Located in Warner Robins, Georgia, sixteen miles south of the city of Macon, Robins Air Force Base is the largest industrial installation in the state. Originally known as the Georgia Air Depot, it employed tens of thousands over the years to repair every king of Army Air Force aircraft, as well as training nearly 60,000 field repair mechanics. It has supplied troops and materials to multiple fields of battle and is today an Air Force avionics center and site of technical and innovation development. For much of its history, the base relied on materials and parts that were contaminated with asbestos, exposing countless military members and civilians to the risk of malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related diseases.
The History of Robins Air Force Base
Robins Air Force Base has its roots in the passage of the 1935 Wilcox-Wilson bill, which was passed in anticipation of the need for new army air logistics depots. In response, leaders in Macon, Georgia, lobbied for an airfield to be built in their vicinity, promoting its proximity to a main rail line, the availability of artesian water and cheap labor, and other benefits. In 1941, a 3,108-acre tract was approved by the War Department, and construction began. Another 2,700 acres were quickly added to the site for a cantonment area, barracks, and pistol/rifle range.[1]
The site was originally called the Georgia Air Depot, and throughout World War II, it was home to almost 25,000 employees tasked with repairing B-17s, C-47s, B-29s, B-24s, P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s, many of which are known to have made heavy use of asbestos-containing parts and materials. The site also trained nearly 60,000 field repair mechanics who were sent into war theaters around the world and supplied the parts necessary to keep Army Air Force planes in the air. The depot’s responsibilities also included maintaining and repairing parachutes, aircraft electronic and radio systems, and small arms.[1]
The end of World War II saw a significant reduction of staff at the Georgia Air Depot, but the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War led its employee population to swell again, and this continued during the Vietnam War, during which time the base supplied troops and materials and modified gunships. It also maintained the C-141, C-130, C-123, and C-124 cargo aircraft and used many of those same planes to resupply Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Robins Air Force Base also supported U.S. forces during the conflict in Grenada.[1]
Robins continued its critical role during the Persian Gulf War, providing parts, repairs, and personnel and maintaining F-15 Eagles and the E-8 Joint STARS. It also supported efforts in Yugoslavia during 1999’s Operation Allied Force. Today, the base boasts over 6,000 military employees and over 13,000 civilian employees. It is home to over 50 organizations ranging from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, the 93rd Air Control Wing, and the Air National Guard’s 116th Bomb Wing. It also manages special operations forces aircraft, the C-130 Hercules, the C-5 Galaxy, Air Force vehicles, helicopters, and several missile and avionics systems. It has been recognized as a major center for military innovation and automation and has the largest runway in Georgia to accommodate the large aircraft that it hosts, including the space shuttle.[1]
How Was Asbestos Used at Robins Air Force Base?
Asbestos was present on many U.S. Air Force bases and other military installations from the 1930s to the 1980s, and the Georgia Air Depot, later renamed Robins Air Force Base, was no exception: In fact, the base’s responsibility for the repair of so many aircraft likely increased the risk posed to the service members and civilian workers who served and worked there. In addition to the asbestos-containing parts that were standard for military construction of barracks, mess halls, administrative buildings, and infrastructure, the base’s mission directly exposed its workers to asbestos-containing airplane components, including:
- Brakes and brake pads – Asbestos in aircraft braking systems countered the intense heat generated during landing and taxiing.
- Engine Components – These included heat shields, exhaust systems, gaskets and seals, and insulation materials that protected engines and exhaust lines.
- Electrical Wiring and Systems – Asbestos was used in insulation around electrical wires and in electrical panels.
- Cockpit Heating Systems – Asbestos was a component of internal ductwork and insulation for cockpit and cabin heating systems.
- Fireproofing Materials – Asbestos blankets were used for fireproofing around engines and fuel systems, and service members also wore protective gear made of asbestos-containing textiles to protect them from heat.
- Gaskets and Seals – Added durability and resistance to heat and pressure in valves, pipes, and other high-heat aircraft parts.
- Flooring and Panels – Asbestos-containing materials were used to insulate and soundproof aircraft interiors.
- Clutches – Made with asbestos, these were found in engine mechanisms, as well as propellers.
At Robins, workers were both maintaining and repairing aircraft but also training mechanics for providing field maintenance, thus exposing even people who were on the base for shorter periods to significant asbestos exposure.
In addition to those at Robins Air Force base risking exposure from aircraft parts, they were also surrounded by asbestos in the base’s buildings, putting servicemembers stationed there at risk of exposure. This danger was heightened for boiler workers, construction crews, contractors, welders, and others who were directly involved in building, repairing, or maintaining facilities and equipment that used or were constructed with asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Robins Air Force Base included:
- Adhesives
- Aircraft
- Aircraft Brakes
- Automobile and truck brakes
- Cargo bay insulation Adhesives
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement foundations
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Epoxies
- Fireproofing materials
- Floor tiles
- Gaskets
- Heat shields for aircraft engines
- Heating systems in the cockpit
- HVAC systems
- Insulation materials
- Paint
- Pipes
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Roofing adhesives
- Sealants
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Robins Air Force Base?
The personnel who served, worked, and lived on U.S. Air Force bases were put at significant risk of asbestos exposure because of the widespread use of asbestos in buildings, equipment, and protective gear from the 1930s to the 1980s. Even those stationed at or employed by Robins in the years after asbestos use was discontinued were at risk from legacy asbestos hidden in infrastructure and buildings as well as in the aircraft that the base continued to provide maintenance for.
Those most at risk of asbestos exposure were the aircraft mechanics and technicians who were working with aircraft whose parts and structures were heavily contaminated with the toxic material. These workers’ efforts frequently disturbed deteriorated and damaged asbestos and caused microscopic particles to be released into the air and inhaled. Others who worked directly with and around asbestos included electricians, firefighters who wore asbestos-lined protective clothing and handled asbestos-containing materials while extinguishing fires, construction and maintenance workers tasked with building, repairing, and renovating buildings that had asbestos hidden in walls, roofing, flooring, and insulation materials, boiler operators and HVAC technicians, and engineers and welders who used asbestos-containing gaskets and insulation while working on machinery, vehicles, pipes, and other infrastructure.
Even administrative staff, civilian contractors, and support staff who spent time in offices and common areas or who handled asbestos-containing materials and equipment were put at risk, and so too were family members who suffered secondary asbestos exposure from the microscopic asbestos dust particles carried into their homes on the hair, skin, and clothing of their loved ones who worked on the base.
Those who were at risk of asbestos exposure at Robins Air Force Base include:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- Insulation workers
- Roofers
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Airmen
- Boiler Workers
- Plumbers and Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Aircraft mechanics
- Scientists
- Radar technicians
- Communications personnel
- Carpenters
No matter how those who served, worked, or lived at Robins Air Force Base were exposed, they were at risk for asbestos-related diseases, including:
- Asbestos-related lung cancer
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma
- Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma
- Malignant pericardial mesothelioma
- Pleural plaques
- Asbestosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Robins Air Force Base?
If you served or worked at Robins Air Force Base during the years that asbestos was most frequently used, or even if you were there after its use had been stopped, there was still a good chance of exposure if you spent time living or working there after the 1980s. Asbestos-related diseases have long latency periods, so you may still be at risk, even if decades have passed since you spent time there. Take the time to educate yourself about the symptoms of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, and inform your healthcare practitioner of your exposure history.
Help for Robins Air Force Base Asbestos Victims
Robins Air Force Base played a pivotal role in America’s military history, but its accomplishments came at a cost for many who were exposed to asbestos there. Many of those victims are Air Force veterans who, if diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, are eligible for special disability compensation and high-quality care from VA treatment centers across the country or specialized cancer centers. Whether you’re a veteran or not, if you’ve been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, or any other asbestos-related disease, you may be eligible to take legal action against the asbestos companies responsible for supplying the base with asbestos-containing parts, components, and materials.
An asbestos lawyer can provide you with the information you need about who those companies were and what you can expect from the process. They’ll inform you of when the statute of limitations for your case expires so you know how much time you have to consider your options, as well as the potential for filing claims against the asbestos trust funds established by asbestos companies that have filed for bankruptcy.
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