Naval Air Station Oceana, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, holds the designation of Atlantic Fleet Master Jet Base — the primary shore base for Atlantic Fleet carrier-based fighter, fighter-attack, and electronic attack squadrons assigned to Atlantic Fleet carrier air wings. NAS Oceana served as homeport for F-14 Tomcat fighter squadrons (VF), F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter squadrons (VFA), A-6 Intruder attack squadrons (VA), and EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare squadrons (VAQ) throughout the Cold War and post-Cold War eras. The station provides extensive aircraft maintenance hangars, squadron operations facilities, flight simulation training, and aviation support services for the Atlantic Fleet’s carrier air wing community. Naval Air Station Oceana was established in 1940 and expanded extensively during WWII and the Cold War jet aviation era, with the WWII and Cold War construction using military construction materials that incorporated asbestos-containing building materials throughout the large aircraft maintenance hangars, squadron facilities, AIMD maintenance shops, engine test cells, barracks, and administrative buildings constructed during the station’s decades of expansion. Naval aviation personnel — aviators, Aviation Machinist’s Mates, Aviation Electronics Technicians, and aviation support ratings — assigned to Oceana-based squadrons and the station’s maintenance facilities accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing building materials throughout their Oceana assignments.

WWII-Era and Cold War Facility Asbestos

NAS Oceana’s extensive jet aviation facilities incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Aircraft maintenance hangars — the large jet aircraft maintenance hangars at NAS Oceana used to support fighter and strike fighter squadron aircraft maintenance were constructed using military construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing fireproofing on hangar structural steel, asbestos-containing insulation board on interior wall construction, and asbestos pipe insulation on utility systems in the hangar building construction. Aviation Machinist’s Mates, Aviation Electronics Technicians, and aviation maintenance personnel performing F-14, F/A-18, and A-6 aircraft maintenance in NAS Oceana hangars accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hangar building construction throughout their Oceana squadron assignments
  • F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet squadron facilities — the fighter and strike fighter squadron operations buildings, ready rooms, and maintenance bays at NAS Oceana were constructed with asbestos-containing building materials in the facility construction. Aviators, aircrew, and maintenance personnel working in Oceana squadron facilities accumulated background asbestos exposure from the squadron facility construction during their NAS Oceana assignments
  • Barracks and bachelor officer quarters — the enlisted barracks and junior officer quarters at NAS Oceana constructed during WWII and the Cold War aviation expansion used military construction with asbestos-containing floor tile, ceiling materials, and pipe insulation in the residential facility construction. Naval aviation personnel living in Oceana barracks accumulated background asbestos exposure from the barracks construction during their assignments

Engine Test Cell and AIMD Facility Asbestos

NAS Oceana’s aircraft engine and avionics maintenance facilities incorporated asbestos:

  • Engine test cell construction — the aircraft engine test cells at NAS Oceana used for testing F-14 TF30 and F110 turbofan engines and F/A-18 F404 turbofan engines following maintenance were constructed with asbestos-containing acoustic and thermal insulation in the test cell building construction. Aviation Machinist’s Mates operating aircraft engines in NAS Oceana engine test cells accumulated background asbestos exposure from the test cell building construction during engine testing operations
  • AIMD maintenance shop construction — the aviation intermediate maintenance department shops at NAS Oceana where aircraft components, avionics systems, and aircraft engines were overhauled were constructed with asbestos-containing building materials in the AIMD shop facility construction. AIMD maintenance personnel accumulated background asbestos exposure from the AIMD facility construction

VA Claims for NAS Oceana Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure at naval air stations. Naval aviation personnel, fighter and strike fighter aviators, and shore-assigned aviation ratings who served at Naval Air Station Oceana and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.