The U.S. military resorted to asbestos-containing products throughout the last century as WWII demanded accessible materials for military equipment. Asbestos was abundant in the markets and became the material of choice for the military industry. All five branches of the armed forces used these durable products due to their fair price. It resulted in many service members being exposed to asbestos, especially veterans of the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The growing number of toxic exposure cases among our veterans today under-lines the health risks they assumed, in addition to the challenges of service. Many of them now have fragile health and may have to deal with severe asbestos diseases linked to their military years.
Asbestos contaminated most military bases throughout the state
Asbestos’s heat and corrosion resistance was favored in all industries, including the military, and nobody considered asbestos dust a health threat. It is why the risk of developing asbestos dis-eases remains a concern for all veterans who might have asbestos fibers in their lungs, including those in Oregon’s veteran community and Curry County’s veteran population. Although all the military applied asbestos, the Navy exploited it the most. Thus, personnel onboard naval vessels built before the 1980s were at an exceptionally high risk of asbestos exposure. Even so, this fact doesn’t diminish the asbestos exposure risks of those serving in military camps throughout the U.S. Toxic contaminants represent health and environmental risks on military sites, and expo-sure to these hazardous substances is a severe issue requiring more attention, investigation, and, in most cases, immediate action after discovery. Oregon’s WWII history includes Fort Stevens, Camp Clatsop, the Tongue Point naval station, and Swan Island Shipyard, all part of the numerous military facilities Oregon hosted during the war. The state is home to Na-val Base Newport, a significant U.S. Navy training and research center and one of the Navy’s oldest bases, which served as the which served as the central location for training and education in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. Another important installation is Portland Air National Guard Base, hosting the 142nd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard, which provides air defense for the Pacific Northwest region.