While often classified as a rare disease, mesothelioma represents a growing and serious public health challenge, particularly for U.S. veterans. This aggressive and deadly form of cancer, caused exclusively by long-term exposure to asbestos, disproportionately affects military personnel. Nationally, veterans account for roughly 30% of all diagnosed mesothelioma cases, an alarming statistic that reflects the historical use of asbestos in military structures.
Bandera County is home to roughly 2,200 veterans, a growing community that requires proactive and urgent measures for healthcare protection. Many of these veterans, particularly those who served in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, or Army during the mid-to-late 20th century, may have unknowingly been exposed to asbestos in ships, barracks, aircraft hangars, or during their deployment in old military installations. Although the exposure occurred decades ago, mesothelioma has a long latency period, typically ranging from 20 to 50 years, which means the consequences are only now becoming apparent.
Right now, to receive mesothelioma VA benefits, the veterans need to provide the necessary documents to link their condition to their service history and asbestos exposure. Establishing a mesothelioma registry will address this issue on a systemic level. The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could combine their efforts and databases to proactively identify high-risk veterans and provide them with specialized screenings and treatment needed to prolong and save their lives.
The Extensive Use of Asbestos in Texas Military Installations Due to its fire resistance, durability, and insulating properties, asbestos was considered a miracle material, making it ideal for use in military construction, especially on air bases where fire prevention and structural integrity were crucial. In Texas, a state home to several important air bases, asbestos was widely used in both structural and operational capacities across numerous military facilities.
Lackland Air Force Base has long been a center for military training for the U.S. Air Force in Texas, but its early infrastructure heavily incorporated asbestos. The mineral was incorporated in materials used for drywall and ceiling tiles, pipes, ducts, and paint throughout the base, including the dormitories, training facilities, classrooms, and base hospitals. The military personnel were exposed to this toxic mineral for decades, and now they are sick and dying as a consequence of this prolonged exposure.
There are many other known asbestos-contaminated bases in Texas, including Kelly Air Force Base, Carswell Air Force Base, and Bergstrom Air Force Base, among others. These are the places where Texas and Bandera County veterans might have been proudly serving, unaware of the risks and consequences associated with constant exposure to asbestos in their seemingly safe environment.
Understanding the Threat of Asbestos Exposure for Texas Veterans Mesothelioma develops when asbestos fibers are inhaled and become lodged in the lining of the lungs. Over time, these fibers cause chronic inflammation and scarring in the surrounding tissue. Then, in many cases, they start to produce cellular mutations, which eventually result in malignant tumors such as pleural mesothelioma.
The disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages, as its symptoms, such as shortness of breath, persistent cough, or fatigue, closely resemble those of more common illnesses, including pneumonia or even the flu. The symptoms overlap contributes to unsettlingly high misdiagnosis rates: over 80% of early-stage mesothelioma cases are initially mistaken for other conditions, delaying life-saving treatment and reducing survival outcomes.
The consequences are terrible for Texas, which registered 15,348 asbestos- related deaths between 1999 and 2017. From those cases, 2,688 were directly related to mesothelioma and 2,012 were connected to asbestosis, another lung condition caused by asbestos fiber. In Bandera County alone, there were 52 estimated asbestos-related death cases.
The Mesothelioma Registry,
a Lifeline for Veterans
One of the most effective ways to address this diagnostic and treatment gap is through the establishment of a national mesothelioma registry. The registry would serve as a centralized database linking veterans’ military service records from the DoD with the VA medical data. By cross-referencing unit assignments, deployment locations, and job functions with known areas of asbestos exposure risk, healthcare providers can quickly and more effectively identify veterans at risk. Medical professionals would have access to a broader range of diagnostic data, enabling them to differentiate mesothelioma from other conditions more accurately.
For communities like Bandera County, the impact would be significant due to prioritized and early intervention. The registry would allow early identification of high-risk veterans and preemptively screen them, drastically improving their survival rate and reducing their physical, emotional, and financial burden associated with cancer treatment.
The case for a national mesothelioma registry is not hypothetical; it is practical, evidence-based, and deeply urgent. It offers a way to improve outcomes, lower healthcare costs, and, most importantly, save lives. Congress must fund and implement this registry now, not tomorrow or years after mesothelioma adds thousands more veterans to its death list.
About the Author: Jonathan Sharp is the CFO of the Environmental Litigation Group P.C., a firm in Birmingham, Alabama, providing legal services for victims exposed to toxic chemicals.
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