For decades, the Department of Defense used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for fire training and emergency response at military installations worldwide. AFFF is extremely effective at suppressing fuel fires. It is also loaded with PFAS compounds, primarily PFOS and PFOA.
When AFFF was used in training exercises (which happened routinely at airfields, hangars, and fire training pits), the foam soaked into the ground. Over time, PFAS migrated into groundwater, contaminating drinking water wells both on and off base.
The DoD is assessing 727 installations for PFAS releases, according to its June 2026 status chart. Of the 709 that have finished the initial assessment, 119 needed no further action and the rest moved on to a full remedial investigation. The list spans Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency sites, including many National Guard facilities. KYE's DoD PFAS tracker shows the status of every installation.
The DoD publishes the investigation status of each installation. Some of the best-documented cases include:
The contamination is not limited to large bases. Guard and Reserve facilities, Coast Guard stations, and smaller installations that conducted any fire training with AFFF may be affected.
Check your water quality to see if military-related PFAS contamination has been detected near your current address.
If you served at or lived on an installation that used AFFF, you may have been exposed to elevated PFAS levels through:
PFAS accumulates in the body over time. The biological half-life of PFOS (the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of it) is approximately 3.4 to 5.4 years. For PFOA, it is approximately 2.1 to 3.8 years. This means if you were exposed during your service, some PFAS may still be in your system years or decades later.
Research has linked PFAS exposure to:
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a 2022 report confirming several of these associations and recommending that individuals with substantial PFAS exposure receive clinical guidance.
List every military installation where you were stationed or lived. Cross-reference with the DoD's PFAS investigation list, available through the DoD's environmental restoration program website. Even if your base is not on the current list, AFFF was used widely, and investigations are ongoing.
Ask your doctor about a PFAS blood test (serum PFAS panel). The VA does not routinely test for PFAS, and a blood test cannot show when or where an exposure happened. Commercial labs such as Quest Diagnostics offer serum panels built around the nine PFAS measures the National Academies report uses. That report recommends offering testing to people likely to have had elevated exposure, a group that includes firefighters and people who lived near AFFF sites.
Results are measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). In the CDC's 2017-2018 national survey (NHANES), the U.S. geometric mean was about 4.3 ng/mL for PFOS and 1.4 ng/mL for PFOA. The National Academies guidance adds up seven PFAS (MeFOSAA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFOS and PFNA): below 2 ng/mL, adverse effects are not expected; 2 to 20 ng/mL calls for reduced exposure and screening for high cholesterol; above 20 ng/mL adds thyroid, kidney cancer, testicular cancer and ulcerative colitis checks.
Whether you now live near your former base or elsewhere, test your current home water supply. PFAS contamination is widespread beyond military installations.
If PFAS is detected in your water at any level, install a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFAS reduction. Reverse osmosis under-sink systems provide the highest removal rates (90%+). Certified pitcher filters are a lower-cost starting point.
The VA does not yet recognize any PFAS-related presumptive conditions, and there is no PFAS-specific VA registry. In September 2024 the VA announced a scientific review of whether kidney cancer should become presumptive for PFAS-exposed veterans; no decision has been announced. Here is what is available today:
Multiple lawsuits are ongoing against PFAS manufacturers and the DoD. The PFAS multidistrict litigation (MDL) in South Carolina has consolidated thousands of cases. Settlements from 3M and Chemours/DuPont with public water systems have already exceeded $10 billion. Individual veterans and military families may have standing in ongoing or future cases.
If you are currently stationed on an active installation or living in base housing:
For veterans who have separated from service: your exposure history does not expire. Document everything. The connection between military PFAS exposure and health outcomes is becoming clearer with every new study published.
Check your water now. Enter your zip code at KnowYourExposure.com to see what contaminants have been detected in your local water supply, including PFAS, lead, and other regulated compounds.