Asbestos is a very dangerous adversary. You breathed it in while you worked, while you drove, while you slept, never guessing that one day it would penetrate your lungs, your stomach, or even your heart. No matter what branch of the military you served in, it was always there – watching, waiting. Thirty, forty, fifty years later, you finally realize what it did to you.
Until the 1980s, asbestos was worked into everything. As a natural insulator and fire-retardant, asbestos was found to be a very useful mineral, particularly in the construction and manufacturing trades. As a fibrous mineral, it could be woven into fabrics to create heat-resistant clothing, such as gloves and aprons.
The Army
Asbestos exposure was the highest for soldiers between WWII and the 1980’s. This is because the use of asbestos in the Army increased as the branch expanded.
- Barracks
- Flooring
- Ceiling
- Electrical wiring
- Roofing
- Siding
- Insulation
- Vehicles
- Heating systems
- Brake pads
- Clutches
- Gaskets
- Aircraft (WWII era)
- Bombers
- Fighter planes
- Transportation aircraft
Servicemen who served in the Army may have had a higher chance of being exposed to asbestos if their duties were related to:
- Pipefitting
- Mining
- Milling
- Shipyard work
- Manufacture and servicing of friction products such as clutch facings and braking linings
- Insulation work
- Demolition of old buildings
- Carpentry and construction
- Manufacture and installation of products such as roofing and flooring materials, asbestos cement sheets, pipe products and military equipment
While it is widely recognized that servicemen between WWII and the 1980s have been exposed to asbestos in one way or another, it is become known that soldiers who recently served in Iraq were exposed as well. Iraq and other countries in the Middle East have been importing large amounts of asbestos in recent years for construction. It is quite possible that the strong desert winds could have spread asbestos for miles when buildings containing asbestos were demolished.
The Air Force
Asbestos was prevalent in aircraft because of its insulating and fire resistant properties. The aircraft mechanics had the highest risk of asbestos exposure n the Air Force.
Air Force Bases that were contaminated with asbestos:
- Buckley AFB, Aurora, CO
- Lowry, CO
- Ellsworth, SD
- Tinker, OK
Asbestos was used extensively in planes:
- Brakes
- Cockpit heating system
- Heat shields for engines
- Torque valves
- Gaskets
- Electrical wiring
- Insulation for cargo bays
The Marine Corps
Because the Marine Corps are present on ships, aircraft and armored vehicles, they have been exposed to asbestos as well. In fact, Marines had the same risks of asbestos exposure as Navy sailors. Prior to 1998, entire detachments of Marines were deployed on Navy vessels.
- On land
- Barracks/sleeping quarters
- Shipyards
- Military vehicles & transportation
- At sea
- Ships
- Smaller Naval vessels
The Navy
Navy veterans run the highest risk of asbestos-related illnesses. Although the Navy finally stopped filling Navy vessels with asbestos in the 1970s, the vessels that did contain asbestos remained in use for many years after production stopped. Because of the enormous amount of uses for asbestos on ships, and due to the confined spaces, Navy sailors constantly breathed in asbestos fibers.
Located in:
- Engine rooms
- Boiler rooms
- Weapons
- Storage rooms
- Mess halls
- Sleeping quarters
- Navigation rooms
Contained in:
- Cables
- Deck tiles
- Gaskets
- Valves
- Electrical wiring
- Insulation
Covered:
- Pipes
- Pumps
- Motors
- Condensers
- Compressors
Any construction, demolition, repair or renovation of ships (or naval buildings on land) exposed Navy soldiers to asbestos. Moreover, as ships aged, the asbestos fibers would become brittle, and any disturbance would make the fibers aireborne. Sailors on board warships often slept in bunks below asbestos-covered pipes. Personnel who worked below deck were at the highest risk because of where the most heat-resistant asbestos was used—in the engine and boiler rooms.
Occupations at risk:
- Boiler Technician
- Pipefitter/Shipfitter
- Hull Technician/welder
- Machinist Mate
- Shipbuilder
- Electricians Mate
- Steelworker
- Seabees
- Damage Controlman
- Machinery Repairman
- Gunners Mate
- Boatswains Mate
- Aviation Machinist Mate
- Aviation Boatswains Mate
- Storekeepers
- Firemen
