passed through over the decades, there is a real risk of having been exposed to asbestos and potentially being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease.
If you or someone you love spent time at Fort Bragg and has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, or any other asbestos-related disease, an experienced asbestos attorney can provide you with the advice and guidance you need.
Army veterans may be eligible for special disability compensation, benefits, and care at any of the veterans’ medical centers located around the country, including those that specialize in mesothelioma care. You may also be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit seeking compensation from the companies that provided the military with the asbestos-contaminated equipment and materials responsible for your illness or to file a claim with an asbestos bankruptcy trust.
