Masters-at-Arms — the MA rating, historically one of the oldest ratings in the United States Navy — served as the Navy’s law enforcement and security specialists, responsible for maintaining order and discipline aboard naval vessels, operating the ship’s brig and correctional facilities, enforcing security at naval shore installations, and providing armed security for naval assets and personnel. MAs served aboard all classes of Navy vessels, at naval shore installations, at naval air stations, and at specialized shore facilities requiring security personnel. MA duties required extensive movement throughout the ship — patrolling all spaces during security checks, responding to disturbances throughout the hull, operating brig spaces typically located in lower-deck areas near engineering compartments — and throughout naval shore installations including hangars, maintenance facilities, warehouses, and all areas of the naval installation. This comprehensive access to all spaces aboard ship and throughout shore installations meant that MAs accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing construction materials present throughout the vessels and facilities where they served.

MA Shipboard Asbestos Exposure

Masters-at-Arms accumulated asbestos exposure aboard Navy vessels:

  • Shipboard security patrol routes — MA security patrols covered all areas of the ship including engineering spaces, berthing areas, magazine spaces, and all below-deck compartments where asbestos-containing pipe insulation, boiler insulation, and construction materials were present. MAs patrolling engineering spaces and lower-deck areas of steam-powered naval vessels accumulated background asbestos exposure from the steam plant insulation and construction materials present in those spaces
  • Brig and correctional facility operation — the brig spaces aboard naval vessels and the correctional facilities at naval shore installations where MAs worked were constructed using naval construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing building materials. MAs assigned to brig duty worked continuously in enclosed spaces incorporating asbestos-containing construction materials
  • All-compartment access during underway operations — MAs conducting security sweeps and responding to incidents throughout Navy vessels during underway operations had access to all shipboard spaces including machinery spaces, boiler rooms, and other areas where asbestos-containing insulation and construction materials were present

MA Shore Installation Asbestos Exposure

MAs assigned to naval shore installation security accumulated asbestos exposure:

  • Naval installation facility patrol — MAs patrolling naval shore installations — naval stations, naval air stations, naval shipyards, and specialized naval facilities — moved throughout the installation’s facilities including hangars, maintenance shops, warehouses, barracks, and administrative buildings constructed using Cold War-era military construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing building materials. MAs accumulated background asbestos exposure from the construction materials in each facility they patrolled
  • Gate and checkpoint operation — MA gate guard and checkpoint operations at naval installations required extended stationary duty in guard shacks and checkpoint facilities constructed using military construction specifications potentially incorporating asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with their Cold War construction periods

VA Claims for MA Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy shipboard and shore installation service. Masters-at-Arms who accumulated background asbestos exposure during their MA career and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.