Hundreds of Thousands of Military Veterans Exposed to Asbestos

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, hundreds of thousand of veterans have been exposed to asbestos while serving their country. The dangerous carcinogen was found in over 300 products used by the military from the 1930s to the 1970s.

In the early 1900s the asbestos business grew into a large industry with thousands of employees. Within 20 years the Navy issued a medical checklist classifying asbestos as a hazardous occupation and recommended using respirators around the material. At this time, thousands of tons of asbestos were used as piping and boiler insulation while building navel ship’s navigation rooms, sleeping quarters and mess halls. In 1973 the Navy issued a ban on asbestos-contaminated materials on new ships and, ten years later the Navy Asbestos Control Program was created to help with asbestos-related regulations. However, in the 1990’s it was found workers were not warned about the dangers of asbestos while dismantling older naval ships.

Asbestos exposure can lead to diseases such as malignant mesothelioma, a deadly cancer for which there is currently no cure. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported in the U.S. each year. Unfortunately, it can take 20 to 50 years to experience symptoms and by that time, the disease has formed into its late stages.

Veterans with asbestos-related diseases have difficulty in obtaining assistance and benefits for their illness. Mesothelioma is not currently recognized as a service-related ailment however, veterans can apply for Veteran Affairs benefits if they can prove their exposure occurred while serving in the military.