I had the opportunity to attend the local Veteran’s Day parade earlier this month.  As always, I got emotional and swelled up with pride when so many Americans came out just to thank me and my fellow veterans for the service we have given to this fine country.  Unfortunately, I quickly became disillusioned when I realized just how many disabled veterans were in the crowd.

So, I decided to do a little research.  While the physical toll of war and military service is obvious from the crutches, prosthetics and wheelchairs so many veterans rely upon, how many other veterans are suffering from a debilitating illness?

The American Cancer Society confirms one thing I’ve always suspected – Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War, led to diseases among veterans, such as throat cancer, leukemia, prostate cancer and lung cancer.  I began to wonder what other toxins are known to have led to sickness in American veterans.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that virtually all branches of the military were exposed to asbestos.  I found that exposure to asbestos may cause mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung and abdomen, as well as lung cancer and asbestosis, a scarring of the lung that causes breathing problems.  I also discovered that mesothelioma is extremely difficult to treat and is virtually impossible to cure.

Asbestos is valued for its flame-retardant qualities.  Plus, asbestos-containing products were produced rather inexpensively.  The government was able to use the products until the 1970’s, when it became regulated, for insulation in both military buildings, including mess halls and barracks, and ships.  It was also used as an insulator around hot water heaters and cooling systems, and in the gaskets placed inside airplane engines and large machinery.

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, there were nearly 21.9 million military veterans in the U.S. in 2009. Of those, about 5.5 million now suffer from some form of disability.  A small number of these veterans are suffering from mesothelioma or asbestosis, caused by years of exposure to asbestos during their military service.

Although mesothelioma is a rare disease with close to 3,000 new cases reported annually in the United States, statistics show that military veterans account for over one-third of those cases.  The disease has a long incubation period, so now, veteran’s over the age of 60 are beginning to show symptoms.  Basically, contracting mesothelioma is a life-time risk for some of our veterans.

The good news is that not all military veterans exposed to asbestos will contract the disease.  Many factors determine whether or not they will develop mesothelioma. These factors include how much exposure, how long the exposure lasted, the fiber type and how they were exposed to the mineral.   Age, sex, diet, family traits, lifestyle (including whether you smoke tobacco), and general health are also determinants.

If you were exposed to asbestos during your military service, you should contact a doctor – even if you are not experiencing symptoms – for a health screening. Early detection of an asbestos-related illness can significantly increase your survival rate and improve your quality of life.

I admit that before writing this I had been ignorant about mesothelioma and the prevalence of the disease among those that served in the military.  I hope this information is beneficial to you, and that you will pass it on to your family and friends to educate them on the hazards of asbestos.