During the last century, asbestos use was prevalent in the U.S. armed forces, as the WWII war effort demanded materials at accessible prices for producing military equipment quickly and in large quantities.

Deemed a “miracle material,” asbestos abounded the markets, and manufacturers wanted to make the most of its versatility and low price. Nobody considered the health risks of incorporating asbestos in products destined to insulate military property like aircraft, vehicles, engine rooms, sleeping barracks, mess halls, ships, and shipyards. Unbeknownst to them, military personnel were at risk of asbestos exposure whenever fulfilling duty on land, sea, or air. 

The growing number of toxic exposure cases among veterans today shows the many unseen health dangers they faced during service, among them asbestos exposure. The consequences of having been affected by the dangerous asbestos fibers may shadow many veterans’ health conditions now as they enter a stage of life where keeping healthy might be challenging, including those among Rochelle’s veteran population. The city’s WWII history includes the 70th Tank Battalion, known for one of the most impressive combat records of any American armored unit of those times, and the 10th Mountain Division, which played a pivotal role in fighting in some of the most challenging terrain in the Italian Alps.

Asbestos was present in military bases throughout the state

Although the Navy exploited asbestos the most, and Navy personnel serving onboard naval vessels built before the 1980s were at an outstandingly high risk of asbestos exposure, it doesn’t exclude other military bases from being a potential source of asbestos contamination. It is why asbestos exposure is still an issue for all veterans who might have the toxic fibers in their lungs, including those among the large veteran community in Illinois, as well as Ogle County’s veterans.

Illinois is home to active military installations like Scott Air Force Base, one of the multiple U.S. military bases operated by the Air Force, with a WWII tradition as a headquarters unit of the Scott Field Branch of the Army Air Corps Technical Schools and the Radio School;  Rock Island Arsenal Army Base, which provides logistical and producing support for the United States Armed Services, and Great Lakes Training Center Navy Base, the only boot camp of the U.S. Navy, where over 100.000 soldiers trained and prepared for WWII and more than a million sailors went through boot camp in the Great Lakes Training Center Illinois.

Asbestos exposure slowly undermined veterans’ health

Given that during military service, veterans worked and lived near asbestos materials, mostly unaware of the danger they represented, a considerable number of veterans developed asbestos-related diseases decades later. Asbestos can float in the air for hours due to the structure and size of its fibers. Asbestos fibers are microscopic particles and are easy to inhale or ingest, making asbestos dust one of the most toxic substances. Once inside the body, these tiny sharp threads cause permanent damage primarily to the lungs and lead to devastating diseases.

One of the most horrible aspects of asbestos-related illnesses is the decades-long latency period between exposure and the first symptoms. Even if veterans may have had no health issues during their service, they’ll learn the effects of asbestos exposure only over time when they are diagnosed with conditions stemming from it, like asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other severe respiratory diseases.

The ongoing fight  for health and well-being

Even though decades have passed since the armed services overly used asbestos, veterans who were in contact with it during their military years now have to fight for their health. Many must come to terms with the reality that their service to the country held a huge health sacrifice and that their asbestos diseases will shorten their life.

With Illinois ranking seventh in the U.S. for asbestos-related deaths, and 16^th among all states for lung cancer, veterans should schedule an appointment with the doctor as soon as possible. Knowing that timely detection considerably improves treatment results and prolongs their life expectancy, they should proactively protect their health through:

Planning regular health check-ups: Periodic medical examinations and openly discussing military service and possible asbestos exposure are crucial. The inhaled asbestos fibers affect the lungs first, so veterans should request chest X-rays or CT scans and pulmonary function tests (also known as the breathing test). These tests can reveal any damage caused by the asbestos fibers and are a reliable diagnostic procedure for benign and malignant asbestos-related diseases.

Learning about legal rights: Veterans who know they’ve worked in an asbestos-contaminated environment during their service or those who suspect they’ve been exposed should know their rights and options. Legal avenues and compensation programs are available to help vets injured by asbestos exposure through asbestos trust funds and VA disability benefits.

Promote awareness: Veterans can play a pivotal role in educating and raising awareness by sharing their knowledge and experiences about asbestos exposure. By being open, they can make sure that others who protected our nation are informed.

Besides expressing our gratitude to veterans, we also have a responsibility to help protect their well-being. Awareness of asbestos exposure is an essential part of this responsibility. By informing about this still lurking danger, we can ensure that those who served receive the care and support they rightly deserve.

Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to raise awareness and educate veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships and assist them in navigating the VA claims process. For more information, please visit our page.