Navy Aviation Ordnancemen (AO) — the enlisted rating responsible for the handling, assembly, maintenance, and loading of aircraft weapons — conventional bombs, rockets, missiles, gun ammunition, and nuclear weapons — aboard carrier-based aircraft — served aboard aircraft carriers in the aviation weapons departments throughout the Cold War era. AO ratings worked in carrier weapons magazines, weapons elevator systems, ordnance assembly areas, and on the flight deck loading weapons onto aircraft for launch. Aviation Ordnancemen working in carrier weapons magazines and ordnance handling spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing construction of the carrier magazine spaces — which were located deep within the ship’s hull using asbestos-containing structural materials — and from the asbestos-containing construction of the weapons assembly and handling spaces aboard WWII-era and Cold War carriers.

Carrier Magazine and Ordnance Space Asbestos

AO ratings in carrier weapons spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure:

  • Weapons magazine construction — the weapons magazines aboard WWII-era and Cold War aircraft carriers storing bombs, rockets, missiles, and gun ammunition were constructed deep within the carrier hull using asbestos-containing structural and insulation materials consistent with the ship’s overall WWII-era and Cold War construction specifications. Aviation Ordnancemen working in carrier weapons magazines during the arming cycles of each flight operation accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing magazine construction throughout their carrier air wing assignments
  • Weapons elevator system construction — the weapons elevator systems transporting ordnance from the lower magazines to the flight deck ordnance staging areas aboard WWII-era and Cold War carriers incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials in the elevator shaft construction and elevator machinery spaces. AOs working in weapons elevator operation and maintenance encountered asbestos-containing construction materials in the elevator shaft and machinery spaces during weapons elevator operation
  • Aviation weapons assembly space construction — the dedicated ordnance assembly and staging spaces aboard aircraft carriers where AOs assembled weapons prior to transfer to the flight deck were constructed with asbestos-containing building materials in the assembly space overhead and bulkhead construction. Aviation Ordnancemen working in carrier weapons assembly spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the ordnance assembly space construction

Carrier Flight Deck Ordnance Loading Asbestos

AOs loading weapons on the carrier flight deck accumulated additional asbestos exposure:

  • Carrier flight deck construction — the aircraft carrier flight decks aboard WWII-era and Cold War carriers incorporated asbestos-containing deck edge materials and flight deck construction products in portions of the flight deck structure. AOs working on the carrier flight deck during weapons loading operations accumulated background asbestos exposure from the flight deck construction materials in addition to hangar bay and magazine space background exposure
  • Flight deck weapons staging area construction — the weapons staging areas and ordnance handling zones on the carrier flight deck incorporated asbestos-containing materials in the flight deck boundary areas adjacent to the weapons staging locations

VA Claims for Aviation Ordnancemen

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy carrier aviation operations. Aviation Ordnancemen who served aboard aircraft carriers and accumulated asbestos exposure from carrier magazine and ordnance space construction and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.