Many U.S. Air Force veterans are living with cancer triggered by exposure to toxic chemicals during their service on military bases. These illnesses may show symptoms immediately or may cause long-term effects that go undetected for many years or decades until they cause irreversible and costly clinical complications. Regardless, the VA will provide benefits to all veterans who can prove that their illnesses or injuries were incurred in or aggravated by military service.
It is important to know that you will have to retrieve your military records and your medical records in order to file a claim. Our team of experts, who have been pursuing toxic claims since 1990, will promptly help you recover the financial compensation you deserve from the manufacturers of the products you were in contact with while serving in the U.S. Air Force.
For decades, FAA policy required airports to use firefighting foam that met specifications developed by the U.S. Navy to rapidly extinguish flammable liquid fuel fires in critical fire scenarios. Air Force firefighters trained with this foam extensively as part of their fire protection duties, and those standards mandated the use of fluorinated chemicals that have been designated as a possible carcinogen, with epidemiological evidence linking exposure to cancer.
Personnel who may have faced AFFF exposure during their Air Force service include:
- Air Force Fire Protection Specialists
- Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting personnel
- fire instructors and firefighter trainees
- civilian firefighters assigned to Air Force installations
- personnel who maintained firefighting equipment and foam systems
AFFF exposure has been linked to an increased risk of:
If you were a firefighter or served in a fire protection position in the Air Force and then developed one of these cancers, you may be eligible for significant financial compensation.
Asbestos was used extensively across the U.S. Air Force, both in aircraft and in base construction, which meant anyone who spent time on an Air Force base could have been exposed. Once prized for its insulating and fire-retardant properties, asbestos turned out to be a serious health hazard for the servicemen and women who came into contact with it. Whenever maintenance work was performed on aircraft, or repair work was conducted on buildings, asbestos fibers were released into the air and were often inhaled.
Asbestos products found in Air Force aircraft
- brake pads
- gaskets
- engine heat shields
- electrical wiring
- cockpit insulation
- heating systems
- torque valves
- cooling equipment
Asbestos products used in Air Force base construction
Air Force jobs with elevated asbestos exposure risk
- engineer
- fireman
- welders
- electrician
- aircraft worker
- HVAC mechanic
- civilian contractor
Air Force bases with a documented history of asbestos use
The U.S. Air Force relied on asbestos for decades, using it in buildings, aircraft, and vehicles across its bases. Over 100 Air Force bases used asbestos, including:
- Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma
- Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas
- Benton Air Force Station, Pennsylvania
- Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois
- Dover Air Force Base, Delaware
- Edwards Air Force Base, California
- Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
- Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
- Griffiss Air Force Base, New York
- Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
- Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida
- Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
- Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
- Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado
- Liberal Army Air Field, Kansas
- Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama
- Newark Air Force Base, Ohio
- Norton Air Force Base, California
- Othello Air Force Station, Washington
- Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
- Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
- Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
- Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
This isn't a complete list, and additional Air Force bases may have used asbestos. On the older bases, cleanup and removal efforts may not have eliminated all asbestos-containing products.
Veterans who developed lung cancer or mesothelioma from asbestos exposure during their Air Force service may be eligible for compensation. 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.