Kelly Air Force Base was established on 27 March 1917 as Texas' first military aviation base. Originally intended as a training center, the site quickly extended its purpose to include aircraft maintenance and depot-level logistics. When the Base Realignment and Shutdown Commission (BRAC) ordered its closure in 1995, it had expanded to around 4,000 acres with an additional 600 acres being utilized for runway buffer zones. As a consequence of previous fire-training activities, AFFF-laden wastewater comprising fuels, solvents, and other pollutants entered groundwater at Kelly Air Force Base.
Following WWII, Kelly Air Force Base was used as a military depot and for Air Force training, emphasizing depot-level maintenance. It had a workforce of roughly 30,000 people at its height and was the biggest industrial complex in the state of Texas. Numerous formulas of fire-extinguishing materials, including aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), were employed at Kelly Air Force Base's fire-training exercises. AFFF was deployed at military installations for various reasons, including training, testing, operating needs, and emergency response. Synthetic fluorine-based foams have the ability to travel long distances, migrate through the soil, leach into groundwater, or be transported via the air.
Because of the facility's long history as a military aviation, training, supply, and maintenance complex, several areas of the base were environmentally impacted. PFAS substances, perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) often employed as degreasers in industrial and maintenance facilities have been identified at Kelly Air Force Base. One of the most prevalent applications of PFAS has been in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), the foam that the Air Force first used in the 1970s and has been in use ever since.
These contaminants infiltrated the facility's soil and groundwater via leaks, spills, and disposal practices, and are hazardous because they have a high resistance to degradation, not just in the environment but also in living tissue. Because the human body is unable to break down these chemicals, even low levels of exposure may accumulate and cause serious health problems over time.
Exposure to toxic firefighting chemicals has been linked to a number of illnesses and disorders in both adults and children, including higher cancer risks, autoimmune disorders, and developmental issues. The accumulation of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in maternal tissue (e.g., placenta, umbilical cord blood, and mammary glands) has been related to serious health problems and an elevated risk of premature illness later in life.
While medical research indicates a link between exposure to PFAS and a variety of health problems, there are just a few ailments for which you may claim financial compensation. If you have one of the conditions listed below and were stationed at Kelly Air Force Base for at least one year, you may be eligible for compensation. The following diseases qualify you for compensation:
We have over 35 years of expertise handling toxic exposure claims and are here to assist you in obtaining the compensation you deserve if you are a veteran or a family member of a veteran who served at Kelly Air Force Base. To initiate the legal process, call us, and after a 10-minute phone call, we will be able to tell you if you qualify for a PFAS claim. If you do a reliable attorney will file the claim on your behalf.
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