Asbestos in Army Barracks & Bases

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How Was Asbestos Used in Army Barracks & Bases?

Asbestos is a cancer-causing material that was widely used in U.S. Army barracks across the world. Asbestos could cheaply keep Army barracks and bases fireproof, durable, and well-insulated. Yet anyone exposed to asbestos could develop mesothelioma or other deadly diseases later in life.

Army barracks and bases often used asbestos in:

• Asphalt cement and shingles
• Boiler rooms
• Construction materials
• Drywall
• Electrical wiring
• Gaskets
• Insulation
• Joint compound
• Piping
• Tile

The U.S. Army was largely unaware of the dangers as the makers of asbestos-based products hid the facts. This put thousands of service members at risk of mesothelioma later on in life after their service.

Video Summary: VA-accredited attorney Eric Hall breaks down how U.S. veterans risked asbestos exposure while they served. Between the 1930s and early 1980s, all U.S. military branches relied on asbestos-based products. The risks of asbestos were hidden by manufacturers. U.S. Navy veterans were at the greatest risk. VA benefits can help veterans who develop asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma after serving. Call (877) 450-8973 to get started. View Transcript

Military members who served between the 1930s and 1980s were very likely exposed to asbestos, particularly in the Navy because asbestos was used throughout the ships to insulate pipes and insulate their boiler systems.

And of course, the Marines were also on ships for extended periods of time when they were going from one place to another.

Also, the Air Force used asbestos extensively, particularly in parts for airplanes. The army and the Marine Corps also use asbestos throughout their buildings on base to help insulate various pipes.

If the veteran believes they were exposed to asbestos while serving in, the number one thing they can do is put the VA notice that they intend to file for VA benefits.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center can help with that process and we encourage veterans to call and find out how we can help them.

U.S. veterans account for 33% of all mesothelioma cases due to the widespread use of asbestos in the military. Anyone who lived on an Army base before the mid-1980s may have been exposed — especially those who worked around asbestos-based products on a regular basis.

Thankfully, veterans facing mesothelioma after military service can get benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including financial aid and treatment. Learn about the benefits available to you with our Free Veterans Packet.

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• Top Treatment
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Army Bases That Used Asbestos

Fort Bragg

Built in 1918, Fort Bragg is one of the largest U.S. Army bases still in operation. Fort Bragg was home to dozens of structures that contained asbestos.

Asbestos was used in barracks, family housing, and even fire stations on Fort Bragg. More than 200,000 people received basic training at the fort between 1966 and 1970 alone. These men and many others could now be at risk of mesothelioma if they were exposed to asbestos on Fort Bragg.

While steps were taken to remove asbestos from Army bases in the 1980s, not all asbestos-based products were removed from Fort Bragg. This means some structures on Fort Bragg can put those who serve at risk of mesothelioma even today.

Fort Campbell

This Army installation is located on the border of Tennessee and Kentucky. It opened in 1942, around the time the military increased its use of asbestos during World War II.

Fort Campbell was built to accommodate 23,000 men when it opened. Thus, tens of thousands could be at risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases if they were exposed to asbestos at this base.

Fort Campbell used asbestos in:

• Ceiling and floor tile
• Cement pipes
• Felt pipe
• Insulation
• Roofing
• Many other building materials

Some of the asbestos-based structures built on Fort Campbell during World War II were not supposed to be permanent yet remained in place for decades. The Army finally started to demolish some of these buildings in 2021 to keep people safe from asbestos exposure.

Fort Hood

Located near Killeen, Texas, this is the Army’s largest active-duty installation. Fort Hood used asbestos-based products like floor tiles in buildings and housing for its military families. It also lined secret tunnels that led to a storage unit for atomic weapons.

Fort Hood was built to train up to 100,000 men at a time during World War II. Thus, hundreds of thousands that were trained at Fort Hood could now be at risk of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.

A U.S. veteran who completed his basic training at Fort Hood filed a lawsuit after being diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma decades later.

Many Fort Hood buildings still contain asbestos today despite removal efforts. In 2020, families living on Fort Hood complained that mold and asbestos were still present in older homes on the base. The families filed a lawsuit against the private company that managed Fort Hood’s housing.

Fort Benning

Fort Benning is located in Georgia and was established in 1918. It was home to nearly 100,000 soldiers — and dozens of buildings laced with asbestos — during World War II and beyond.

In just one example, a U.S. Army veteran who served at Fort Benning was diagnosed with lung cancer later in life. This veteran filed a lawsuit against makers of asbestos-based products and received money to pay for medical bills and other expenses.

Sadly, many asbestos-containing buildings remained on Fort Benning up through the 1980s and beyond. Some World War II-era buildings on Fort Benning still had asbestos intact as recently as 2016, but the Army ordered them to be safely demolished.

Get help if you were diagnosed with asbestos after military service with our Free Veterans Packet.

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• Top Treatment
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• Improving Prognosis

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Fort Lewis (Joint Base Lewis-McChord)

Located in Washington, Fort Lewis dates back to 1917. Hundreds of thousands served on Fort Lewis over the decades. Over 302,000 soldiers received basic training at Fort Lewis between 1966 and 1972.

Like many older Army bases around the country, Fort Lewis built many structures with asbestos. Everything from Army barracks, chapels, and even libraries used asbestos. Anyone who served on Fort Lewis could be at risk of mesothelioma decades after the fact.

Fort Lewis merged with the McChord airfield (controlled by the U.S. Air Force) in 2010. Over 100 structures still had asbestos on base as of 2019, when demolition began to make room for newer and safer buildings.

Fort Knox

Located near Louisville, Kentucky, Fort Knox heavily relied on asbestos. Over 1 million were trained at Fort Knox between 1940 and 1968. Asbestos was used to insulate many of the structures at Fort Knox — particularly boiler rooms, which contained a lot of asbestos insulation.

Further, Fort Knox’s Armor Center saw many mechanics get exposed to asbestos while working on vehicle brakes. Repairing Army vehicles could send asbestos dust flying into the air that mechanics breathed in.

A U.S. Army mechanic who served at Fort Knox later died of pleural mesothelioma. Though his family was devastated, they were able to receive financial compensation by working with a law firm.

List of U.S. Army Barracks & Bases Built With Asbestos

Dozens of Army barracks, bases, camps, and forts across the United States were built with asbestos-containing products. Below, see if a U.S. Army base you served on put you and other military veterans at risk of mesothelioma.

VA benefits are available if you developed mesothelioma after serving on an Army base. File for VA benefits right now.

Need help filing for VA benefits?

VA-Accredited Attorney Capt RIANG Eric Hall can help you file for free.

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Asbestos in International U.S. Army Bases

The list above consists of some of the most well-known Army barracks located on U.S. soil that used asbestos.

However, many U.S. Army barracks and bases around the world may have been built using asbestos prior to the 1980s. Soldiers stationed at these U.S. Army barracks may have also been put at risk of mesothelioma.

Other countries that are home to U.S. Army bases include:

• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• Kosovo
• Kuwait
• South Korea

Who Was Most at Risk of Asbestos in Army Barracks & Bases?

While anyone who lived or worked on U.S. Army barracks or bases in the mid-20th century may have been exposed to asbestos, some Army personnel were at very high risk.

Those who worked around asbestos-based products on a regular basis could easily inhale or swallow stray fibers without notice.

People most at risk of asbestos in Army barracks include:

Service members had no idea they were endangering their health by working on asbestos-laced military bases.

“Up to date, no safe level of asbestos exposure has been determined, and it is generally assumed that ‘zero’ exposure is the level most protective of human health. Because of the small size of asbestos fibers, it is possible for the smallest to remain airborne for weeks.”

– Environmental Protection Agency

Secondhand Exposure to Asbestos on Army Barracks

U.S. Army barracks and bases aren’t just places for military operations. Many families lived together on base. Family members may have suffered from secondhand asbestos exposure if a service member they loved worked with or around this deadly substance.

For example, an Army mechanic covered in brake dust containing asbestos could have exposed family members when they came home.

Get a Free Veterans Packet if you developed mesothelioma after serving on a U.S. Army base. You may qualify for financial compensation.

Get a FREE Veterans Packet

Get information on:

• Top Treatment
• Best Doctors
• Improving Prognosis

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Help for Army Veterans With Mesothelioma

Veterans never deserved to get sick from serving on U.S. Army barracks and bases. Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are devastating, but help is available for veterans.

For example, veterans can get VA benefits after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Veterans with mesothelioma often receive $3,823.89 a month or more in disability compensation if they’re eligible. Veterans may also access health care through the VA and secure benefits for loved ones.

To qualify for mesothelioma VA benefits, veterans must:

• Have an asbestos-related disease
• Have not been dishonorably discharged
• Prove that their disease is connected to their Army service

Veterans with mesothelioma may also file private claims or asbestos trust fund claims to pursue even more compensation.

Private legal claims demand that manufacturers of asbestos-based products pay for the harm they’ve caused. Asbestos trust fund claims allow veterans to access money from bankrupt companies. No action is taken against the U.S. Armed Forces.

Pursue VA benefits and private claims now with help from our VA-accredited claims agents and patient advocates. Call (877) 450-8973 to get started.