The Army is the land service branch of America’s military. Its earliest iteration was the Continental Army formed when the new nation was fighting for its independence from Britain. Officially established by an act of Congress in June of 1784, the U.S. Army began constructing forts and bases shortly thereafter in 1785.
Army infrastructure expanded dramatically in the years leading up to and after World War II. Much of the construction and equipment used on Army bases between the 1930s and the early 1980s relied on asbestos, a mineral with a well-earned reputation for strength and its ability to insulate and protect against fire. Unfortunately, that material was also highly carcinogenic and was later linked to the risk of malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and other diseases. Tens of thousands of Army personnel who lived and served at these bases, as well as those who constructed the bases, civilian employees and contractors, and countless others, have been sickened by their exposure to the toxic material.
Why Did the Army Use Asbestos on Its Bases?
Today we know that exposure to asbestos can cause malignant mesothelioma and other serious illnesses, but before the 1980s, the material was considered invaluable because of its inherent strength and ability to insulate against heat and fire. It has been used for centuries in a wide range of applications, and by the middle of the twentieth century it was commonly used in construction, manufacturing, and many other environments that required protection against heat, flame, sound, and friction. Asbestos was a component of everything from building materials to automobile parts, fireproof fabric, and electrical insulation.
The military was one of the biggest proponents of the use of asbestos. Because of its capabilities, it specified that asbestos be incorporated in everything from Navy ships and weapon systems to airplane electrical systems.[1] Its applications for the Army included the materials used for the construction of barracks, administrative buildings, and mess halls as well as in military vehicle brake linings and insulation for base piping and plumbing. Asbestos was also used in family housing units and base schools, putting spouses and children at risk for exposure to the material.
The asbestos-containing materials that the Army used between the 1930s and 1980s were largely used for the construction of sleeping areas and other buildings, with nearly every component of barracks, mess halls, medical facilities, and other structures relying on the material. Some of the most commonly contaminated items found on Army bases included:
- Pipe insulation
- Spray-on insulation
- Other types of insulation
- Boilers
- Pumps
- Concrete
- Cement
- Roofing materials
- Floor tiling
- Machinery casing
- Electrical wiring
- Ceiling material
- Doors
- Drywall
- Plaster
- Brake pads and clutch plates in vehicles
- Sealants
- Joint compound
- Paints
- Adhesives
- Gaskets
- Pipes
- Valves
- Ductwork
- Boiler cladding
- Furnace firebricks
- Welding materials
Additionally, asbestos was specified as a component of much of the safety equipment and protective clothing that the military outfitted Army personnel. From World War I forward, U.S. Army gas masks were fitted with filters made with asbestos fibers because the administration believed it would help filter out harmful gas. Instead, those who wore the masks ended up breathing in asbestos fibers. The same was true of the coats, gloves, and pants worn by Army firefighters stationed on Army bases.
What Type of Health Risks Did Asbestos Exposure Pose on Army Bases?
No matter where an individual has been exposed to asbestos, the risk remains the same. The fibrous material poses no threat when it is safely hidden and in place, but it breaks down easily when it is manipulated, damaged, or stressed by the construction process or wear and tear, and once that happens its microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled or ingested and then begin to do their damage. Once a fiber of asbestos enters the body, it is extremely difficult for the body to expel it: Its needle-like ends embed in the body’s cells, where it can lead to cell death and mutation.
There are a variety of asbestos-related illnesses that can follow, ranging from the deadly form of cancer known as malignant mesothelioma to chronic conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and pleural plaques. Potential outcomes of exposure to asbestos include:
- Asbestos-related lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma
- Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma
- Malignant pericardial mesothelioma
- Pleural plaques
- Asbestosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Who Was at Risk for Asbestos Exposure on Army Bases?
Service members who lived and worked on Army bases had a significant risk of being exposed to asbestos, and so too did civilian contractors and personnel who frequented the sites. Those at risk included:
- Welders
- Steamfitters
- Electricians
- Machine operators
- Crane operators
- Government officials and inspectors
- Repair workers
- Clerical workers
- Boiler workers
- Civilian contractors
- Demolition workers
- Laborers
- Pipefitters
- Painters
- Plumbers
- Electrical engineers
- Insulators
- Ironworkers
- Carpenters
- Janitors
- Truck drivers transporting materials
Though those who directly handled materials containing asbestos were at the greatest risk, the potential for being diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease extended to those who worked in close proximity to those individuals, or even those who simply walked through areas where asbestos was used or was part of the infrastructure. Additionally, family members, shop owners, bus drivers, and others who were exposed to asbestos carried off of the Army bases on the hair, skin, or clothing of those who served or worked there faced the risk of secondary asbestos exposure.
Army Bases Known to Have Used Asbestos
Asbestos-containing materials were used in the construction of nearly every Army base built or renovated between the 1930s and 1980, as well as in the equipment and infrastructure that kept those bases running, the fire safety supplies and equipment that were used to keep the bases safe, the weaponry that personnel were armed with, and even the brake linings of the vehicles in which they traveled. The list below represents a small percentage of the bases that presented a risk of asbestos exposure.
- Camp San Luis Obispo (California)
- Fort Benning (Georgia)
- Fort Bragg/Fort Liberty (North Carolina)
- Fort Campbell (Kentucky)
- Fort Lee (Virginia)
- Fort Hood (Texas)
- Fort Jackson (South Carolina)
- Fort Knox (Kentucky)
- Fort Lewis (Washington)
- Fort McCoy (Wisconsin)
- Fort McPherson (Georgia)
- Fort Monmouth (New Jersey)
- Fort Shafter (Hawaii)
- Jefferson Proving Ground (Indiana)
- New Cumberland Army Depot (Pennsylvania)
- Pueblo Chemical Depot (Colorado)
- Rock Island Arsenal (Illinois)
- Seneca Army Depot (New York)
- Watervliet Arsenal (New York)
Continuing Risk of Asbestos Exposure on Army Bases
The most significant risk of exposure to asbestos on Army bases came during the years between the 1930s and 1980 when the carcinogenic material was in active use. But there is a continuing risk from the construction, maintenance and repair work, automobile parts, and other applications that occurred decades ago. Legacy asbestos refers to the material that continues to lay hidden behind walls, buried in the ground, and in deteriorating materials, and it poses a real risk to those who are still living on or near those bases or who are involved in their demolition.
A study published in 2020 by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense set out to evaluate whether service members and their families were exposed to the risks posed by lead and asbestos. What they discovered were “systematic deficiencies” in the management of these materials, with residents of Army base family housing not being notified of the presence of hazards, accurate records not being maintained,[2] and an August 2023 report prepared by the Army’s internal auditors concluded that the Army had failed to ensure that privatized on-base homes with lead-based paint or asbestos are safe for Army families.[3]
Both studies concluded that housing inspector training needed improvement and that a review process needed to be put in place to ensure that quality control inspections occur.
Can People Sickened by Army Base Asbestos Receive Compensation?
Asbestos exposure can have devastating outcomes. Whether civilian contractors and employees, Army veterans and current service members, or family members of anybody who frequented or worked at an Army base, being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease comes with pain, grief, and tremendous financial cost.
There are several options for compensation to address these harms, and the one that’s right for you or your family member will often depend upon the specifics of your circumstances and role. Army veterans sickened by asbestos exposure during the time of their service are eligible for a wide range of veterans’ benefits including disability compensation and care at any of the following specialized veterans’ medical treatment centers:
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
Veterans, civilians, and those who suffered secondary asbestos exposure may be able to file personal injury lawsuits seeking compensation from the companies that provided the asbestos-containing materials that sickened them. They may also be able to file a claim against one of the many asbestos trust funds that have been set up by bankrupted companies for the benefit of those sickened by exposure to their asbestos-containing products.
The best way to determine the best route for you to take is to consult with an experienced asbestos attorney and to do so as soon as possible to make sure that your rights to seek justice don’t expire due to statutes of limitations that limit the window of opportunity for filing a claim.
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