By Treven Pyles on May 11th, 2026 in PFAS/AFFF
During the Cold War, hundreds of bomber planes and refueling tankers were either on the move or ready for action. With continuous training and a 24-hour on-alert status, this period was also a time of heavy exposure to firefighting foam for military firefighters who were especially trained for fuel fires.
The US Strategic Air Command (SAC) was at its peak in the 1960s, operating in at least 29 bomber bases with planes that were fueled, loaded with weapons, and ready for action at any hour of the day. The SAC was operating in at least 29 U.S. bases, with a bomber fleet that consumed gallons and gallons of fuel. Flight crews would remain on alert near the runway, and military personnel were heavily trained in fire rescue or crash/structural firefighting.
Strategic bomber fleets can consume over 10,000 gallons of fuel per aircraft (B-52 Stratofortress). Over the decades, other types of aircraft have also been parked in bomber bases, including the F-100 Super Saber and the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in the 1970s. To keep up with such a demanding fleet, the military trained fire rescue personnel in responding to jet fuel fires and crash emergencies. Firefighting training continued on a daily basis, and fire rescue personnel stayed on alert for possible attacks. These drills included burning wreckage setups where firefighters learned to properly apply aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to burning aircraft.
The dedicated Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF) unit stationed near the runways was crucial for SAC operations, but these circumstances also led to heavy AFFF exposure of military firefighters, and the consequences could affect their health up to several decades later. The "forever chemicals" in AFFF have been linked to increased risk of different types of cancer. Your history of serving at a US bomber base may have exposed you to AFFF and may affect your risks of developing the following conditions:
Barksdale Air Force Base remains a major bomber base for the US Air Force, housing B-52 Stratofortress operations. The other active bomber base hosting this bomber aircraft is Minot Air Force Base, which continues to hold regular sessions of critical aircraft live fire training. Currently, Whiteman Air Force Base is the only operational home of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, and they host a competitive roster of firefighters with occasional live fire training sessions for hundreds of firefighters.
Many bomber bases were either closed or transferred to other commands when the SAC was decommissioned in 1992. However, AFFF would be used continuously at these bases until the Department of Defense began to phase out fluorine-based foam in 2024. These bases with historical AFFF use include:
Military firefighters can file an AFFF claim for eligible diagnoses from AFFF exposure in bomber bases, whether it’s an active bomber base or historically used as a bomber base. You have the option to file for an AFFF claim against manufacturers and a VA disability claim for a service-connected condition. To explore all legal options available, we highly urge you to consult with our toxic exposure attorneys for a free evaluation. We only need your military records (exposure history) and medical records (diagnosis) to check if you’re eligible for claims.