Military service can carry health risks that last long after a veteran leaves uniform. For Navy veterans, years spent aboard ships, working below deck or stationed at military bases may have brought exposure to hazardous materials with consequences decades later. That is why, following our nation’s celebration of the Navy’s birthday on Oct. 13, we should remember that honoring veterans means more than commemorating their service. It also means recognizing the health challenges they may continue to face long after their service.
One concern is lung cancer and other diseases associated with asbestos, a hazardous mineral widely used aboard naval vessels and in military facilities, including during World War II, because of its durability and insulating properties. Many service members worked with or around asbestos without knowing the risks, potentially exposing themselves to diseases that can take decades to develop. That long latency makes it important to consider exposure histories when assessing veterans’ long-term health. It also raises questions about whether current screening guidelines adequately account for veterans who may be at risk, including some of Wisconsin’s more than 280,000 veterans.
The long shadow of asbestos exposure
For much of modern medical history, smoking has been identified as a primary contributor to lung cancer, and it remains a key factor in determining who qualifies for screening. But smoking is not the only risk factor. Asbestos is an established occupational carcinogen. Inhaling asbestos fibers can scar and inflame the lungs and cause serious diseases, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.
This has important implications for Navy veterans. A study indexed by the National Institutes of Health indicated that most naval ships built before 1980 contained asbestos. Veterans who served at bases established during World War II, such as Fort McCoy in Monroe County, may also have encountered asbestos in building materials.
Asbestos-related diseases have also taken a toll beyond the military. Data covering 1999 through 2017 shows that more than 6,800 Wisconsin residents died of asbestos-related diseases. The Wisconsin figures include more than 300 deaths attributed to asbestosis, nearly 1,300 to mesothelioma and nearly 5,200 to lung cancer. Because lung cancer can take decades to develop, veterans and their doctors should consider past asbestos exposure when evaluating long-term lung health and discussing appropriate screening.
Cancer screening should consider asbestos exposure
Current U.S. lung cancer screening recommendations rely heavily on smoking history. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual low-dose CT scans for adults ages 50 to 80 who have a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years and who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. Yet the task force’s eligibility criteria do not independently qualify people for screening based on asbestos exposure alone. As a result, some Navy veterans with a history of asbestos exposure may not qualify for screening under the task force’s criteria.
Policymakers should account for military exposure histories in discussions about long-term lung health and screening. The Navy’s birthday offers an opportunity to recognize not only where service members worked and served, but also the health risks they may have carried home. For Wisconsin’s veterans and those across the country, honoring their service should include taking those risks seriously.
Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate at the Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit that raises awareness about toxic exposure on Navy ships.
Guest commentaries reflect the views of their authors and are independent of the nonpartisan, in-depth reporting produced by Wisconsin Watch’s newsroom staff. Want to join the Wisconversion? See our guidelines for submissions.
