Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians — serving at EOD Mobile Units and naval ordnance disposal activities — performed render-safe operations on unexploded naval ordnance, underwater mine neutralization, improvised explosive device (IED) disposal, and nuclear weapon accident response. EOD technicians received their initial training at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD), originally at Naval Ordnance Station Indian Head, Maryland, and later co-located with Navy diving training at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida. EOD technicians assigned to ship underwater mine disposal operations and to ordnance depot work accumulated asbestos exposure from older ordnance materials and from ship and facility asbestos-containing construction.

Mine Disposal and Ordnance Operations Asbestos Exposure

EOD operations brought technicians into contact with asbestos in older ordnance and ship environments:

  • WWII-era naval mine disposal — WWII-era naval mines recovered in harbors, channels, and shallow water areas contained asbestos-containing insulation and packing in their fuzing mechanisms and internal construction. EOD technicians performing render-safe operations on recovered WWII mines encountered asbestos fiber from the internal construction materials in the mine casings during render-safe and disassembly procedures
  • Ship-related underwater EOD operations — EOD technicians called to perform underwater ordnance clearance on and around naval vessels worked in proximity to asbestos-containing hull materials and underwater ship construction, accumulating asbestos exposure consistent with Navy Diver exposure patterns during ship-associated EOD and underwater clearance operations
  • Ordnance depot and storage facility operations — EOD technicians assigned to naval ordnance stations, weapons stations, and ordnance depot activities worked in older military ordnance storage and handling facilities that used asbestos-containing building materials in their WWII-era and Cold War construction

EOD training facilities accumulated asbestos in their construction:

  • Indian Head training facilities — the Naval School EOD buildings at Naval Ordnance Station Indian Head, Maryland used standard Navy shore facility construction with asbestos-containing building materials in the school buildings and ordnance training facilities where EOD students spent extended training periods during initial EOD qualification courses
  • Training range and demolition range support facilities — the demolition training range facilities and explosives training buildings at EOD training sites used military construction with asbestos-containing materials in the range support structures and explosives handling facilities

EOD Mobile Unit Shore Facility Asbestos

Shore facilities at EOD Mobile Units used asbestos-containing construction:

  • EOD Mobile Unit facility buildings — EOD Mobile Unit shore facilities at major fleet concentrations used standard Navy shore facility construction stock that included WWII-era and Cold War-era buildings with asbestos floor tile, asbestos ceiling tile, and asbestos-containing mechanical system insulation in the EOD unit working spaces and equipment maintenance areas

VA Claims for EOD Technician Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure in Navy operational activities and shore facilities. EOD technicians who performed mine disposal operations, ship-associated underwater ordnance clearance, or worked in WWII-era ordnance facility construction and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.