Military Ship Personnel Asbestos Exposure:

Full Role-by-Role Guide

From the 1930s through the late 1980s, U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps transport units, and some Army watercraft crews served aboard vessels packed with asbestos. Nearly every compartment on pre-1980 military ships contained asbestos insulation, including:

• Engine rooms

• Boiler rooms

• Pump rooms

• Turbine rooms

• Electrical switchboards

• Fireproof bulkheads

• Deck tiles & adhesives

• Cargo holds

• Crew sleeping quarters

• Mess decks & galleys

Military ship personnel were among the most heavily exposed workers in all U.S. armed forces.

Where Military Ships Contained Asbestos

Common Asbestos-Containing Areas

• Steam pipes & pipe insulation

• Boilers, turbines, and generators

• Pumps, valves, & gaskets

• Fireproof doors and bulkheads

• Electrical wiring & switchboards

• Engine room heat shielding

• ACM flooring and wall panels

• HVAC ducts and ventilation systems

Deck Department Roles (Surface Ships & Amphibious Vessels)

Seaman Recruit / Seaman Apprentice

Typical Duties

🛠️ General deck operations, cleaning, painting, maintenance

Asbestos Exposure

• Deck tiles and adhesives

• ACM paint and coatings

• Bulkhead insulation

Seaman (SN)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Line handling, lookout, deck repair, cargo/hatch operations

Asbestos Exposure

• Rope packing near heat systems

• ACM used in deck equipment

• Dust from ship maintenance

Boatswain’s Mate (BM)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Supervises deck crew, repair of ship structures, rigging

Asbestos Exposure

• Cutting into ACM bulkheads

• Insulated deck winches

• Fireproofing materials

Quartermaster (QM)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Navigation, charts, bridge operations

Asbestos Exposure

• ACM behind bridge panels

• Insulated wiring

• Dust from upper deck repairs

Operations Specialist / Navigator

Typical Duties

🛠️ Radar, plotting, ship operations

Asbestos Exposure

• Electrical switchboards with ACM

• Radar room insulation

• Wiring harness insulation

Engineering Department (Highest Exposure)

Fireman (FN)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Assists with boilers, engines, pumps, and mechanical systems

Asbestos Exposure

• Boiler room insulation

• Pipe lagging fibers

• Heat shield deterioration

Machinist’s Mate (MM)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Operates & repairs engines, turbines, pumps, compressors

Asbestos Exposure

• Gaskets & packing

• Turbine insulation

• Pump room ACM

Boiler Technician (BT)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Operates and repairs ship boilers

Asbestos Exposure

• Refractory brick

• Boiler insulation

• Heat-resistant ACM components

Engineman (EN)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Maintains diesel engines, generators, mechanized equipment

Asbestos Exposure

• Engine gasket materials

• Thermal insulation

• Contaminated exhaust systems

Hull Maintenance Technician (HT)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Welding, pipefitting, metalwork, ship repairs

Asbestos Exposure

• Pipe insulation removal

• ACM welding blankets

• Bulkhead fireproofing

Damage Controlman (DC)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Firefighting, emergency repairs, watertight integrity

Asbestos Exposure

• Fireproof gear and blankets

• ACM firefighting systems

• Insulation around repair zones

Electrician’s Mate (EM)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Maintains switchboards, wiring, and power systems

Asbestos Exposure

• Asbestos arc chutes

• Switchboard insulation

• Electrical cable coverings

Gas Turbine Technician (GSM)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Repairs gas turbine propulsion systems

Asbestos Exposure

• High-heat gasket materials

• Turbine insulation

• Fire barriers

Supply, Medical, and Support Roles

Culinary Specialist (CS)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Food preparation, galley operations

Asbestos Exposure

• Galley flooring ACM

• Oven insulation

• HVAC ventilation dust

Ship’s Serviceman (SH)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Laundry, barbershop, store services

Asbestos Exposure

• ACM ceiling tiles

• Older ventilation insulation

• Storage compartments with ACM

Hospital Corpsman (HM)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Medical care for crew

Asbestos Exposure

• Older medical bay tiles

• Dust from ship repairs

• ACM ceilings and flooring

Marine Corps Personnel on Navy Ships

Marine Infantry or Security Detachments

Typical Duties

🛠️ Ship security, watchstanding, weapons handling

Asbestos Exposure

• Sleeping quarters with ACM

• Mess decks and berthing areas

• Insulated passageways and bulkheads

Coast Guard Vessel Personnel

Coast Guard Boatswain’s Mate

Typical Duties

🛠️ Deck operations, search & rescue

Asbestos Exposure

• ACM in small cutters

• Engine room insulation

Coast Guard Machinery Technician (MK)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Maintains engines & mechanical systems

Asbestos Exposure

• Pipe insulation

• Gasket materials on cutters

Officer Roles Aboard Ships

Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade

Typical Duties

🛠️ Division officer in deck, engineering, or weapons

Asbestos Exposure

• ACM in wardrooms

• Fireproof panels on the bridge

Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander

Typical Duties

🛠️ Department head (Navigation, Engineering, Operations)

Asbestos Exposure

• Commander’s stateroom ACM tiles

• Systems inspections in contaminated areas

Commander / Captain (Ship Command)

Typical Duties

🛠️ Commanding officer of the ship

Asbestos Exposure

• Entire vessel exposure over decades

• Shipwide ACM insulation

Why Ship Personnel Faced Extreme Asbestos Risk

Key Reasons

• Ships required heavy insulation for fire & heat

• Confined compartments trapped fibers

• Routine maintenance disturbed ACM

• Engine room duty created massive exposure

• Older WWII-era ships stayed in service for decades

• Poor ventilation spread fibers shipwide

Compensation Options for Military Ship Personnel

VA Disability Benefits

Most mesothelioma cases qualify for 100% disability.

Asbestos Trust Funds

Over $32 billion is available for affected veterans.

Navy & Coast Guard Asbestos Lawsuits

Claims target manufacturers, not the U.S. military.

Free Case Review for Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard Ship Personnel

📞 Call 800.291.0963 for a free, confidential case review.