Asbestos has been known to affect certain groups of people more than others in terms of long-term health consequences. This is because certain groups such as industrial or construction laborers came into contact with asbestos materials more frequently than others. While those are some obvious risk pools, among the lesser discussed groups are military veterans.

Veterans were exposed to asbestos in many aspects of the military industrial complex, but most exposures occurred in one of two settings. The first of these exposure sites was shipbuilding and vessel repair yards. Shipyards were notorious for asbestos use. Ships utilized asbestos, which was resistant to fire and heat, to insulate their fixtures and prevent heat transfer in all aspects of the hull construction. For this reason, many naval veterans and naval shipyard workers were exposed.

The other exposure locations were often in boiler rooms or other sites in military industrial facilities. Many of these facilities required that the rooms and fixtures be fire-proof and resistant to heat. For this reason, asbestos use was prominent in these buildings.

While anyone in the vicinity of damaged asbestos fibers could potentially be vulnerable to exposure, it was most often that those who repaired older fixtures or encountered older asbestos fixtures were exposed. Often in the process of repairing or modifying older fixtures, the asbestos fibers were jarred loose and released into the air. It is when they are inhaled that they pose significant health problems.

Asbestos was banned in the late 1970’s because a clear connection arose between asbestos exposures and the development of severe respiratory health problems, including mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. If you believe you were exposed in a military facility, naval shipyard, or any other industrial setting it is important you share your asbestos history with your physician and monitor respiratory health closely.

The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center has long been recognized as the web’s leading resource for information on asbestos, asbestos related disease, and mesothelioma treatment. Hundreds of pages of up to date content feature important information pertaining to asbestos exposure, top physicians, and clinical trials, as well as breakthroughs in the treatment of asbestos related disease.