The U.S. Army relied on asbestos-containing products to build bases and barracks between the 1930s and early 1980s. Army personnel didn't realize asbestos exposure could cause aggressive cancers like mesothelioma until thousands had already been put at risk. We can help Army veterans with mesothelioma secure VA benefits and seek financial compensation.
How Was Asbestos Used in Army Barracks & Bases?
The U.S. Army used asbestos, a cancer-causing material, in many construction materials to build and maintain United States Army barracks and bases.
Asbestos was cheap, durable, fireproof, and a good insulator for Army barracks. However, anyone exposed to asbestos could develop mesothelioma or other serious diseases later in life.
Products containing asbestos in Army barracks included:
- Asphalt cement and shingles
- Boilers
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Gaskets
- Insulation
- Joint compound
- Piping
- Tile
Until the early 1980s, the U.S. military believed asbestos was safe since manufacturers of asbestos-containing products hid the dangers. This corporate negligence put millions of U.S. Army veterans at risk of mesothelioma later in life.
Thankfully, military veterans with mesothelioma can get benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and seek financial compensation.
We can help you pursue mesothelioma VA benefits and other key resources right now — get started with our Free Veterans Packet.
List of U.S. Army Barracks & Bases Built With Asbestos
Over 100 Army barracks, bases, camps, and forts across the United States were built with asbestos-containing products.
See if a U.S. Army base you were stationed at put you at risk of mesothelioma.
- Alabama
- Anniston Army Depot Base
- Fort McClellan Army Base
- Fort Rucker
- Redstone Arsenal Army Base
- Alaska
- Fort Greely
- Fort Richardson Army Base
- Fort Wainwright
- Arizona
- Camp Navajo
- Fort Huachuca
- Yuma Proving Ground
- Arkansas
- Camp Joseph Robinson
- Fort Chaffee
- Pine Bluff Arsenal
- California
- Camp Haan
- Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (PRFTA)
- Camp Roberts
- Camp San Luis Obispo
- Fort Hunter Liggett
- Fort Irwin
- Presidio of Monterey
- Sierra Army Depot
- Colorado
- Fort Carson
- Pueblo Chemical Depot
- Georgia
- Camp Frank D. Merrill
- Fort Benning
- Fort Gillem
- Fort Gordon
- Fort McPherson
- Fort Stewart
- Hunter Army Airfield
- Hawaii
- Fort Derussy
- Fort Shafter
- Pohakuloa Training Area
- Schofield Barracks
- Tripler Medical Center
- Wheeler Army Airfield Base
- Illinois
- Camp Price Support Center
- Rock Island Arsenal
- Iowa
- Camp Dodge
- Fort Des Moines
- Iowa Army Plant
- Kansas
- Fort Leavenworth
- Fort Riley
- U.S. Disciplinary Barracks
- Kentucky
- Blue Grass Army Depot
- Fort Campbell
- Fort Knox
- Maryland
- Aberdeen Proving Ground
- Fort Detrick
- Fort Meade
- Massachusetts
- Fort Devens
- Soldier Systems Center
- Michigan
- Detroit Arsenal
- Missouri
- Fort Leonard Wood
- Nevada
- Hawthorne Army Depot
- New Jersey
- Fort Dix
- Fort Monmouth
- Picatinny Arsenal
- New Mexico
- Los Alamos Demolition
- White Sands Missile Range
- New York
- Fort Drum
- Fort Hamilton
- U.S. Military Academy
- Watervliet Arsenal
- North Carolina
- Camp Mackall
- Fort Bragg
- Simmons Army Airfield
- Oklahoma
- Fort Sill
- McAlester Army Ammunition
- Oregon
- Umatilla Chemical Depot
- Pennsylvania
- Carlisle Barracks
- Letterkenny Army Depot
- New Cumberland Army Depot
- Tobyhanna Army Depot
- South Carolina
- Fort Jackson
- Tennessee
- Holston Army Plant
- Milan Army Ammunition
- Texas
- Biggs Army Airfield
- Camp Bowie
- Camp Bullis
- Camp Mabry
- Camp Stanley Storage Activity
- Camp Swift
- Corpus Christi Army Depot
- Fort Bliss
- Fort Hood
- Fort Sam Houston
- Martindale Army Airfield
- Red River Army Depot
- Virginia
- Fort AP Hill
- Fort Belvoir
- Fort Eustis
- Fort Lee
- Fort Monroe
- Fort Myer
- Fort Pickett
- Radford Army Ammunition
- Warrenton Training Center
- Washington
- Camp Murray
- Fort Lewis
- Yakima Training Center
- Wisconsin
- Fort McCoy
Many Army installations and bases not listed above may have contained asbestos too, so you or a loved one could be at risk.
Get a Free Veterans Packet if you developed mesothelioma after serving in the Army. You may qualify for VA benefits and financial compensation.
Asbestos on International U.S. Army Bases
U.S. Army barracks and bases around the world relied on asbestos prior to the 1980s, putting veterans at risk of mesothelioma.
Other countries with Army bases containing asbestos include:
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- South Korea
In 2024, the military publication Stars & Stripes reported on the demolition of asbestos-containing family housing at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden in Germany. Extra care was used to prevent exposure during the project.
Notable Military Bases With Asbestos
While major renovation efforts in the late 1980s removed many products containing asbestos in Army barracks, thousands of veterans had already been exposed. There’s no way to lower the risk of mesothelioma after exposure.
It also wasn’t possible to remove all asbestos products from Army bases, so some may still contain this dangerous substance today. Learn about the highest-risk bases below.
Fort Bragg
Built in 1918, Fort Bragg is one of the largest U.S. Army bases. Asbestos was used in dozens of structures across Fort Bragg, including barracks, family housing, and fire stations.
More than 200,000 service members underwent basic training at Fort Bragg between 1966 and 1970 alone. These veterans and many others could now be at risk of mesothelioma.
Asbestos may still pose a threat at Fort Bragg even today, with the substance being found in its Smoke Bomb Hill barracks as recently as 2022.
Fort Campbell
This Army installation 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 people, many of whom were put in danger of mesothelioma if they came in contact with asbestos.
Fort Campbell used asbestos in:
- Ceiling and floor tiles
- Cement pipes
- Felt pipe
- Insulation
- Roofing
- Many other building materials
The Army finally started to demolish World War II-era buildings at Fort Campbell that contained asbestos in 2021 to keep service members safe.
VA benefits may be available if you developed mesothelioma after serving on a U.S. Army base. File for mesothelioma VA benefits right now with our help.
Fort Hood
Fort Hood used asbestos in base structures like barracks and tunnels that stored atomic weapons. It was built to train up to 100,000 soldiers at a time during World War II, potentially exposing thousands of Army veterans.
A U.S. veteran who trained at Fort Hood decades ago also filed a lawsuit against manufacturers of asbestos-based products after his pleural mesothelioma diagnosis.
Fort Benning
Dozens of buildings at Fort Benning in Georgia were laced with asbestos, putting the nearly 100,000 soldiers stationed there at risk. Some asbestos-containing structures on base were still in use as recently as 2016, when they were safely demolished.
Recently, a U.S. Army veteran who served at Fort Benning was diagnosed with lung cancer and received money from the manufacturers of asbestos products through a lawsuit.
Call (877) 450-8973 to explore VA benefits and compensation options if you were exposed to asbestos in Army barracks and later developed mesothelioma.
Fort Lewis (Joint Base Lewis-McChord)
Located in Washington, Fort Lewis dates back to 1917. Over 302,000 soldiers received basic training at Fort Lewis between 1966 and 1972 alone.
There were many products containing asbestos in Army barracks, chapels, and even the libraries at Fort Lewis. Anyone who served at Fort Lewis could be in danger of mesothelioma decades later.
Over 100 structures still had asbestos on the base (now known as Joint Base Lewis-McChord) as of 2019, when demolition began to make room for newer and safer buildings.
Fort Knox
Over 1 million service members trained at Fort Knox between 1940 and 1968. Many of them were put in danger of asbestos-related diseases later in life. A wide range of asbestos products, like insulation, gaskets, and paint, were used at this fort.
The family of a U.S. Army mechanic who served at Fort Knox and later died of pleural mesothelioma received compensation by working with our partner mesothelioma law firm.
Who Was Most at Risk of Asbestos in Army Barracks & Bases?
Anyone who lived or worked on U.S. Army bases in the mid-20th century may have been exposed to asbestos fibers.
That said, those who worked around asbestos-containing products every day could easily breathe in or swallow stray fibers without realizing it.
People most at risk of asbestos in Army barracks include:
- Artillery personnel
- Boilermakers and furnace tenders
- Carpenters
- Construction workers
- Demolition/renovation workers
- Drywallers
- Electricians
- Firefighters
- Heavy/light equipment mechanics
- Insulators
- Maintenance crew members
- Mechanics
- Millwrights
- Painters
- Pipefitters
- Plumbers
- Tank and armored vehicle personnel
- Weapons technicians
- Welders and metal workers
Service members had no idea they were endangering their health by working with asbestos in Army barracks.
“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.”
– U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Get a Free Veterans Packet for help seeking VA benefits and compensation if you developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos in Army barracks.
Secondhand Exposure to Asbestos on Army Barracks
Many families lived together on U.S. Army barracks and bases. Family members may have suffered from secondhand exposure if a service member they loved worked with or around asbestos materials.
For example, an Army mechanic covered in brake dust containing asbestos could have exposed loved ones when they came home.
Spouses and children could then go on to develop mesothelioma 10-50 years later as a result of this secondhand asbestos exposure.
Help for Veterans Harmed by Asbestos in Army Bases
You or a veteran you love never deserved to get sick from serving on U.S. Army barracks and bases. Yet, since companies hid the risk of asbestos exposure, many veterans are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center stands ready to assist U.S. Army veterans who developed mesothelioma from military bases.
If eligible, you can work with our team to access:
- VA benefits: This includes payouts worth $4,044.91 a month and free or low-cost health care. We can help you file a VA benefits claim or maximize your benefits.
- Asbestos trust funds: These trusts contain over $30 billion as of 2025. We can assist in securing asbestos trust fund compensation.
- Lawsuit compensation: U.S. veterans may be able to file mesothelioma lawsuits to pursue payouts often worth $1 million or more without suing the military or government.
Call (877) 450-8973 now to connect with our veterans advocates and explore all of the ways we can help if you developed mesothelioma from military bases.
Asbestos in Army Barracks & Bases FAQs
Was asbestos used in military bases?
Yes, U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force bases built between the 1930s and early 1980s used many asbestos-containing materials.
Anyone who lived on a military base may be in danger if they came in contact with asbestos. In fact, U.S. veterans account for 33% of all mesothelioma cases due to the widespread use of asbestos in military barracks.
Products containing asbestos in Army barracks included:
- Drywall
- Electrical wires and cables
- Gaskets
- Insulation
- Piping
- Shingles
Military veterans at the greatest risk worked with asbestos-based products on an everyday basis.
Does the military still use asbestos?
The military doesn’t use asbestos in new bases, ships, or other assets. However, some older structures still contain this dangerous material.
U.S. Army bases like Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, and Fort Lewis had asbestos in older barracks and family housing as recently as the early 2020s.
How do you prove asbestos exposure in the military?
To prove you were exposed to asbestos in the military, you must gather documents showing when you served and which asbestos-containing products you worked with.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center can make proving exposure to asbestos in military bases much easier.
Our team can prove exposure to asbestos in Army barracks by:
- Gathering records related to your military service
- Pinpointing the asbestos products you were exposed to
- Seeing which companies manufactured them
- Collecting testimonies from other veterans and experts
From there, we can help you file for VA benefits and pursue additional compensation.
Call (877) 450-8973 now to find out if you qualify to work with us. There are no upfront costs, meaning there is no risk to you and your family.
What military equipment contains asbestos?
A wide range of equipment used on Army bases and other military installations contained asbestos.
Military equipment containing asbestos included:
- Boilers
- Engines
- Firefighting uniforms
- Furnaces
- Gaskets
- Insulation
- Planes and aircraft
- Vehicles
U.S. veterans who handled asbestos-containing military equipment were put at risk of mesothelioma later in life.
Why did the U.S. Army use asbestos on bases if it was dangerous?
The U.S. Army and other branches of the military didn’t know asbestos causes mesothelioma and other diseases until the 1980s. Instead, asbestos was seen as a good way to insulate and fireproof military bases.
Many manufacturers of asbestos-based products knew the risks back in the 1930s but hid the facts to keep profits high.
When the link between mesothelioma and military bases was revealed, major renovations were undertaken. Most, but not all, asbestos-containing products were removed from military bases during this process.
Can I take legal action after being exposed to asbestos in Army barracks?
Yes. You may qualify to file lawsuits or trust fund claims if you got sick from exposure to asbestos on Army bases. Mesothelioma lawsuits award $1 million on average.
Legal action won’t be taken against the U.S. Army. Legal claims are typically filed against the makers of asbestos-based products that hid the health concerns.
Our partner law firm can help you explore your legal options right now. Get started with a free case review.
How else did the U.S. Army use asbestos?
From the 1930s to the early 1980s, the U.S. Army used asbestos in barracks, vehicles, and weapons systems. It was cheap, fire-resistant, and a natural insulator.
The general public didn’t know exposure could cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses because companies hid the risks.
The U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marine Corps also used asbestos in shipbuilding and bases for decades.
