As some veterans may already know, the United States Armed Forces holds a strong history concerning the widespread use of toxic asbestos. Those who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War are the veterans most at risk for previous exposure to asbestos. During these wars the Armed Forces extensively used asbestos, a then-hailed wonder product. Primarily from the 1930s through the 1970s, all divisions of the U.S. military used asbestos-containing products in buildings and all forms of transportation.

    Most commonly used for insulation purposes in military housing and other buildings on military bases, asbestos was imbedded in a myriad of building products, such as floor covering and plumbing equipment. In addition, branches such as the Army and Air Force used asbestos for electric wiring insulation and in break and clutch pads on vehicles such as jeeps, tanks, and aircraft. Though every sector of the military widely used asbestos, it was the Navy that found the most uses for this heat-resistant substance aboard its vessels.

    The military began to apply asbestos-containing products on naval ships in the 1930s. Over the next several decades, more than 300 products containing asbestos were used by the Navy alone, mainly in engine and boiler rooms and other areas below deck for fireproofing purposes. Veterans who worked below deck experienced heavy asbestos exposure, but no sailor was out of harm's way, as the dangerous substance was applied in mess halls, navigation rooms, and sleeping quarters. Aside from insulation, products such as valves, gaskets, cables, adhesives and others contained asbestos as well.

    For roughly five decades, many sailors were quite literally showered in asbestos fibers aboard these contaminated vessels. Many veterans remember sleeping beneath asbestos-covered pipes, which resulted in the sailors having to shake fallen toxic flakes off their bunks on a daily basis. Due to its jagged chemical structure, asbestos is a very fragile mineral that readily separates into microscopic fibers. These tiny particles are easily inhaled, and adhere to the internal lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. Once inhaled, the body experiences extreme difficulty in expelling and breaking down the chemical. With repeated exposure, asbestos fibers eventually collect in the body and slowly wreak havoc on affected cells. Due to long latency periods, exposure to asbestos results in illness much later in life. These illnesses primarily include asbestosis (a progressive respiratory disease), lung cancer, and mesothelioma (an aggressive cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen). Although repeated exposure to asbestos can cause a variety of deadly diseases, even a single instance of exposure has the potential to result in illness later in life.

    A few revealing statistics provide a contextual perspective on the extent that veterans were exposed to asbestos. According to statistics, veterans account for more than 30 percent of those suffering with mesothelioma. Additionally, Navy veterans bear an elevated risk of developing an asbestos-related illness, as sailors and shipyard workers account for 26 percent of mesothelioma cases, 16 percent of asbestos-related lung cancer, and 13 percent of serious respiratory diseases.

    It wasn't until the 1970s that the military began to phase out asbestos, and relative use of the toxic material remained until the 1980s. Unfortunately, countless Americans are under the impression that asbestos use was banned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the late '80s. This is partially true since an asbestos ban was set forth in 1989. However, in 1991 the EPA's effort to ban asbestos was overturned by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (which resulted in only six asbestos products being banned). Today, asbestos is still being used in many industrial and consumer products, such as automotive clutch and brake linings.

    To learn more about the concerns facing veterans and asbestos exposure, please visit The Asbestos and Mesothelioma Center, a comprehensive online resource that aims to raise public awareness on the dangers of asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos has proven to result in a wide range of health conditions, including mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. This rare form of cancer is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.

Due to a long latency period, mesothelioma symptoms (shortness of breath, severe cough, chest pain) may not appear for 20 or more years. For this reason, mesothelioma is often diagnosed in later stages of development, which severely complicates treatment and chances of survival. To learn more about this elusive and often puzzling disease, please review our extensive resources, featuring information on mesothelioma causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and more.