Fort Benning Asbestos Exposure

Fort Benning and Mesothelioma Risks

Located in Columbus, Georgia, Fort Benning has trained generations of Army soldiers. Established in 1918, it is known for its Ranger Training Center, founded in 1950. Over the decades, especially during World War II and the Cold War, the fort expanded to support a growing number of soldiers.

However, many of Fort Benning buildings were built with a toxic material known as asbestos. Between the 1930s and early 1980s, the military regularly used asbestos to help keep Army bases and other buildings well-insulated, fireproof, and durable.

Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma 10-50 years later, so U.S. Army veterans who served at Fort Benning decades ago are now just being diagnosed today.

Asbestos in Fort Benning Quick Facts

Also known as: Camp Benning, Fort Moore
Asbestos products: Cement, insulation, roofing, tiles, HVAC components, and more
Health risks: Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis
Who was at risk: Army personnel and families living on base

If you or someone you love served at Fort Benning and now has mesothelioma, we may be able to help you access U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, medical care, and financial compensation. Get a Free Veterans Packet to learn more.

List of Asbestos-Containing Products Used at Fort Benning

Many different types of construction materials throughout Fort Benning’s buildings relied on asbestos.

This is because the government believed asbestos was a cheap and safe way to help improve the durability of buildings, bases, and other military assets.

Barracks, classrooms, hospitals, maintenance buildings, warehouses, and other facilities were constructed to meet the Army’s changing needs — all of which may have contained asbestos products.

Just a few asbestos-containing materials used at the base included:

Boilers
Ceiling materials
Fireproof insulation
Floor tiles
Gaskets
Insulation
Mechanical equipment
Pipe insulation
Roofing materials
Roofing products
Steam pipes
Valves

“Many of the buildings that were produced from the 1930s to the 1980s contained asbestos in insulation, fireproofing, soundproofing. People who were involved in the construction of those buildings could have been exposed to asbestos.”

– Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret), VA-accredited attorney & Marine Corps veteran

Maintenance projects, renovations, and repairs could disturb these materials. As a result, microscopic asbestos fibers could escape into the air and increase the risk of toxic exposure for workers and service members.

Service members stationed at Fort Benning did not realize that asbestos was hazardous to their health. Private companies that made and sold asbestos-containing materials concealed the health risks from the military and general public for decades.

Could Your Job at Fort Benning Have Put You at Risk?

Anybody serving at Fort Benning through the early 1980s could potentially have been exposed to asbestos. This is because asbestos-containing materials were so widely used throughout Army installations.

However, some Army roles meant daily exposure to this toxic material, increasing the risk of developing mesothelioma later in life.

Fort Benning jobs that may have involved higher asbestos exposure include:

Army Corps of Engineers personnel
Boiler mechanics
Civilian contractors
Construction workers
Electricians
Engineers
HVAC technicians
Maintenance workers
Pipefitters
Plumbers

Service members wouldn’t get sick immediately after asbestos exposure. It takes 10-50 years for asbestos to cause mesothelioma due to the cancer’s long latency period. As a result, many U.S. Army veterans are just being diagnosed with mesothelioma from being exposed to asbestos at Fort Benning decades ago.

Get a Free Veterans Packet now for help exploring VA benefits, treatments, and compensation if you developed mesothelioma from your U.S. Army service.

Secondary Asbestos Exposure at Fort Benning

It wasn’t just Army veterans who were at risk of asbestos at Fort Benning. Loved ones living on base also could have been exposed through what’s known as secondary asbestos exposure.

When U.S. Army veterans returned home to base housing, they may have brought asbestos-contaminated dust back with them on uniforms, skin, and equipment. This inadvertently exposed their families to asbestos on a daily basis.

In the present, spouses and children have been diagnosed with mesothelioma linked back to this secondary exposure — even though they never worked with or around asbestos-containing materials.

Health Risks from Fort Benning Asbestos Exposure

Any Army veterans or families stationed at Fort Benning when asbestos was in use could now be at risk of serious asbestos-related illnesses.

Notable asbestos diseases include:

Mesothelioma: This rare cancer affects the linings of major organs. Around 1,000 U.S. veterans are diagnosed with mesothelioma per year. The only cause is asbestos exposure.
Lung cancer: Veterans who smoked and who were also exposed to asbestos could be at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.
Asbestosis: This isn’t a cancer, but rather a disease where the lungs stiffen and scar from asbestos fibers. There’s no cure, and it can be fatal.

There was no way for U.S. Army veterans like you to know that asbestos could lead to these illnesses later in life. Manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials understood the dangers but hid them to keep profits high.

“Many of the buildings that were produced from the 1930s to the 1980s contained asbestos in insulation, fireproofing, soundproofing. People who were involved in the construction of those buildings could have been exposed to asbestos.”

– Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret), VA-accredited attorney & Marine Corps veteran

VA Benefits for Fort Benning Asbestos Exposure

U.S. Army veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease may be eligible for many different VA benefits to make life easier.

The VA typically considers mesothelioma to be a 100% disability. As a result, U.S. veterans with this diagnosis qualify for the highest monthly disability payments and lowest medical copays.

Notable mesothelioma benefits for veterans may include:

Disability compensation worth $4,158.17 monthly for married veterans
Health care services, including treatment from mesothelioma specialists at cancer centers
Aid & Attendance (A&A) and housebound benefits, which are extra payouts for severely disabled veterans
Survivor benefits for next of kin if a veteran is seriously disabled or has passed away

Filing mesothelioma VA claims can be overwhelming on your own. At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we can help you file for free. Major Nelson is VA-accredited and will guide you through filling out forms, collecting supporting evidence, and getting maximum benefits.

Compensation for Fort Benning Veterans With Mesothelioma

If you’re a veteran with mesothelioma, you can pursue compensation in addition to your VA benefits through the legal system. This can be incredibly helpful in affording any costs that insurance won’t cover and protecting your family’s future.

Filing legal claims won’t affect your mesothelioma benefits or involve suing the military or government. Rather, you’ll be recovering compensation from companies that hid the dangers of asbestos from you and other service members.

Mesothelioma compensation options for veterans include:

Mesothelioma lawsuits: The average lawsuit pays out $1 million or more, and most cases settle out of court.
Asbestos trust funds: There’s more than $30 billion available across dozens of trusts right now. Pursuing trust fund payouts doesn’t involve suing.
Wrongful death lawsuits: Loved ones can potentially file lawsuits if a veteran passes away. These claims pay out around $1 million on average.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center works with Simmons Hanly Conroy and Sokolove Law, two experienced asbestos law firms with U.S. veterans and VA-accredited attorneys on staff. These firms can handle all the work of asbestos claims associated with Fort Benning, GA.

Many families start to get payouts within 90 days of connecting with our legal partners, and there’s no upfront cost.

Get a free case review now to learn more about pursuing legal compensation after Fort Benning asbestos exposure.

Find Help After Fort Benning Asbestos Exposure

U.S. veterans who served at Fort Benning or other military installations didn’t deserve to develop mesothelioma from simply serving their country. Yet every year, veterans across the country are diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases linked back to their military exposure.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we’re committed to assisting veterans and their families after a cancer diagnosis.

We can help you:

File for mesothelioma VA benefits
Explore key treatments
Pursue additional compensation
Get the support you and your family deserves

Call (877) 450-8973 or get a Free Veterans Packet now to see all the ways we’re able to support proud U.S veterans like you and your loved ones.

Fort Benning Asbestos Exposure FAQs

What military bases had asbestos?

Our team has identified over 100 military installations across the U.S. alone that relied on asbestos-containing materials. Fort Benning was just one of these bases.

Founded in 1918, Fort Benning relied on asbestos in the construction of various buildings on base from the 1930s up through the early 1980s. Everything from family housing to hospitals on base may have contained this toxic substance.

At the time, Army service members didn’t realize that asbestos was hazardous to their health. Private companies that made and sold asbestos-containing materials knew the risks, but hid them for decades.

How do I know if I was exposed to asbestos in the military?

At Fort Benning, many Army personnel risked exposure when handling or servicing construction products, such as insulation, HVAC systems, boiler components, and more. This work released asbestos fibers and dust into the air, potentially contributing to a diagnosis of mesothelioma later on in life.

Our team can help determine if you may have been exposed to asbestos at Fort Benning or another military installation. Contact us now to learn more.

Is Fort Benning a Superfund site?

No, Fort Benning is not considered a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA reserves this designation for significantly contaminated shipyards, bases, and other installations.

Superfund sites require long-term cleanup for contamination from asbestos, benzene, lead, and other materials.

However, the U.S. Army is monitoring Fort Benning’s drinking water for contamination from “forever chemicals” or PFAS.

Are veterans eligible for compensation after Fort Benning asbestos exposure?

Yes, depending on the circumstances, veterans may qualify for financial VA benefits and other forms of compensation if they were exposed to asbestos at the fort and later got sick with mesothelioma.

An attorney and VA-accredited representative can explain which options may be available based on your service history and diagnosis.

How much are asbestos claims associated with Fort Benning, GA, worth?

The average asbestos claim for mesothelioma is worth $1 million, helping U.S. veterans and families more easily afford medical expenses and any other costs associated with this diagnosis.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, our legal partners may be able to help you file asbestos claims and recover compensation quickly. Call (877) 450-8973 now to learn more.