Source: Allison Kahan, The Mesothelioma Center
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are currently 25 million living individuals who have served in the United States' armed forces. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these living veterans were exposed to toxic asbestos-containing materials during military service. According to a revealing statistic, more than 30 percent of Americans beset with a terrible disease called mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos during military service. It is a rapacious cancer that attacks the internal lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart.
Widely used by every military branch, asbestos was highly regarded for its heat resistance and fireproofing capabilities. In fact, asbestos was so valued that the military even mandated widespread usage before eventually phasing out the material in the 1970s.
Most military divisions utilized the caustic substance mainly for insulation purposes, but more than 300 products containing asbestos were used by the military, primarily by the Navy from the 1930s through the 1970s. Every ship and shipyard built by the Navy before the mid-70s was fitted with numerous asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos.com offers information on mesothelioma prognosis, as well as a complete list of occupations, ships, and shipyards that could have put our Veterans at risk for developing a mesothelioma disease. Additionally their Veterans Assistance Department offers extensive experience in filing VA claims and can help any veteran coping with mesothelioma receive benefits from the VA system.
For more information or free assistance regarding VA benefits, programs and eligibility, call 800-615-2270.
