For most of a century asbestos was hailed as a product that combined an efficient insulating effect, and acted as a fire retardant.  That was the good news; asbestos has also long been established that exposure to asbestos and asbestos fibers can cause a number of serious respiratory ailments – the worst of which is named after the product: asbestosis.  And the most lethal byproduct of asbestos is mesothelioma, a lethal cancer that usually attacks lungs that have inhaled asbestos fibers.   By 1981, the EPA and other government agencies had all but banned use of asbestos.

Like many domestic industries, the U.S. military made ample use of asbestos in construction of many of its weapons during the first three quarters of the last century.  Nowhere was the use of asbestos more apparent than on Navy ships.  The heat generated by diesel engines was a constant factor on the warships, and onboard fires could quickly become just as lethal as shellfire that may have caused them.  Every ship from 1940 through the 70s carried asbestos as pipe casings, insulating material, in adhesives and gaskets, floor coverings and sealants.

Army veterans also worked with asbestos when fitting out fighting vehicles, building barracks and repairing damaged equipment.  Fittings of every sort used asbestos to insulate and to protect from fire.  Because it often takes 20 to 50 years for mesothelioma to develop after exposure to asbestos, the veterans that are reaching retirement age over the next twenty years are a demographic group that is likely to see high rates of mesothelioma compared to the population as a whole.