Naval Training Center Great Lakes, located near Waukegan, Illinois on the western shore of Lake Michigan, is the United States Navy’s primary recruit training command — the base where every Navy enlisted recruit receives basic training. In continuous operation since 1911 and expanded massively during World War II, Naval Training Center Great Lakes has trained millions of Navy recruits in facilities that were built and maintained using asbestos-containing construction materials throughout the mid-twentieth century. The barracks, mess halls, classroom buildings, technical training facilities, and mechanical plants at Great Lakes were constructed with asbestos pipe insulation, asbestos-containing floor tile, asbestos ceiling panels, and asbestos-containing structural materials standard to Navy construction of the era. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Naval Training Center Great Lakes as a recognized asbestos exposure venue, with personal testimony of asbestos dust inhalation from insulation at the base, formal venue identification across multiple litigation documents, and dated personnel records.

Documented Asbestos at Naval Training Center Great Lakes

Personal Testimony — Asbestos Dust from Insulation at Great Lakes

“…asbestos dust from insulation while at Great L[akes Naval Training Center]…” — personal testimony from a veteran establishing direct inhalation of asbestos dust from insulation at Great Lakes Naval Training Center appears in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus. This firsthand account — identifying the specific mechanism of exposure (asbestos dust from insulation) and the specific location (Great Lakes Naval Training Center) — is the foundational personal testimony establishing asbestos exposure at this facility.

Formal Venue Identification — Multiple Independent Documents

“…at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in I[llinois]…” — formal asbestos litigation documentation specifically identifying the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois as an asbestos exposure venue appears in the corpus in multiple independent documents. The formal venue identification establishes Naval Training Center Great Lakes as a recognized exposure site in the asbestos litigation framework — not merely referenced in passing, but identified as a formal exposure venue.

“…At Great Lakes Naval Training Center in 19[specific year]…” — dated documentation specifically placing a veteran or worker at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in a defined year appears in the corpus. The dated placement establishes the time period of asbestos exposure at the base — typically falling within the post-World War II period when the base’s facilities were built or maintained with asbestos-containing materials.

“…at Naval Training Center Great Lakes in I[llinois]…” — additional formal identification of the Naval Training Center Great Lakes — with the base’s full formal name — appears in the corpus in an independent document, consistent with the multi-document venue identification pattern in naval asbestos litigation.

“…Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL; US[N]…” — formal documentation identifying Naval Training Center, Great Lakes by name, city abbreviation, and state appears in the corpus, reflecting the standardized venue identification format used in asbestos litigation and compensation proceedings.

Naval Training Station Great Lakes — Historical Designation

“…of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station…” — historical documentation using the earlier designation “Naval Training Station Great Lakes” appears in the corpus, consistent with the base’s historical operation under both the “Training Station” and “Training Center” designations across different time periods.

Formal Venue Records

“…Great Lakes Naval Training Center located [in Illinois]…” — formal venue location documentation for Great Lakes Naval Training Center appears in the corpus in asbestos litigation records, establishing the base’s geographic identification in the formal asbestos exposure venue framework.

“…06 Naval Training Center | Great Lakes | I[llinois]…” — formatted venue identification for Naval Training Center Great Lakes appears in the corpus in a litigation record format, with the base name and state specified.

Sources of Asbestos Exposure at Naval Training Center Great Lakes

Great Lakes was a shore facility exposure venue rather than a shipboard exposure venue — its asbestos came from building materials rather than ship insulation:

Barracks and berthing facilities: The massive barracks complexes at Great Lakes — housing tens of thousands of recruits during peak periods — were built with asbestos pipe insulation throughout their mechanical systems, asbestos-containing floor tile, and asbestos ceiling materials. Maintenance and renovation of these buildings disturbed asbestos-containing materials throughout the facilities.

Heating plants and mechanical systems: Great Lakes operated large steam heating plants that provided heat to its buildings — plants insulated with asbestos throughout their boiler, pipe, and distribution systems. Maintenance workers who serviced these heating systems were directly exposed to asbestos insulation.

Technical training facilities: The engineering and technical training facilities where recruits learned to operate boilers, turbines, and mechanical systems contained the same asbestos-insulated training equipment that would be found aboard ships — providing asbestos exposure during technical training.

Construction and renovation: The continuous construction and renovation of Great Lakes facilities throughout the mid-twentieth century involved the installation and disturbance of asbestos-containing materials throughout the building stock.

Navy veterans who trained at Naval Training Center Great Lakes and who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for veterans with documented duty at Naval Training Center Great Lakes, particularly those assigned to maintenance, construction, or engineering training duties involving asbestos-containing materials
  • Civil claims against asbestos building product manufacturers whose materials were used in Great Lakes facilities

Key documents:

  • DD-214 or service records — documenting duty at Naval Training Center Great Lakes, including recruit training and subsequent duty assignments at the base
  • Training records — documentation of technical or engineering training at Great Lakes involving mechanical system operation
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including personal testimony of asbestos dust inhalation from insulation at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, formal venue identification of Naval Training Center Great Lakes in the national asbestos litigation framework across multiple independent documents, dated documentation of personnel at Great Lakes, and formal venue records identifying Naval Training Center Great Lakes in compensation and litigation proceedings. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.