If you are a veteran who served in Virginia, or who was stationed at a Virginia base or shipyard, you may have been exposed to asbestos during your service. The Hampton Roads area of Virginia was a primary hub of naval shipbuilding, repair, and fleet operations where asbestos-containing materials were widely used through the mid-20th century. Naval Station Norfolk, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, and the Newport News shipbuilding complex form a dense naval corridor across the region. Veterans who served in Virginia, and family members who lived on Virginia installations, can still be affected by that exposure today.
Asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis often take 10 to 50 years to appear. A veteran who served in Virginia decades ago may receive a diagnosis only now. This page explains where Virginia veterans were exposed and the compensation options available. There is no cost to speak with us about your service history.
Virginia military installations with asbestos
Virginia centers on the U.S. Navy, anchored by the Hampton Roads region around Norfolk and Newport News, which holds the largest concentration of Navy forces in the United States. The installations below appear in public records as having used asbestos-containing materials during the asbestos era. A dedicated page for each, with its history and the trust funds most relevant to it, is published as the directory expands.
| Installation | Branch | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naval Station Norfolk | Navy | Active | Established 1917; described as the world’s largest naval station and home port of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. |
| Naval Air Station Oceana | Navy | Active | Master jet base in Virginia Beach, operational since 1943. |
| Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek | Navy | Active | Virginia Beach; the Navy’s principal Atlantic Fleet amphibious base, in use since 1942. |
| Naval Weapons Station Yorktown | Navy | Active | Established 1918; naval ordnance and logistics station. |
| Joint Base Langley-Eustis | Joint | Active | Joint Air Force (Langley) and Army (Fort Eustis) installation near Hampton and Newport News. |
| Marine Corps Base Quantico | Marines | Active | Northern Virginia base established 1917; major Marine Corps training and education center. |
| Fort Monroe | Army | Closed | Historic Army coastal defense post in Hampton; closed as an active installation in 2011. |
Virginia naval shipyards
Shipyards carried some of the heaviest asbestos exposure of any setting. Virginia shipyards documented as using asbestos materials include:
| Shipyard | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Naval Shipyard | Active | U.S. Navy shipyard in Portsmouth, founded 1767 as Gosport; the Navy’s oldest industrial facility, used asbestos insulation extensively in ship repair and construction from the 1930s through the early 1980s. |
| Newport News Shipbuilding | Active | Private shipyard founded 1886 (now Huntington Ingalls); builder of aircraft carriers and submarines, with heavy historical use of asbestos insulation through the 1970s. |
Inclusion reflects documented use of asbestos materials at an installation. It does not establish that any individual was exposed. Exposure depends on a veteran’s job, location, and years of service.
Where Virginia veterans were exposed
Virginia veterans encountered asbestos in many of the same places as veterans elsewhere. Common exposure sources included:
- Boiler rooms and engine rooms aboard ships and at steam and heating plants
- Pipe insulation, gaskets, and valve packing on steam systems
- Shipyard and depot repair and overhaul work
- Aircraft maintenance at naval and air stations
- Building materials such as floor tile, fireproofing, and cement panels in older structures
- Vehicle brakes, clutches, and gaskets in motor pools
For more on shipboard exposure, see asbestos on Navy ships. For exposure across the services, see the military bases directory and Navy veteran asbestos exposure.
Who was exposed
Veterans in several roles faced higher asbestos exposure in Virginia. These include machinist’s mates, boiler technicians, hull maintenance technicians, and enginemen who worked in ship engineering spaces; shipyard and depot workers; pipefitters and steamfitters; aircraft maintenance technicians; and construction and utility personnel who worked on base buildings. Family members who lived in base housing built during the asbestos era could also have had lower-level contact with aging materials.
Virginia factors that can affect a claim
Virginia has its own rules and resources that can matter for a veteran’s claim. A few points Virginia veterans often ask about:
- Filing deadlines. Virginia sets time limits for filing personal injury and wrongful death claims related to asbestos, and the timing can differ for a living claimant and for a family filing after a death. Because the rules are specific, it is worth confirming your situation early.
- VA medical care in Virginia. The VA operates medical centers across Virginia. A diagnosis and treatment record supports both VA and trust claims.
- State residence is not required. Many veterans were stationed in Virginia but live elsewhere now. A claim is based on service history and diagnosis, not current residence.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard, founded in 1767, is the oldest shipyard owned by the U.S. Navy and home to the first government-built dry dock in the United States, completed in 1833. Virginia filing rules are summarized here for general information and are confirmed for your specific situation during a case review.
Health conditions linked to asbestos exposure
Inhaling or swallowing asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen; lung cancer; asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs; and pleural plaques or thickening. These conditions commonly appear 10 to 50 years after first exposure, which is why veterans are still being diagnosed today.
Trust funds covering Virginia veteran exposure
Many companies that supplied asbestos products to military installations and shipyards later filed for bankruptcy and set up trust funds. These trusts are separate from the VA, and a veteran can often pursue both a VA claim and one or more trust claims. The right trusts depend on which manufacturers’ products a veteran was around.
Manufacturers with strong ties to military and shipyard exposure include Babcock & Wilcox and Combustion Engineering for boilers, Owens Corning Fibreboard for Kaylo pipe and block insulation, Pittsburgh Corning for Unibestos pipe insulation, and Johns-Manville for cement panels, wallboard, and sprayed fireproofing used in base buildings.
Each trust publishes scheduled values that change over time, along with the percentage it currently pays. We confirm current figures against each trust’s published documents before they appear in your case review. For the full list, see the asbestos trust funds directory.
Compensation options for Virginia veterans
A Virginia veteran diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness may have more than one option. VA disability compensation is available when exposure is linked to qualifying service, and active cancers such as mesothelioma usually receive a high disability rating. A surviving spouse or dependent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Asbestos trust claims can often proceed alongside a VA claim. See VA benefits for mesothelioma, how to file a VA claim, asbestos trust funds for veterans, and filing a VA claim and a trust claim together.
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Frequently asked questions
Which Virginia bases had asbestos?
Installations across Virginia, including Naval Station Norfolk, are documented as having used asbestos-containing materials during the asbestos era. The list above is being expanded with a dedicated page for each.
I served in Virginia decades ago. Can I still file a claim?
Yes. Asbestos diseases commonly appear 10 to 50 years after exposure, so a diagnosis long after service is common. Virginia does set filing deadlines once a diagnosis is made, so it helps to confirm timing early.
Do I have to live in Virginia to file based on Virginia service?
No. A claim is based on your service history and diagnosis, not your current state of residence.
Can I receive VA benefits and an asbestos trust payment?
In many cases, yes. Trust funds are paid by the manufacturers’ trusts, not the VA, so the two are usually separate paths. A case review can confirm which options apply.
What if my family member died from mesothelioma after serving in Virginia?
A surviving spouse or dependent may qualify for DIC and may be able to file trust claims. There is no cost to speak with us about whether these options apply.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Station_Norfolk
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_Naval_Shipyard
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newport_News_Shipbuilding
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/asbestos/