Goodfellow Air Force Base toxic exposure cancer claims

Goodfellow is one of the military's most significant locations for historic AFFF use, since it hosts the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy, where military firefighters from every service branch receive training. AFFF was historically used during live-fire firefighter training, aircraft fuel fire simulations, emergency response exercises, firefighter certification, equipment testing, and fire suppression operations. Legacy AFFF formulations contained PFAS chemicals such as PFOS and PFOA, which were valued for their effectiveness in suppressing petroleum-based fires and made AFFF a standard tool for firefighter training and certification at Goodfellow for decades.

Firefighters and trainees who handled or worked around this foam regularly had direct, repeated contact with it as part of their training and job duties, through skin contact, inhalation of fumes during use, and handling of equipment and gear saturated with the foam. Legacy PFAS-containing AFFF has since been replaced on emergency response vehicles with newer formulations, and the Air Force has imposed strict controls on AFFF use during training.

Personnel who may have faced exposure at Goodfellow include:

• military firefighters
• Department of Defense civilian firefighters
• fire protection specialists
• fire academy instructors
• fire academy students and trainees
• aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel
• emergency response teams
• individuals involved in AFFF equipment testing and maintenance

Because firefighters from multiple branches train at Goodfellow, exposure may extend well beyond Air Force personnel to Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force, and civilian firefighters who attended the academy. Scientific studies have linked certain PFAS compounds found in AFFF to an increased risk of kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, elevated cholesterol, liver effects, and immune system changes.

Like many installations developed during World War II, Goodfellow incorporated asbestos-containing materials into its buildings for their fireproofing and insulating properties. Common materials at the base included:

• pipe insulation
• boiler insulation
• steam distribution systems
• HVAC insulation
• vinyl floor tiles
• ceiling tiles
• roofing materials
• fire-resistant wallboard
• cement siding
• mechanical equipment insulation
• gaskets and packing materials

The Air Force has documented asbestos concerns at specific Goodfellow facilities. Federal contracting records show the Air Force has commissioned asbestos surveys of multiple named buildings on base, reflecting an ongoing, building-by-building effort to identify and manage asbestos-containing materials rather than a single isolated incident. Personnel whose duties involved older buildings or utility systems generally faced the greatest exposure risk, including:

• civil engineers
• construction workers
• electricians
• plumbers and pipefitters
• HVAC technicians
• boiler operators
• welders
• maintenance personnel
• civilian contractors
• public works employees

Veterans assigned to older dormitories, administrative buildings, maintenance facilities, warehouses, and utility plants may also have encountered asbestos-containing materials during routine work. Veterans who developed lung cancer or mesothelioma from asbestos exposure at Goodfellow may be eligible for compensation. Non-cancerous conditions such as asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pleural plaques, pleural effusion, or diffuse pleural thickening carry a high rate of misdiagnosis, so a second opinion is strongly advised if you've received one of these diagnoses.