Marine Corps and Asbestos

Marines deployed aboard Navy amphibious ships and other vessels lived in berthing spaces and moved through passageways where pipes and equipment were insulated with asbestos materials. While Marines were not usually responsible for shipboard engineering systems, they shared the same air as sailors, including during repairs and maintenance. Long deployments meant weeks or months in these conditions. When documenting service, list the ships you deployed on, the dates, and where you slept and worked aboard. Deck logs and unit records can help confirm these deployments.

On land, Marines working in motor transport, maintenance or engineering roles could handle asbestos-containing brake linings, clutch facings and gaskets while servicing vehicles and equipment. Older barracks, mess halls and base utility plants often contained asbestos insulation, floor tile and other building materials. Renovation and repair work on bases could disturb those materials and spread dust through shared spaces. Marines assigned to facilities or construction duties may have had more direct contact. Listing the bases where you served, the buildings you worked and lived in, and any maintenance or construction tasks helps connect your service to likely exposure sources.

A Marine's exposure history often spans ships and shore duty, so evidence may come from several different places. The personnel file shows unit assignments and military occupational specialty. Deployment records and ship deck logs can confirm time aboard specific vessels. Fellow Marines can describe living conditions, berthing arrangements and daily duties. Bringing these pieces together into a single dated timeline makes it much easier for the VA and for trusts to understand the full exposure picture. A veterans service officer can help organize the records so that nothing important, such as a short deployment, is left out.

1. 1

   List every ship you deployed on, with dates and where you berthed aboard.

2. 2

   Record your military occupational specialties and any vehicle or facilities maintenance duties.

3. 3

   Name each base where you lived or worked and any older buildings you remember.

4. 4

   Build a single timeline that combines shipboard deployments and shore assignments.