Fort McClellan Asbestos Exposure

Q: Does Fort McClellan toxic exposure qualify for VA disability?

Yes, U.S. veterans may qualify for VA disability compensation if they developed a serious health problem that can be traced back to toxic exposures they suffered at Fort McClellan or elsewhere during their service. For instance, veterans who handled asbestos-containing products like insulation or gaskets while serving at the fort could qualify for disability benefits if they later developed mesothelioma. Get help filing for mesothelioma VA benefits and proving how you were exposed to asbestos while serving. Our team, including Major Nelson, is ready to guide you through the process for free.

Fort McClellan and Mesothelioma Risks

Fort McClellan was an Army installation near Anniston, Alabama. It opened in 1917 and expanded as the Army’s needs grew. New buildings supported training, housing, medical care, and daily operations.

The fort became home to the Army Military Police School and chemical training programs, as well as the Women’s Army Corps and the U.S. Army Chemical Corps School. Thousands of service members trained there before the base closed in 1999.

However, like many other Army bases, Fort McClellan used asbestos throughout its buildings. As the base expanded, more buildings were constructed using asbestos — putting Army personnel who were exposed at risk of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.

Asbestos in Fort McClellan Quick Facts

Also known as: Camp McClellan
Asbestos products: Insulation, boilers, floor tiles, roofing, utility systems, and more
Health risks: Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis
Who was at risk: U.S. Army personnel and loved ones who lived on base

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide range of benefits to veterans facing mesothelioma, and other resources are available too.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we may be able to help U.S. Army veterans and families who are dealing with a diagnosis. Get a Free Veterans Packet to learn more about military asbestos exposure, available benefits, and more resources to make living with cancer easier.

Asbestos & Fort McClellan Toxic Exposure

For decades, asbestos was considered a dependable building material. The military valued it because it resisted high temperatures and was a good insulator.

As a result, products containing asbestos were used throughout buildings on Army bases like Fort McClellan up through the early 1980s.

Older buildings at Fort McClellan may have contained asbestos in:

Boilers
Ceiling materials
Electrical panels
Floor tiles
Gaskets
Mechanical equipment
Pipe insulation
Roofing materials
Steam pipes
Utility systems
Valves
Wall insulation

Army personnel didn’t realize that handling asbestos-containing materials could lead to mesothelioma later in life. This is because manufacturers of these products concealed the dangerous truth to keep their profit margins high. In some cases, Army veterans may not even remember being exposed.

“When a veteran's been exposed to asbestos, he may not know when or where it occurred. We have a database of information that tells us which vessels, buildings, or equipment had asbestos in it. So we can take their service record and fill in the blanks, figure out where his possible exposures to asbestos occurred while he was on active duty.”

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

The U.S. military has since taken steps to renovate many older Army bases that had asbestos present. Still, there's no way to lower the risk of mesothelioma in those who were already exposed.

Fort McClellan also has a long history of other environmental hazards like groundwater poisoned with PFAS, uranium, herbicides, and more.

High-Risk Jobs for Fort McClellan Asbestos Exposure

Any U.S. Army service members may have come in contact with asbestos-containing materials at Fort McClellan if they worked to build, repair, or maintain structures on base. These activities could have released asbestos fibers, which service members may have breathed in without noticing.

Some jobs meant that Army personnel had to work with asbestos-containing products every day, putting them at a much greater risk of exposure.

High-risk occupations at Fort McClellan for asbestos exposure included:

Civilian employees
Construction crews
Electricians
Engineers
HVAC technicians
Maintenance workers
Pipefitters
Plumbers

Those serving in these roles wouldn’t get sick right away. Mesothelioma has a long latency period of 10-50 years, meaning those exposed decades ago are just being diagnosed with this cancer today.

Get a Free Veterans Packet now to get help pursuing VA benefits, health care, and financial payouts if you or a veteran you love is facing mesothelioma.

Secondary Fort McClellan Asbestos Exposure Risks

U.S. Army veterans serving at Fort McClellan may have also put their loved ones in danger through what’s known as secondary asbestos exposure. This occurred when Army personnel returned home to families living on base housing after working with or around asbestos products.

Service members may have carried stray asbestos fibers and dust home with them on clothing, skin, or hair, meaning their spouses and children risked everyday exposure too.

Additionally, military housing at Fort McClellan may have been built with asbestos-containing products, and as the buildings aged, they put anyone living there in danger of additional exposure.

A study from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reported that base housing and other buildings had both friable (damaged) and non-friable asbestos products. The damaged asbestos was remediated before the fort’s closure in 1999.

Health Risks Linked to Fort Bragg Asbestos Exposure

Any Army veterans who served at Fort McClellan when asbestos was widely used and their families are now in danger of being diagnosed with serious illnesses like mesothelioma.

The most serious asbestos-related diseases include:

Mesothelioma: This rare and aggressive cancer forms in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or other body parts. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of this disease. U.S. veterans account for 33% of mesothelioma cases due to widespread military asbestos exposure.
Lung cancer: Veterans could develop lung cancer if they breathed in asbestos fibers. The risk is higher among smokers.
Asbestosis: This is a lung disease in which tissue hardens due to scarring from asbestos. It can be fatal.

If you or a veteran you love has an asbestos-related disease, it’s not your fault. Companies should have disclosed the health risks of asbestos. However, they chose to let service members and families like yours run the risk of getting sick to make a profit.

VA Benefits for Fort McClellan Asbestos Exposure

U.S. Army veterans facing asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma may qualify for many different VA benefits to make their lives less stressful.

The VA almost always grants veterans with mesothelioma a 100% disability rating, meaning they can get the highest monthly payouts and lowest health care copays.

Key mesothelioma VA benefits include:

Disability compensation worth $4,158.17 per month
Medical services from doctors specializing in treating veterans with mesothelioma
Aid & Attendance (A&A) and housebound benefits, additional payouts for disabled veterans
Survivor benefits for families of veterans who died from mesothelioma.

While filing a VA mesothelioma claim can be confusing, we’re here to make the process easier. Major Nelson is a VA-accredited attorney who can help you file for free, allowing you to get the benefits you need with less hassle.

Compensation for Fort McClellan Veterans With Mesothelioma

U.S. veterans facing mesothelioma may be eligible for compensation through different legal options. Taking legal action for mesothelioma won’t impact your VA benefits and can help to offset any expenses you face following a diagnosis.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center has partnered with Simmons Hanly Conroy and Sokolove Law, two dedicated law firms with veterans and VA accredited lawyers on staff, to support veterans through the legal process.

Notable veterans mesothelioma compensation options include:

Mesothelioma lawsuits: Most asbestos lawsuits pay out $1 million or more, with a majority of claims settling out of court.
Asbestos trust funds: Over $30 billion is currently available across dozens of trusts. Filing a claim doesn’t involve a lawsuit.
Wrongful death lawsuits: Families of veterans who passed away can pursue wrongful death lawsuits that typically award $1 million, with some paying out even more.

Many other families have received financial compensation within 90 days of contacting our legal partners. There’s no upfront cost, and the military and government aren’t sued.

Get a free case review now to find out your legal options after Fort McClellan asbestos exposure.

Find Help After Fort McClellan Asbestos Exposure

Every year, U.S. Army veterans from around the country are diagnosed with mesothelioma stemming back to service at bases like Fort McClellan. A mesothelioma diagnosis can be overwhelming for these proud service members and their families.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we believe no veteran deserves to have cancer, and we’re here to support veterans and loved ones facing mesothelioma

We’re ready to help you:

File for mesothelioma VA benefits
Get treatments from top doctors
Recover compensation to cover expenses
Support your loved ones

Call (877) 450-8973 or get a Free Veterans Packet now to explore all the ways we can assist proud U.S. veterans and their families.

Fort McClellan Asbestos Exposure FAQs

How did Fort McClellan toxic exposure occur?

U.S. Army personnel risked toxic exposure if they handled or serviced asbestos-containing materials at Fort McClellan. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, or cancer-causing material.

As asbestos-containing products were handled, they released fibers into the air. Army service members who breathed these fibers in could go on to develop mesothelioma or other serious illnesses later in life.

Other toxic exposures at Fort McClellan included:

Chemical warfare agents like mustard gas
Fog oil and smoke
Forever chemicals like PFAS
Heavy metals
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Radioactive compounds like cesium-137
Pesticides
Uranium

Exposure to any of these harmful substances may have put U.S. Army veterans in jeopardy of serious illnesses later in life.

Additionally, civilians living near the fort may have been put at risk of exposure to another hazardous material called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) due to a nearby Monsanto chemical plant. The VA does not believe that PCBs put Army personnel at Fort McClellan at risk, though.

Does Fort McClellan toxic exposure qualify for VA disability?

Yes, U.S. veterans may qualify for VA disability compensation if they developed a serious health problem that can be traced back to toxic exposures they suffered at Fort McClellan or elsewhere during their service.

For instance, veterans who handled asbestos-containing products like insulation or gaskets while serving at the fort could qualify for disability benefits if they later developed mesothelioma.

Get help filing for mesothelioma VA benefits and proving how you were exposed to asbestos while serving. Our team, including Major Nelson, is ready to guide you through the process for free.

Why was Fort McClellan in Alabama shut down?

Fort McClellan was shut down in 1999 as part of the Army Base Closure and Realignment Committee (BRAC) program as it was no longer deemed necessary by the military.

Even though Fort McClellan is no longer active, many who served there are still grappling with health issues as a result of exposures that occurred when the base was operational.

Notably, older Army veterans have developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases stemming from exposure to asbestos at Fort McClellan.

Was Agent Orange used at Fort McClellan?

Agent Orange was not used at Fort McClellan. However, many other toxins were used throughout the base, most notably asbestos found in construction products.

As a result, if you or a loved one is now facing cancer after serving at Fort McClellan, you may be eligible for VA benefits, treatment, and compensation.

Call (877) 450-8973 now to find out how we can help you recover the benefits you need following a mesothelioma diagnosis.