When veterans return home from active
service back to the country they served so diligently, they seldom
think that the dangers they encountered while on active duty will
still put them at risk. A very real danger that many veterans
are unaware of is asbestos exposure.
Asbestos can withstand heat, chemical
corrosion and is a poor conductor of electricity. For this reason, it
was used in military insulation, fire proofing and in vehicle and
weapon parts. However, when asbestos is damaged or disturbed, inhaled
or ingested fibers can cause severe illnesses including deadly
cancers.
This toxic
material was found in abundance on Army proving grounds, Navy
battleships and in military bases all over the world. Veterans of
several wars including the Vietnam War, Korean War and especially
World War II were all exposed to asbestos regularly. During the Cold
War, rearmament asbestos use reached 1,800 million pounds annually
and its use did not decrease until after the 1970s, endangering Cold
War veterans.
Navy veterans and shipyard workers were
at the highest risk for asbestos exposure. In World War II alone,
5,000 merchant vessels were produced in American shipyards and in
1943 the U.S. Navy launched 30,000 warships. Boilers and water pipes
aboard these ships were insulated with asbestos. The paint on these
vessels also used asbestos. Many of these ships remained in use well
beyond the 1970s.
Health Effects of Asbestos Exposure
After asbestos fibers are inhaled or
ingested, they can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The most deadly of these is mesothelioma
cancer.
Mesothelioma tumors grow in the linings
of internal organs. Most mesothelioma sufferers have pleural
mesothelioma, and it affects the lining of the lungs. The symptoms of
this disease include chest pain, difficulty breathing, persistent dry
cough, excessive fluid in the lungs and unexplained weight loss.
The symptoms of this disease often take
10 to 50 years from the date of initial exposure to surface, and by
the time it is diagnosed the tumor is usually in later stages.
Usually, the earlier mesothelioma is diagnosed, the better the
treatment options and prognosis.
Veterans can contact their local VA center for asbestos disease
health screenings.
Bio: Michelle Y. Llamas researches
and writes about asbestos and its related diseases for the
Mesothelioma Center.
Sources:
Hedley – Whyte, J.
& Milamed, D. R. (2008) Asbestos and ship-building: Fatal
consequences. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2604477/
---- Jerald Terwilliger National Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Your articles are very well written and unique.
ReplyDeleteMesothelioma Lawsuit
I was a member of VF 111 out of Fighter Town U.S.A. attached to The uss Oriskany stationed in The Gulf Of TONKIN Viet Nam. During the Shipboard Fire I Volunteered for Search & Rescue Operations to Rescue Trapped ShipMates whithin Officers Country. I am now in a 4 Plus Year fight for my Life with BRAIN CANCER. THE VA is VERY SLOW MOVING Support system. Great frustration for SOOOO Many VETS. I WAs Promised a PURPLE HEART 48 Years Ago. All my best to our VETS & there FRUSTRATION for Suppot. JERRY WEBSTER
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