Mesothelioma Risks in the Navy

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was once coveted for its heat and chemical resistance, flexibility, strength and affordability. It was used in countless products found in shipyards, on naval vessels and in Navy bases.

When asbestos products are installed, renovated, worn or damaged, they release microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. When these fibers are inhaled, many become lodged in the lining of the lungs. Persistent inhalation may lead to an accumulation of fibers in the body. This can cause serious health conditions, including mesothelioma.

Although the surgeon general of the U.S. Navy described the “Hazards of Asbestosis” at the New York Navy Yard in his 1939 annual report, his concerns about asbestos were dismissed by Navy personnel in command. Even when evidence linked serious long-term health conditions to asbestos, it was largely ignored.

Today, it is important that Navy veterans understand how they may have been exposed to asbestos while serving their country and what that means for them now. The Department of Veteran Affairs acknowledges several asbestos-related diseases as potentially service-connected, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Asbestos was used in thousands of Navy ships from bow to stern, in boiler and engine rooms and as insulation and protection around any heat-producing equipment.

Products such as cables, valves and gaskets contained asbestos. The toxic mineral was heavily used for insulation and covered pipes, pumps, motors, condensers and compressors that helped run the ships and submarines.

Asbestos was also found in weapon and ammunition storage rooms, mess halls, sleeping quarters and navigation rooms of Navy vessels. Sailors who were deployed overseas for a long period of time may have been exposed in more than one way.

As Navy ships aged, insulation materials became brittle and easily damaged. Any disturbance of these materials would send fibers into the air. Sailors often slept in bunks positioned right below asbestos-covered pipes that would shake off asbestos dust daily.

Members of the U.S. Marines were exposed to the same kinds of asbestos products because they were installed on marine vessels as well as naval vessels.

The Navy’s pervasive use of asbestos went well beyond its use in ships and submarines.

Navy bases on land were constructed with countless asbestos-containing construction products. Some residential subdivisions built on or near these Navy bases were also at risk for asbestos contamination, especially during and after demolition and improper disposal of asbestos-containing materials. In addition to naval bases, U.S. Army bases used a lot of asbestos products that put Army veterans at risk of exposure.

Navy shipyards were also major asbestos exposure sites for Navy personnel and civilians who were employed by a number of shipbuilding companies. Asbestos was extensively used by shipbuilders in all areas of Navy ships that needed heat resistance.

Exposure from these sites continued throughout the 1990s because shipyards sold scrap pieces of asbestos-containing ships that were no longer in use.

Navy veterans have several options to access compensation and benefits through the VA and other channels. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers free health care, disability compensation, survivor benefits and other VA benefits.

Navy veterans may have been exposed to asbestos in a number of ways during their service. Veterans at the highest risk are those who participated in the construction, repair, renovation or demolition of naval vessels containing asbestos.

Asbestos fibers became airborne during these activities and others, such as cutting asbestos-containing pipes. Jobs that involved work on pipes, boilers, walls, floors or ceilings exposed veterans to asbestos insulation.

Engine mechanics and repairmen who served in the U.S. Air Force also worked closely with similar asbestos products used on aircraft.

No study has been conducted to estimate the percent of naval veterans who are afflicted with mesothelioma, but research shows that they are disproportionately affected by the cancer.

For example, a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Radiation Biology reported Navy personnel have the highest rates of mesothelioma in the military. Researchers found 56% more cases of mesothelioma among Navy veterans compared to the general public.

The same study also found that certain Navy jobs, including machinist’s mates, boiler tenders, water tenders, firemen and pipefitters, were 6.47 times more likely to die of mesothelioma than the general public.

Veterans have access to specialized mesothelioma treatment through the VA health care system. Some VA facilities have become established mesothelioma treatment centers, and a handful of VA doctors are considered experts in mesothelioma treatment.

Pleural mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are recognized as service-connected medical conditions. The Pleural Mesothelioma Center’s Veterans Department provides free assistance to Navy veterans and can help with filing VA claims.