Little Rock Air Force Base sits in Jacksonville, Arkansas, about 17 miles northeast of Little Rock. Established in 1955 as a Strategic Air Command bomber base, it transitioned to tactical airlift operations in 1970 and is now home to the largest C-130 Hercules fleet in the world. The base hosts the 19th Airlift Wing, the 314th Airlift Wing's C-130 training center for crews from the U.S. military and allied nations, the 189th Airlift Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard, the 913th Airlift Group, and the 29th Weapons Squadron. More than 70 years of continuous aviation operations have left several types of hazardous exposure relevant to those who served or worked here.
Supporting one of the largest C-130 fleets in the world has required Little Rock AFB to maintain a robust Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting capability throughout its history. Air Force firefighters conducted live-fire aircraft crash rescue exercises and aviation fuel fire suppression training on a recurring basis to stay mission-ready, and for decades this training relied on AFFF as the standard agent for Class B aviation fuel fires. Air Force environmental restoration records identify historical firefighter training areas and fire protection activities at the base tied to this legacy foam use.
Training exposure came through:
- mixing foam concentrate ahead of exercises
- operating hoses during live-fire crash rescue drills
- extinguishing simulated aviation fuel fires
- testing foam proportioning systems
- cleaning vehicles and gear after each session
- servicing foam storage and delivery equipment
- repeating certification training on a regular cycle
Personnel with the highest likelihood of this kind of exposure include:
- C-130 crash rescue firefighter
- Air Force Fire Protection Specialist
- fire training instructor
- new firefighter completing initial certification
- civilian fire department employee
- foam equipment maintenance staff
PFAS chemicals present in legacy AFFF formulations have been associated with kidney cancer and testicular cancer among firefighters who handled the foam repeatedly. If you trained or worked as a firefighter at Little Rock AFB and later received one of these diagnoses, that history is worth having reviewed for a potential claim.
Little Rock AFB's original buildings went up in the 1950s, a decade when asbestos-containing insulation, fireproofing, pipe coverings, and floor tile were standard components of military construction. With more than 70 years of continuous operation, the base has accumulated an extensive footprint of hangars, maintenance shops, fuel storage areas, warehouses, utility tunnels, and administrative buildings, many of which still carry legacy materials from that original construction. Common materials from this era included:
- pipe and boiler insulation
- steam distribution system coverings
- vinyl floor tile and adhesive
- ceiling tile
- fireproof wallboard
- HVAC duct wrap
- mechanical equipment insulation
- gasket and packing material
Personnel most likely to have disturbed these materials while maintaining, repairing, or renovating older base infrastructure include:
- aircraft support technician
- civil engineer
- plumber
- HVAC technician
- electrician
- facilities maintenance worker
- civilian contractor
For anyone who spent years working in Little Rock's older hangars or utility spaces, two diseases account for most of the serious health concerns tied to that work: mesothelioma and lung cancer. Both stem from inhaled asbestos fibers, and both are known for taking decades to surface, sometimes not showing up until 20, 30, or even 50 years later. A current diagnosis of either condition may be connected to time spent on base long before symptoms appeared. Get in touch with our team to find out if that history makes you eligible to file a claim.