Naval Air Station Cecil Field, located approximately fifteen miles west of Jacksonville, Florida, served as the Atlantic Fleet’s primary naval air station for strike fighter and attack aviation throughout the Cold War, homeporting light attack and strike fighter carrier air wing squadrons assigned to Atlantic Fleet carriers. Cecil Field was home to A-7 Corsair II light attack squadrons and later to F-14 Tomcat fighter squadrons, with aviation maintenance and training operations focused on the high-performance tactical aircraft assigned to Atlantic Fleet carrier air wings. The station was established during World War II as a training base and expanded during the Cold War into a major tactical aviation installation. Cecil Field was closed in 1999 under the Base Realignment and Closure process. Cecil Field’s WWII-era construction and Cold War expansion incorporated asbestos-containing building materials throughout its aircraft maintenance hangars, jet engine maintenance shops, weapons loading facilities, and residential and support buildings. Naval personnel stationed at NAS Cecil Field — aviation maintenance ratings, aircrews, and support personnel — accumulated background asbestos exposure from the station’s asbestos-containing construction throughout their Cecil Field duty assignments.

NAS Cecil Field Facility Asbestos

Naval Air Station Cecil Field’s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Strike fighter aircraft maintenance hangars — the aircraft maintenance hangars at NAS Cecil Field used for maintaining A-7 Corsair II and F-14 Tomcat tactical aircraft were constructed using Cold War military hangar construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing materials in the hangar construction. Aviation maintenance ratings performing maintenance on tactical aircraft in Cecil Field hangars accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hangar construction materials
  • Jet engine maintenance shops — the jet engine maintenance and test facilities at NAS Cecil Field where TF30 and TF41 turbofan engines were maintained and tested were constructed using Cold War military construction incorporating asbestos-containing building materials. Aviation Machinist’s Mates performing jet engine maintenance in Cecil Field shops accumulated background asbestos exposure from both the facility construction and from jet engine thermal insulation materials encountered during engine maintenance
  • Aviation ordnance facilities — the aviation ordnance handling and maintenance facilities at Cecil Field supporting the strike fighter ordnance mission incorporated military construction specifications with asbestos-containing building materials consistent with their Cold War construction periods
  • Barracks and support facilities — the enlisted barracks, bachelor officers’ quarters, and support buildings at NAS Cecil Field incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with their Cold War-era construction periods

VA Claims for NAS Cecil Field Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure at naval shore installations. Navy personnel who served at Naval Air Station Cecil Field and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.