Coast Guard Asbestos Exposure

Coast Guard Asbestos Exposure
Key facts for U.S. Coast Guard veterans
Curtis Bay SMR	5.07 (mesothelioma, facility-level)
Vessels with ACMs	250+ named cutters (official CG list)
ACM Products Used	~300 asbestos-containing materials
Highest-Risk Rating	Machinery Technician (MK)
Asbestos Ceased	1991 (new construction)
VA Disability Rating	100% for mesothelioma
Monthly Compensation	$3,938.58 (single, 2026)
WWII Personnel	241,093 (802 cutters)
Sole Shipyard	Curtis Bay, MD (EPA Superfund)
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Coast Guard Asbestos Exposure documents the extensive use of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) throughout United States Coast Guard cutters, shore facilities, aircraft, and the sole dedicated Coast Guard shipyard at Curtis Bay, Maryland. Every Coast Guard cutter constructed before 1991 contained asbestos, and the official Coast Guard inventory lists over 250 named vessels known to have contained ACMs. The Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard — the oldest and only dedicated CG shipyard — was designated an EPA Superfund site in 2002 after decades of industrial contamination, and a mortality study of its civilian workforce documented a mesothelioma standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 5.07, one of the highest facility-level rates recorded for any occupational group. Coast Guard veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma qualify for VA disability benefits of $3,938.58 per month (2026 rate), asbestos trust fund claims, and civil lawsuits against asbestos product manufacturers.

Coast Guard asbestos exposure at a glance:

• SMR 5.07 — Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard workers had mesothelioma mortality more than five times the general population
• 250+ named cutters on the official Coast Guard ACM vessel list, every cutter built before 1991
• ~300 different ACMs specified for use in military applications including Coast Guard vessels
• Curtis Bay EPA Superfund — sole CG shipyard placed on National Priorities List in September 2002
• 241,093 personnel served in the Coast Guard during World War II, manning 802 cutters plus Navy ships and landing craft
• 8,000 Coast Guard members served in Vietnam, including Squadron One's 26 patrol boats
• Dual DHS/DoD status — Coast Guard under Homeland Security but transferable to Navy during wartime
• 100% VA disability for mesothelioma, with 2026 compensation starting at $3,938.58/month

Key Facts

Coast Guard Asbestos Exposure Key Facts
Branch SMR (facility-level)	5.07 at Curtis Bay (compared to Navy branch-wide 2.15)
Pre-1991 vessels with ACMs	250+ named cutters per official CG list
Highest-risk CG rating	Machinery Technician (MK) — equivalent to Navy's MM, BT, EN
VA exposure matrix for CG	None — claims evaluated case-by-case (Navy has formal matrix)
Sole dedicated CG shipyard	Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard (est. 1899), EPA Superfund since 2002
Peak employment (WWII)	3,100 civilian workers at Curtis Bay alone
Asbestos in new construction ceased	1991
Legacy asbestos still active	USCGC Polar Star (commissioned 1976, deployed 2025)
Mesothelioma latency period	20 to 60 years from first exposure
VA compensation (2026)	$3,938.58/month (single); $4,158.17 (married)
Veteran share of U.S. mesothelioma	Approximately one-third of all diagnoses

Why Were Coast Guard Personnel Exposed to Asbestos?

Asbestos was valued by the military for its heat resistance, fireproofing capability, durability, and low cost. The U.S. Coast Guard — like the Navy — specified asbestos-containing materials in virtually every vessel, shore facility, and aircraft built or maintained from the early 1900s through 1991. Approximately 300 different ACMs were ordered for use in military applications before the health hazards were publicly acknowledged.

Coast Guard exposure was intensified by several factors unique to the service:

• Smaller vessels — Coast Guard cutters are generally smaller than Navy warships, concentrating asbestos fibers in tighter, more confined compartments where crews lived and worked
• Sole shipyard — Curtis Bay was the only dedicated Coast Guard shipyard, meaning all major construction and repair work funneled through a single facility with concentrated exposure
• Extended vessel service lives — Budget constraints meant many CG cutters served 30-50+ years, far longer than originally designed, prolonging crew exposure to deteriorating ACMs
• Dual-mission wartime service — During WWII and other conflicts, CG personnel also served aboard Navy ships and at Navy shipyards, adding Navy-pattern exposure on top of CG-specific exposure
• Remote duty stations — LORAN stations, lighthouses, and small boat stations in isolated locations were built with era-typical asbestos materials and rarely remediated

Which Coast Guard Ratings Had the Highest Exposure Risk?

No Official VA Exposure Matrix for Coast Guard

Unlike the Navy — where the VA has classified 18 ratings as "Highly Probable" and 32 as "Probable" for asbestos exposure — no equivalent official matrix exists for Coast Guard ratings. Coast Guard veterans must have their claims evaluated on a case-by-case basis, documenting their specific cutter assignments, duty stations, and job tasks.

The Coast Guard has published guidance advising veterans that assignment to any cutter constructed before 1991 constitutes documentation of potential asbestos exposure.

Coast Guard Ratings and Estimated Exposure Risk

Rating Code	Full Title	Estimated Risk	Primary Exposure Pathways
MK	Machinery Technician	Highest	Boiler and engine maintenance, pipe fitting, gasket replacement, valve packing
DC	Damage Controlman	High	Hull repair, firefighting, insulation handling, compartment sealing
EM	Electrician's Mate	High	Electrical panel work, wiring insulation removal and replacement
ET	Electronics Technician	Moderate-High	Equipment maintenance in ACM-insulated compartments
FT	Fire Control Technician	High	Weapons systems maintenance in insulated spaces
BM	Boatswain's Mate	Moderate	Deck work, painting, chipping in ACM-laden spaces
FS	Food Service Specialist	Moderate	Working in mess decks with ACM floor tiles and ceiling materials
SK	Storekeeper	Low-Moderate	Working in below-deck storage spaces with ACM materials
YN	Yeoman	Low	Office spaces in ACM-constructed buildings and cutters

The Coast Guard's Machinery Technician (MK) rating is directly analogous to the Navy's Machinist's Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), and Engineman (EN) — the Navy ratings with the highest documented asbestos exposure (SMR 6.47). MK personnel performed boiler maintenance, valve packing replacement, pipe fitting, and gasket work that required direct handling of asbestos-containing materials.

How CG Rating Structures Affect VA Claims

Because the VA's formal MOS exposure matrix covers only Navy ratings, Coast Guard claimants must provide:

• Medical records documenting a diagnosed asbestos-related condition
• Service records listing their rating and specific duty assignments on cutters built before 1991
• A physician's nexus statement connecting military exposure to the diagnosis
• The veteran's complete Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) — not just the DD-214, which does not include specific permanent duty assignments aboard cutters

Which Cutter Classes Contained Asbestos?

Cutter Class	Type / Length	Built	Asbestos Status
Secretary/Treasury class	WHEC / 327 ft	1936–1937	Extensively asbestos-laden; all decommissioned
Hamilton/Hero class	WHEC-378 / 378 ft	1965–1972	Confirmed ACMs; all decommissioned by 2017
Reliance class	WMEC-210 / 210 ft	1963–1969	Confirmed ACMs
Famous/Bear class	WMEC-270 / 270 ft	1981–1990	Confirmed ACMs; contained legacy asbestos
Polar class	WAGB / 399 ft (icebreaker)	1976–1978	Asbestos confirmed in insulation, paneling, countertops; Polar Star still active
Wind class	WAGB / 269 ft (icebreaker)	1942–1947	Built during WWII peak asbestos era; all decommissioned
82-ft Point class	WPB / 82 ft	1960–1970	Confirmed ACMs; 26 deployed to Vietnam
95-ft Cape class	WPB / 95 ft	1953–1959	Confirmed ACMs
110-ft Island class	WPB / 110 ft	1985–1992	Late-build vessels may contain fewer ACMs
Buoy tenders	WLB/WLM/WLI / various	1940s–1980s	Numerous confirmed on official ACM list
STORIS (WMEC-38)	WMEC / 230 ft	1942	Confirmed ACMs; served until 2007 — 65 years of service

Where Was Asbestos Found on Cutters?

Asbestos was pervasive throughout Coast Guard cutters in the following locations:

Compartment/System	Asbestos Materials Present	Exposure Level
Engine rooms and boiler rooms	Boiler insulation, pipe lagging, gaskets, valve packing	Very High
Steam pipe systems	Pipe coverings running throughout entire vessel	Very High
Berthing compartments	Floor tiles, bulkhead insulation	Moderate-High
Mess decks	Floor tiles, ceiling materials	Moderate
Electrical panels	Wiring insulation, arc shields	Moderate
Fireproofing systems	Fire blankets, fire curtains, fire doors	Moderate
Pumps, valves, and gaskets	Packing material throughout mechanical systems	High
Cement, rope, and sealants	Various structural applications	Moderate

Confined Space Amplification

Coast Guard cutters are generally smaller than Navy warships, which means engine rooms, boiler rooms, and berthing compartments had less ventilation and smaller volumes of air. When asbestos fibers were released during maintenance, repairs, or normal wear, concentrations per cubic foot of air were higher on a 210-foot medium endurance cutter than on a 900-foot aircraft carrier. Crews spent extended deployments — often weeks or months — confined in these spaces, creating sustained inhalation exposure.

Legacy Asbestos in Active Vessels

The USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10), commissioned in 1976, remains in active service as the only U.S. vessel capable of breaking through Antarctic ice to resupply McMurdo Station. It completed its 29th deployment to Antarctica in November 2025. A 2026 court document confirmed that Polar Star contained "some insulating material containing asbestos."

The mothballed Polar Sea (WAGB-11) was assessed in 2017 and found to have "asbestos-containing materials in several locations, including false-wood paneling in living areas and laboratory countertops." The assessment noted that "the pervasive presence of lead-based paint throughout mechanical spaces and asbestos-containing material in habitability spaces adds to any reactivation schedule and cost." The estimated cost to reactivate Polar Sea was projected at approximately $1.3 billion over eight years, with asbestos abatement contributing significantly to the cost.

What Is Curtis Bay, and Why Is It Important?

History of the Coast Guard Yard

The United States Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay, Maryland is the oldest and sole dedicated Coast Guard shipyard in the nation. It has been in continuous operation since 1899.

Year	Event
1899	Revenue Cutter Service leased 36 acres at Arundel Cove; Lt. John C. Moore arrived aboard the COLFAX to establish the experimental shipyard
1905	Congress authorized additional land purchase; "Revenue Cutter Station At Curtis Bay" permanently established
1917	Coast Guard transferred to Navy during WWI; Navy units sent to the Yard for repairs
1939	Lighthouse Service transferred to Coast Guard; buoy construction became major function
1941–1945	WWII peak: 3,100 civilian workers employed; new 3,000-ton drydock built; 300+ small boats built annually
1950–1964	Curtis Bay civilian worker mortality study cohort period (4,702 workers); mesothelioma SMR of 5.07 documented
2002	EPA placed Curtis Bay Yard on the National Priorities List (Superfund) due to decades of contamination
2008	Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) signed with EPA Region III on September 11
2011	Approximately 80% of contamination removed; EPA recognized CG for efficient, green cleanup
Present	Operates as the sole CG shipbuilding and major repair facility; employs ~1,300 personnel

Curtis Bay Superfund Remediation

Contaminants at Curtis Bay included petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, paints, acids, corrosion inhibitors, mercury batteries, lithium batteries, and PCBs. Key remediation milestones:

Site	Action	Status
Site 1 (Drydock Sediments)	Record of Decision: no action required	Closed September 2007
Site 4 (Former Salvage Lot)	Removal of lead- and PCB-contaminated soils	Record of Decision signed May 6, 2009
Site 7 (Former Burn Pit)	Removal of 6,650+ cubic yards contaminated soil; treatment of 364,000 gallons groundwater	Record of Decision signed September 30, 2009
Site 9	Removal of 17,077 tons lead-contaminated soils	Ongoing as of 2011 report

Commercial Shipyards Performing Coast Guard Work

In addition to Curtis Bay, Coast Guard vessels were built and maintained at private commercial shipyards. Workers at these facilities handling CG vessel maintenance faced the same asbestos hazards as Curtis Bay employees:

• Bath Iron Works (Bath, ME)
• Todd Shipyards (multiple locations)
• Avondale Shipyard (New Orleans, LA)
• Bethlehem Steel (multiple locations)

Which Shore Facilities Contained Asbestos?

Coast Guard Bases and Stations

The following Coast Guard installations are confirmed or reported to have contained ACMs in buildings and infrastructure:

• U.S. Coast Guard Base Alameda (Coast Guard Island, CA)
• U.S. Coast Guard Base Gloucester (MA)
• U.S. Coast Guard Base Los Angeles/Long Beach (CA)
• U.S. Coast Guard Station New London (CT)
• U.S. Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay (MD)
• U.S. Coast Guard Yard (Curtis Bay, MD)

Coast Guard Academy (New London, CT)

Active asbestos abatement projects at the Academy confirm that buildings constructed before 1981 contain ACMs requiring ongoing remediation:

• Removal of all interior lead and asbestos-containing materials from Quarters 4 and 5 at 5 Seneca Drive
• Abatement of asbestos-containing building material in Chase Hall Barracks–Annex D
• Removal of lead and asbestos from the Multi-Mission Building

LORAN Stations

LORAN-A and LORAN-C stations, many built in the 1940s through 1960s in remote locations across Alaska, the Pacific Islands, and other isolated areas, were constructed with era-typical materials including asbestos insulation, transite siding, and asbestos-containing building products.

Environmental remediation at LORAN stations has been documented:

• USCG Tok LORAN Station, AK — received "Cleanup Complete" designation in June 2025
• LORAN Station Sitkinak Island, AK — battery cleanup and soil lead contamination remediation
• Air Station Traverse City — long-term monitoring for transite siding ACM continues

Aids to Navigation: Lighthouses and Fog Signal Buildings

Historical lighthouses, light stations, and fog signal buildings constructed from the 1900s through the 1960s were built during periods of heavy asbestos use. Boiler rooms in fog signal buildings used asbestos insulation around steam-powered foghorn equipment. Asbestos floor tiles, pipe insulation, and building materials were standard in these structures.

Which Companies Supplied Asbestos Products to the Coast Guard?

Manufacturer	Products Supplied	Trust Status
Johns-Manville	Insulation, cement, pipe coverings, roofing, flooring	First asbestos trust (est. 1988); 1M+ claims received
Owens Corning / Fibreboard	Insulation products for vessels and buildings	Trust established; 4.7% payment percentage
W.R. Grace	Various asbestos products for construction and vessels	Trust established; 31.7% payment percentage
Garlock Sealing Technologies	Gaskets, valve packing (1907–1980); products contained up to 90% asbestos	Bankruptcy 2010; trust established
Crane Co.	Valves with asbestos bonnet gaskets and stem packing; marketed "Cranite" asbestos sheet	Not bankrupt; active litigation
NARCO (North American Refractories)	Refractory materials for boilers and furnaces	100% payment percentage
Armstrong World Industries	Flooring and insulation for buildings and vessels	Trust established

Crane Co. packaged its valves with asbestos-containing bonnet gaskets and braided asbestos-based stem packing, and marketed "Cranite," an asbestos-based sheet material for replacement gaskets. A New York court ruled that Crane had a duty to warn about asbestos dangers given its direct promotion of asbestos components.

What Unique Exposure Scenarios Affected Coast Guard Personnel?

Dual DHS/DoD Mission

The Coast Guard transferred from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003. Under 14 U.S.C., the Coast Guard can be transferred to the Department of the Navy during wartime or by presidential direction. This dual status means:

• Coast Guard veterans are fully eligible for VA benefits regardless of whether they served under DOT or DHS
• During wartime, CG units serving under Navy operational control used Navy ships, Navy yards, and were exposed to the same shipboard asbestos as Navy personnel
• The jurisdictional shift to DHS has no impact on VA disability claims or legal options

Ice Operations

Icebreaker crews faced potentially elevated exposure due to extreme operational conditions. The Polar Star and Polar Sea — both confirmed to contain asbestos — operate in conditions that subject their hulls and compartments to severe vibration during ice-breaking, which could dislodge friable insulation. Extended Antarctic deployments lasting months confined crews in enclosed spaces where any disturbed ACMs created sustained inhalation risk.

Coast Guard Aviation

Coast Guard aircraft used asbestos in multiple components:

• HH-52A Seaguard helicopters — contained a "multitude of asbestos components"; aviation machinists used asbestos-padded clamps to repair high-temperature components
• C-130 Hercules / HC-130 — asbestos in engine insulation, electrical wiring, brake systems, cockpit heating systems, engine heat shields, gaskets, cargo bay insulation, and landing gear components
• HH-3F Pelican and other rotary-wing aircraft — brake linings, heat shields, gaskets, fire-retardant seals

Asbestos brake pads and electrical wiring were used in "every seaplane, aircraft and helicopter in the Coast Guard fleet until the 1980s."

Port Security and Vessel Inspection

Coast Guard marine inspectors who boarded and inspected civilian and military vessels were exposed to asbestos present on those ships. Marine Safety offices housed in older buildings also contained ACMs. CG personnel conducting vessel boardings had no control over the asbestos conditions they encountered aboard foreign and domestic commercial ships.

What Were Wartime Exposure Conditions?

World War II

Coast Guard WWII service involved massive personnel numbers and extensive ship operations:

• 241,093 total personnel served during the war
• 802 cutters operated under Coast Guard authority
• Coast Guard manned Navy ships, Army transports, and amphibious landing craft — including attack transports (APA), destroyer escorts (DE), and LSTs
• CG crews on Navy vessels were exposed to the same shipboard asbestos as Navy sailors
• Curtis Bay Yard employed 3,100 civilian workers during WWII, building and repairing vessels including 300+ small wooden boats annually

Vietnam War

Coast Guard Squadron One (RONONE) deployed 26 "Point"-class 82-foot patrol boats to Vietnam, operating from 1965 to 1970. These were the first U.S. shallow-water units to patrol South Vietnam's coastal waters, logging over four million miles and inspecting more than 280,000 vessels.

Approximately 8,000 Coast Guard members served in Vietnam. The 82-foot WPBs were constructed during a period of peak asbestos use and are confirmed on the Coast Guard's ACM vessel list.

While Agent Orange exposure receives significant attention for Vietnam-era veterans, asbestos exposure during Coast Guard service in Vietnam remains comparatively under-documented.

Post-9/11 Operations

Coast Guard homeland security operations placed personnel on older cutters and at older facilities. Port Security Units (PSUs) deployed to Iraq and Kuwait potentially encountered asbestos at military installations. On 9/11 itself, the Coast Guard evacuated more than 500,000 people from lower Manhattan.

What Are the Legal Options for Coast Guard Veterans?

The Feres Doctrine

Under the Feres Doctrine (1950), military service members — including Coast Guard veterans — cannot sue the federal government for injuries sustained during active duty. However, veterans can sue third-party asbestos product manufacturers that supplied the military with ACMs. The legal theory typically employed is strict product liability: manufacturers knew or should have known about asbestos dangers and failed to provide adequate warnings.

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2019 DeVries v. Ballard decision clarified that manufacturers who supplied products to the military may be liable under a "bare-metal defense" theory, meaning manufacturers who incorporated asbestos into their products or directed the use of asbestos components can be held responsible.

"Coast Guard veterans often don't realize they have the same legal rights as Navy veterans," notes Paul Danziger, Attorney at Law. "The Feres Doctrine prevents suing the government, but every asbestos manufacturer that supplied products to Coast Guard cutters and shipyards can be held accountable. The legal pathway is identical regardless of which branch you served in."

Compensation Ranges

Compensation Type	Typical Amount	Details
Mesothelioma lawsuit settlement (average)	$1 million – $1.4 million	Negotiated resolution with manufacturers
Mesothelioma trial verdict (average)	$5 million – $11.4 million	Jury awards against asbestos manufacturers
Total asbestos trust fund payouts	$300,000 – $400,000	Combined claims across multiple trusts
Average single trust fund payout	~$41,000	Per trust (RAND Institute estimate)

A 2026 court document specifically references asbestos exposure aboard the Coast Guard icebreakers Polar Star and Polar Sea in the context of a veteran's mesothelioma claim.

"The Curtis Bay Yard and every pre-1991 cutter are documented asbestos environments," explains Rod De Llano, Attorney at Law. "That documentation is extremely powerful in product liability cases. When we can show that Garlock gaskets or Johns-Manville insulation were specified for a specific cutter, the manufacturer's liability becomes very clear."

What VA Benefits Are Available for Coast Guard Veterans with Mesothelioma?

2026 VA Disability Compensation Rates (100% Rating)

Mesothelioma is rated at 100% disability by the VA, qualifying veterans for the highest compensation tier.

Dependent Status	Monthly Compensation (2026)
Veteran only (no dependents)	$3,938.58
Veteran with spouse	$4,158.17
Veteran with spouse and one child	$4,318.99
Veteran with spouse, one parent, and one child	$4,495.23

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

Surviving spouses of veterans whose death was service-connected can receive DIC payments:

• Base monthly rate: $1,699.36 (effective December 1, 2025)
• Per child under 18: $421.00 additional
• 8-year provision (married 8+ years; veteran 100% disabled 8+ years before death): $360.85 additional
• Aid and Attendance: $421.00 additional
• Transitional benefit (first 2 years): $359.00 additional

The PACT Act and Coast Guard Veterans

The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, signed into law on August 10, 2022, expanded VA benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances during service. Under the PACT Act, respiratory cancers including mesothelioma were classified as presumptive conditions for veterans who served in specific combat zones and deployment periods.

However, the PACT Act does not broadly establish asbestos exposure as presumptive for all veterans across all service eras. For Coast Guard veterans whose asbestos exposure predates the PACT Act's covered deployment periods, the traditional claims process still applies: veterans must document exposure history and provide a medical nexus statement.

How the VA Evaluates Coast Guard Claims Differently

The absence of an official VA Duty MOS/Rating exposure matrix for the Coast Guard creates an additional hurdle for CG veterans compared to Navy veterans. To compensate, Coast Guard claimants should:

• Request their entire Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) — the DD-214 alone does not show specific cutter assignments
• Document all duty assignments on pre-1991 cutters using the Coast Guard's published ACM vessel list
• Access records through iPERMS (for separations on or after October 1, 2006) or the National Personnel Records Center (for earlier service)
• Note that the VA gained direct access to Coast Guard electronic records through DPRIS (activated November 29, 2023)

Aid and Attendance Benefits

Veterans rated 100% disabled who need help with daily activities — including bathing, dressing, feeding, and attending to needs of nature — may qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits, providing additional monthly compensation above the base disability rate.

Can Family Members of Coast Guard Veterans Be Affected?

Take-Home Fiber Exposure

Family members of Coast Guard service members and Curtis Bay shipyard workers faced risk of secondary (take-home) asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers adhered to clothing, hair, skin, and shoes. When service members or shipyard workers returned home, they could unknowingly transfer dangerous fibers to their families.

Primary pathways of secondary exposure included:

• Washing contaminated work clothes and uniforms
• Direct physical contact (hugging, sitting on laps)
• Airborne fibers circulating through home ventilation
• Contact with contaminated vehicles and furniture

Coast Guard Base Housing

Coast Guard controlled housing constructed before 1981 may contain ACMs. The Commandant's 1995 initiative led to Environmental Risk Assessments (ERAs) of all pre-1981 Coast Guard housing and Child Development Centers, completed by FY1999. The policy requires:

• Annual visual re-assessment of housing where asbestos is known to be present
• Disclosure letters to all occupants documenting environmental health risks
• Warning that "housing built before 1981 may contain lead-based paint and/or asbestos"
• Licensed contractors for all abatement work — no self-help projects permitted that impact ACMs

Curtis Bay Community Exposure

The Curtis Bay Yard's designation as an EPA Superfund site reflects decades of industrial operations that generated contamination affecting the surrounding Baltimore-area community. Workers who carried asbestos fibers home to families were a secondary exposure pathway.

What Coast Guard Asbestos Regulations Existed?

Year	Action
1987	Coast Guard issues NVIC 6-87 — guidance on asbestos exposure for inspected merchant vessels
1991	Coast Guard officially stops specifying asbestos in new vessel construction
1995	Commandant initiates strategy to identify environmental health risks in ashore living environments
1996	COMDTNOTE 6260 published — detailed asbestos management manual for CG facilities
FY96–FY99	Baseline Environmental Risk Assessments completed for all pre-1981 Coast Guard housing
2004	COMDTINST 6260.1A issued (October 8) — "Asbestos, Lead and Radon in Coast Guard Housing" comprehensive policy

Key Coast Guard Directives

• COMDTINST 6260.1A (Oct. 8, 2004) — Establishes safety and health risk assessment standards for ACMs, lead, and radon in Coast Guard controlled housing and Child Development Centers
• COMDTINST M6260.16 (series) — Asbestos Exposure Control Manual, the primary technical guide for CG asbestos management
• COMDTINST M5100.47 (series) — Safety and Environmental Health Manual covering broader occupational safety including asbestos
• NVIC 6-87 — Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular providing asbestos exposure guidance for inspected vessels

The Coast Guard's official policy adopts a "manage in place" philosophy rather than removal, once hazards have been reduced to monitoring levels. All asbestos abatement work must be performed by licensed contractors — no Coast Guard personnel may perform self-help projects that impact ACMs.

What Is the Current Status of Asbestos in the Coast Guard?

Active Vessels with Legacy Asbestos

The USCGC Polar Star remains the highest-profile active CG vessel with confirmed asbestos. At nearly 50 years old, it continues annual deployments to Antarctica and has no replacement scheduled before the completion of the Polar Security Cutter program.

Current Management Protocols

The Coast Guard's Health, Safety, and Work-Life (HSWL) directorate oversees current asbestos policies. Key protocols include:

• Routine exposure monitoring to ensure levels remain below OSHA standards
• Asbestos management in place rather than wholesale removal where materials are intact
• Licensed contractor requirement for all abatement work
• Environmental Risk Assessment databases tracking ACM conditions in housing

Ongoing Mesothelioma Diagnoses

Due to the 20-to-60-year latency period, Coast Guard veterans who served during the 1960s through early 1980s are currently in the peak window for mesothelioma diagnosis. Annual mesothelioma diagnoses in the United States total approximately 3,000 cases, with veterans comprising roughly one-third.

Coast Guard vs. Navy: Key Distinctions

Factor	U.S. Coast Guard	U.S. Navy
Parent department	DHS (since 2003); formerly DOT	DoD
Mesothelioma SMR	5.07 (Curtis Bay, facility-level)	2.15 (branch-wide); 6.47 (high-risk ratings)
VA MOS exposure matrix	None — case-by-case evaluation	18 "Highly Probable" / 32 "Probable" ratings
Dedicated shipyard	Curtis Bay only (EPA Superfund)	Multiple (Norfolk, Puget Sound, Pearl Harbor, etc.)
Pre-1991 vessels with ACMs	250+ named cutters	Thousands of ships
WWII personnel	~241,000	~3.4 million
Asbestos in new construction ceased	1991	Late 1970s–1980s (phased)
VA eligibility	Full eligibility	Full eligibility
Lawsuit options	Feres bars govt suits; can sue manufacturers	Same

Why Is the Coast Guard Overlooked?

The Coast Guard is consistently under-represented in military asbestos discussions for several structural reasons:

• Smaller branch size — approximately 42,000 active duty members today (vs. ~340,000 Navy), meaning fewer total cases and less media attention
• DHS jurisdiction — placement under DHS rather than DoD means the Coast Guard is frequently excluded from DoD-focused studies, GAO reports, and congressional oversight of military health issues
• No dedicated VA exposure matrix — forcing individual case-by-case evaluation creates additional claims barriers
• Smaller vessel assumption — CG cutters are often smaller than Navy warships, leading to an incorrect assumption of lower exposure, when in fact enclosed spaces of smaller vessels may produce higher per-person fiber concentrations

Quick Statistics

• 33% longer tenure = 33% higher mortality — Curtis Bay workers employed 10+ years had a mesothelioma death rate one-third higher than shorter-tenure employees, demonstrating a clear dose-response relationship
• WWII surge: 3,100 civilian workers at Curtis Bay alone during peak wartime production, with minimal respiratory protection available before OSHA standards took effect decades later
• 802 cutters manned in WWII by 241,093 Coast Guard personnel — the largest mobilization in CG history and the era of heaviest asbestos installation
• 20-to-60-year latency window means Coast Guard veterans who served through the 1980s remain within the peak diagnostic period for mesothelioma through the 2040s
• Polar Star: 49 years in service — commissioned in 1976 and still deploying with confirmed asbestos insulation, making it one of the longest-serving ACM-contaminated vessels in any branch
• No CG-specific VA exposure matrix — unlike the Navy's 50-rating probability classification, Coast Guard claims require individual documentation, creating higher denial rates for veterans without detailed service records
• DHS jurisdiction gap — Coast Guard's placement under Homeland Security since 2003 excludes it from most DoD-focused health studies and congressional military oversight reports
• Smaller vessel, higher concentration — enclosed engine rooms on 210-foot and 270-foot medium endurance cutters produced per-person fiber concentrations potentially exceeding those on larger Navy vessels due to reduced air volume
• Squadron One Vietnam exposure — 26 Coast Guard patrol boats operated in Vietnamese waters from 1965-1970, with crews exposed to both shipboard asbestos and Agent Orange defoliants

Get Help

Coast Guard veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases have multiple options for support and compensation:

• Free Coast Guard Veteran Case Review — Danziger & De Llano LLP can evaluate your case at no cost. Call (855) 699-5441.
• Find a Mesothelioma Attorney Near You — Take the free case evaluation quiz to connect with an experienced attorney.
• Coast Guard Cutter Asbestos Information — Comprehensive guide to asbestos use in CG vessels.
• Veterans Mesothelioma Legal Guide — Learn about VA benefits, trust funds, and legal rights.
• Coast Guard Veteran Asbestos Exposure Guide — High-risk ships, shore stations, VA benefits, and compensation paths for USCG veterans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Were all Coast Guard cutters built with asbestos?

Every Coast Guard cutter constructed before 1991 contained asbestos-containing materials, according to the Coast Guard's own published guidance. The Coast Guard maintains an official list of over 250 named cutters from 1990 to 2017 known to have contained ACMs.

Does the VA have an exposure matrix for Coast Guard ratings?

No. Unlike the Navy, which has an official VA Duty MOS/Rating Probability of Exposure matrix classifying 50 ratings by exposure risk, no equivalent exists for the Coast Guard. CG veteran claims are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, requiring documentation of specific cutter assignments and job tasks.

What was Curtis Bay, and why does it matter?

The Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard in Maryland is the oldest and sole dedicated Coast Guard shipyard, in operation since 1899. A mortality study of its civilian workers documented a mesothelioma SMR of 5.07 — one of the highest facility-level rates for any occupational group. The EPA designated Curtis Bay as a Superfund site in 2002.

Can Coast Guard veterans file VA disability claims for mesothelioma?

Yes. Coast Guard veterans are fully eligible for VA benefits regardless of whether they served under DOT or DHS. Mesothelioma qualifies for a 100% disability rating, with 2026 compensation starting at $3,938.58 per month for a single veteran.

Can Coast Guard veterans sue for asbestos exposure?

Under the Feres Doctrine, veterans cannot sue the federal government. However, they can sue third-party asbestos product manufacturers (Johns-Manville, Garlock, Crane Co., etc.) that supplied asbestos materials to the Coast Guard. Average mesothelioma settlements range from $1 million to $1.4 million, and trial verdicts average $5 million to $11.4 million.

Does the PACT Act help Coast Guard veterans with mesothelioma?

The PACT Act classified respiratory cancers as presumptive conditions for veterans who served in specific post-9/11 deployment periods. However, it does not broadly establish asbestos exposure as presumptive for all service eras. Coast Guard veterans whose exposure predates the PACT Act's covered periods must use the traditional VA claims process with documented exposure history.

Are any active Coast Guard vessels still contaminated with asbestos?

Yes. The USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10), commissioned in 1976, remains in active service with confirmed asbestos-containing insulation materials. It completed its 29th Antarctic deployment in November 2025.

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VA Benefits for Veterans with Mesothelioma	VA claims process, presumptive conditions, and filing guidance
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