Mesothelioma and Veterans

Asbestos Exposure in the Military

Your risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases depends on your military branch and what job you held, as certain branches and roles used more asbestos than others. See how each branch used asbestos below.

Asbestos Use in the U.S. Navy

The Navy used more asbestos-based products than any other branch of the Armed Forces. As a result, U.S. Navy veterans represent the largest group of service members diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Navy veterans were often exposed to asbestos if they served on ships or worked in shipyards.

Asbestos on Navy Ships

Starting in the 1930s, the government mandated that the Navy build all Navy ships with asbestos as a fireproofing substance. Most ships had poor air circulation, so stray asbestos fibers could linger in the air for hours and be inhaled unknowingly by service members.

Navy veterans who worked in shipyards also had a high risk of asbestos exposure. Navy vessels were built, repaired, and dismantled in shipyards — and these activities sent asbestos fibers flying into the air that veterans breathed in.

Below, see the number of U.S. Navy shipyards per state.

Asbestos Use in the U.S. Coast Guard

The Coast Guard also used an abundance of asbestos to build its vessels. Coast Guard ships needed to resist fires, and asbestos helped shipbuilders achieve this.

U.S. Coast Guard veterans who served as boiler tenders or insulators (among other roles) aboard military ships faced long-term exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos Use in the U.S. Air Force

The Air Force relied on asbestos-based products to prevent military aircraft from catching on fire. U.S. Air Force veterans who worked as pilots and mechanics were at risk of long-term asbestos exposure as a result.

Asbestos could be found aboard Air Force planes in:

• Brakes
• Cockpits
• Clutches
• Electrical wiring
• Engines
• Gaskets
• Insulation
• Valves

Air Force bases and ground vehicles like trucks also contained large amounts of asbestos.

Asbestos Use in the U.S. Army

Examples of asbestos-containing products used by U.S. Army veterans are vehicle parts like brakes and the construction materials used to make bases (such as cement and paint).

Asbestos exposure is still a risk for Soldiers serving overseas today.

“Asbestos is a material that was once used in many buildings and products. If you served in Iraq or other countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, you may have had contact with asbestos when old buildings got damaged, releasing toxic chemicals into the air.”

– U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Asbestos Use in the U.S. Marine Corps

Like Army Soldiers, Marines spent a lot of time in buildings constructed with asbestos. They also served on battlegrounds where buildings containing asbestos products were blown up around them, releasing fibers into the air.

Further, U.S. Marine Corps veterans who served aboard Navy ships or worked in shipyards may have been exposed to high levels of asbestos.

Secondary Asbestos Exposure in the Military

You didn’t need to work directly with asbestos to be put in danger — military families who lived on bases may also have been at risk of secondary asbestos exposure.

If a service member worked around asbestos, they could unknowingly bring stray fibers back into living quarters on their hair, clothing, or equipment. The fibers might then be inhaled by family members and loved ones.

Military Jobs With Asbestos Exposure Risk

Certain military jobs had a higher risk of asbestos exposure than others. These occupations involved frequent use of asbestos-containing products and/or work in environments laden with the toxic fibers.

Some jobs with the highest risk include:

• Aircraft and vehicle mechanics
• Boiler operators
• Carpenters
• Construction workers
• Demolition specialists
• Enginemen
• Floor and roof installers
• Heating system workers
• Hull technicians
• Insulation workers
• Machinist mates
• Plumbers
• Seabees
• Shipfitters/Pipefitters
• Shipyard workers
• Welders

That said, even service members who did not hold one of these jobs may have been exposed to asbestos through secondhand exposure or by inhaling fibers that had been lingering in the air of living quarters, mess halls, and other buildings.

Asbestos Exposure After Military Service

For many service members, the risks of asbestos exposure did not always stop after their military careers. Veterans often found jobs similar to the ones they held while in the service, adding to their exposure history.

Asbestos Removal by the Military

While the military went to great lengths to remove asbestos in the 1980s, some products were left behind due to costs and time constraints.

“During my twilight tour in the Navy as the Executive Officer at a shore duty installation, our building underwent a major overhaul. However, before work could begin, the contractor had to have much of the building tested for asbestos. I was floored when I received the report that showed that our building had asbestos in the floor tiles, drywall, joint compounds, heating system, and even in the window caulk. And this was as recent as 2008.”

– Retired Senior Veteran

The military no longer uses asbestos during the construction of new bases, vehicles, planes, or ships, but many buildings and ships built before the 1980s still contain asbestos. That said, the risk of asbestos exposure is low if the material is left undisturbed.

Mesothelioma and Veterans: FAQ

Find answers to common questions about mesothelioma and the military below.

How many veterans have mesothelioma?

About 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, and veterans make up around 30% of all mesothelioma cases.

Each year, 900-1,100 Veterans are diagnosed with Mesothelioma

800-900

Pleural Mesothelioma

100-200

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

10

Pericardial Mesothelioma

*Sources: American Cancer Society,
National Institutes of Health

Between 1999 and 2017, there were over 45,000 deaths from mesothelioma, meaning that more than 15,000 veterans died from mesothelioma during that time.

What do I need in order to file for VA mesothelioma benefits?

To file a veterans benefits claim, you’ll need information that shows:

• You served in the military when asbestos was widely used
• You used or worked around asbestos-containing products in your military role
• Medical records and documents showing you were diagnosed with mesothelioma

While you may not have this information readily available, our team of Patient Advocates can help you gather all the necessary documents and forms and file your VA benefits claim.

Will having private insurance affect my ability to get VA benefits?

You can still access VA compensation and other benefits, even if you don’t use VA Health Care for mesothelioma treatment. Reach out to our team at (877) 450-8973 if you have any other questions about mesothelioma or VA benefits.

Accessing Veterans Mesothelioma Compensation

If you are a U.S. veteran, we thank you for bravely serving our country and encourage you to pursue your well-deserved VA benefits for mesothelioma. Veterans and civilians with this cancer may also be eligible for financial compensation through a lawsuit or an asbestos trust fund.

Mesothelioma lawsuits and trust fund claims are filed against manufacturers of asbestos-based products — not the government or any U.S. military branch. Lawsuit settlements award an average of $1 Million and do not affect your ability to file a VA claim.

Let us help you file for VA mesothelioma benefits today.