Why Veterans Face Elevated Risk
Asbestos was widely regarded as an ideal material for military applications. It was heat-resistant, durable, inexpensive, and effective for fireproofing and insulation in environments where fire risk was a constant concern. From World War II through the late 1970s, it was used in virtually every branch of the military and in nearly every setting where service members lived and worked.
The military’s use of asbestos peaked during World War II, when demand for ships, aircraft, and military infrastructure accelerated rapidly. Asbestos was widely used in construction, and many of the structures, vessels, and vehicles built during this period remained in service for decades. Service members who joined the military years after the war were still exposed to the same asbestos-containing materials installed during the buildup years.
Regulations that began to protect civilian workers from asbestos exposure in the 1970s were slower to reach military settings. Many service members continued working with and around asbestos-containing materials without adequate protection well into the late 1970s and, in some cases, beyond.
Which Branches and Roles Carried the Highest Risk
Every branch of the U.S. military used asbestos, and exposure was not limited to a single job or specialty. The VA identifies shipyard work, insulation work, construction, demolition, and the manufacture and installation of flooring and roofing materials as occupations that may have resulted in exposure. Within each branch, however, certain roles and environments created especially concentrated, repeated exposure.
Navy and Coast Guard
The Navy was the largest military consumer of asbestos, and government mandates required its use aboard naval vessels for decades. Every ship class built before the mid-1970s incorporated asbestos throughout, and the most dangerous conditions were found below deck, where poor ventilation allowed disturbed fibers to accumulate in shared air. Several roles carried particularly high risk:
- Boiler technicians and machinists’ mates: Worked directly with asbestos-insulated boilers, steam pipes, and gaskets in engine and boiler rooms. Research on shipboard fiber concentrations found levels that in some cases exceeded OSHA’s permissible exposure limit during routine maintenance.
- Pipefitters and hull maintenance personnel: Regularly cut, removed, and installed asbestos insulation during ship construction and repair, often in confined spaces with no protective equipment.
- Shipyard workers: Those who built, overhauled, and repaired vessels on shore faced some of the most intense exposures. Cutting and grinding asbestos-containing materials in large enclosed yards released concentrated dust throughout the work area.
- Below-deck sailors in non-technical roles: Sleeping quarters, mess halls, and passageways were insulated and finished with asbestos-containing materials. Normal ship movement caused aging insulation to crack and shed fibers into shared air, putting any sailor in these spaces at risk.
- Submarine crews: Submarines built before the early 1980s contained asbestos-based materials throughout. The limited interior space meant disturbed fibers remained airborne longer than on surface vessels.
Coast Guard veterans faced comparable risks. Cutters were built to the same specifications as naval vessels, with asbestos throughout engine and boiler rooms, insulation, gaskets, and interior walls. The Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard in Maryland, which built and maintained Coast Guard vessels for decades, was identified by ATSDR as a site of significant asbestos exposure for workers.
Army
Army veterans were exposed primarily through the buildings where they lived and worked, and through vehicle maintenance. Asbestos was incorporated into virtually every military base constructed between the 1930s and 1970s.
- Barracks, mess halls, and base facilities: Insulation, flooring, ceiling tiles, roofing, wallboard, and plumbing systems throughout Army bases contained asbestos.
- Vehicle mechanics: Mechanics working on military trucks, tanks, and armored vehicles regularly handled asbestos-containing brake pads, clutch plates, gaskets, and engine components. These were routine tasks across a wide range of Army specialties.
- Artillerymen: Asbestos-lined gloves were standard issue for handling hot ammunition casings.
Air Force
The Air Force was established as a separate branch in 1947, when asbestos use in construction was at its peak. Many Air Force structures built in the following two decades used asbestos in insulation, ceiling and floor tiles, and wall materials. Aircraft maintenance carried the most concentrated exposure risk.
- Aircraft mechanics and maintenance crews: Brake systems, engine valves, turbine components, heat shields, and fuselage insulation all contained asbestos. Routine service work repeatedly disturbed these materials.
- Base construction and facility personnel: Veterans who built, renovated, or demolished structures on Air Force installations were exposed to asbestos-containing building materials throughout their service.
Marines
Marines faced a combined exposure profile drawing from both naval and land-based sources, placing them among the higher-risk groups across all branches.
- Shipboard deployment: Marines transported aboard Navy vessels shared the same below-deck spaces, boiler rooms, and sleeping quarters as sailors. Amphibious ships and landing craft contained asbestos throughout their construction.
- Base facilities: Marine Corps installations were built with the same asbestos-containing materials common across all military construction of the period. Asbestos has been documented at Marine bases in North and South Carolina, California, Hawaii, Virginia, Cuba, and Japan, as well as at recruiting depots, training centers, and air stations.
- Combat engineers and vehicle mechanics: Marines in these roles worked with armored vehicles and equipment that contained asbestos in brake systems, insulation, and other components, carrying the same vehicle-maintenance exposure risks as Army counterparts.
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Veterans Deployed Overseas
Asbestos exposure was not limited to ships, aircraft, and domestic bases. The VA recognizes that veterans who served in Iraq and other countries in that region could have been exposed to asbestos when older buildings were damaged, and the contaminant was released into the air. Combat operations, clearing damaged structures, and reconstruction and demolition work all created conditions where fibers became airborne without warning.
This is relevant for veterans who would not otherwise identify as high-risk. An infantryman, a military police officer, or a medic who moved through damaged urban environments may have experienced significant exposure without ever handling asbestos-containing materials directly. The latency period of 20 to 40 years, with some cases documented more than 60 years after initial exposure, means symptoms from these deployments may still be years away. Veterans who served in these regions may have experienced asbestos exposure, and are experiencing unexplained respiratory symptoms should discuss their full deployment history with a physician.
Health Conditions Associated with Military Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos exposure can cause several serious conditions, all of which develop slowly and may not produce symptoms for several decades after exposure. Certain military occupations and environments carried an increased likelihood of asbestos exposure. Veterans who may have experienced asbestos exposure serving in high-risk roles or environments should discuss their exposure history with a physician, even if they feel healthy now.
The VA may recognize certain asbestos-related conditions for disability compensation purposes when supported by military exposure history, military service records, and medical evidence. Conditions commonly associated with asbestos exposure may include:
Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma). Asbestos exposure is the primary cause.
- Lung cancer: Asbestos exposure is an established cause of lung cancer. Veterans who were also smokers face a substantially elevated combined risk.
- Asbestosis: Scarring of lung tissue caused by inhaled asbestos fibers, resulting in progressive breathing difficulty. It typically affects veterans with sustained, high-level exposure.
- Pleural plaques: Scarring of the inner surface of the ribcage and the membrane surrounding the lungs. Pleural plaques can cause breathing problems and are considered a marker of asbestos exposure, though they are generally less severe than asbestosis.
- Diffuse pleural thickening: More extensive scarring of the pleural lining than discrete plaques, which can restrict lung expansion and cause significant breathing difficulty.
- Rounded atelectasis: A form of lung collapse caused by pleural scarring that traps part of the lung. It can appear mass-like on imaging and is sometimes investigated to rule out malignancy.
How an Asbestos Guide Can Help
Whether you are a veteran recently diagnosed, a family member supporting a loved one, or a surviving spouse exploring available resources, an Asbestos Guide can help provide general educational information and connect individuals with appropriate medical and legal resources for further evaluation. Veterans seeking information regarding VA disability compensation should consult an accredited representative, accredited attorney, or the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs regarding eligibility and claims assistance.
Speak with an Asbestos Guide today for general informational assistance and resource coordination.