Military Service Exposure

The military used asbestos until the late 1970s to make certain materials fireproof and heat-resistant. Veterans who served in occupations such as mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing, cement sheet, pipe products, or the servicing of friction products such as clutch facings and brake linings, may have been exposed to asbestos. Additionally, veterans who served in Iraq and other countries in that region could have been exposed to asbestos when older buildings were damaged and the contaminant released into the air.

If you are concerned about health problems associated with exposure to asbestos during your military service, talk to your health care provider or local Veterans Affairs Environmental Health Coordinator.

Veterans who were exposed to asbestos while in service and developed a disease related to asbestos exposure may receive service-connected compensation benefits. Evidence must show asbestos exposure while in military service. This may include your military occupation specialty and/or where you were stationed. The evidence must show you have a disease or disability related to asbestos and a relationship exists between the exposure to asbestos in military service and the disease and/or disability. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will initiate a medical examination and request an opinion regarding the relationship of the disease or disability to asbestos exposure that occurred during military service.

For more information on eligibility and evidence requirements click here. To apply, click here.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs