Veterans & Asbestos Exposure
Approximately one in three mesothelioma patients in the United States is a military veteran. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, asbestos was used extensively across all branches of the armed forces from the 1930s through the early 1980s, exposing millions of service members to a substance now known to cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
The U.S. military relied on asbestos for its heat resistance, fireproofing properties, and durability. It was woven into nearly every aspect of military infrastructure: ships, aircraft, barracks, vehicles, shipyards, and military bases. Service members who worked in construction, maintenance, mechanical repair, and shipbuilding faced the most direct exposure, but even those who simply lived and worked in asbestos-containing environments absorbed fibers over months and years of service.
Because mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years (ATSDR), most veterans diagnosed today were exposed during service in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s. The disease typically appears long after military service has ended, making the connection to asbestos exposure a critical part of securing VA benefits and legal compensation.
The Navy Connection
The U.S. Navy has the highest rate of mesothelioma among all military branches. Naval ships built between the 1930s and 1970s contained asbestos in more than 300 products, including insulation, gaskets, valves, boilers, turbines, and even the sleeping quarters. Shipyard workers, whether military or civilian, faced some of the highest asbestos exposure levels documented in any occupation. At the height of World War II, Navy shipyards employed massive workforces — Brooklyn Navy Yard employed approximately 70,000 workers, Boston Navy Yard approximately 50,000, Mare Island Naval Shipyard approximately 46,000, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard approximately 43,000 (WikiMesothelioma.com). Learn more about asbestos exposure in different occupations on our asbestos exposure page.
