After several studies linking service in the Air Force, specifically working with aircrafts and missiles, to cancer diagnosis have been conducted, another study has just begun to fill in the gaps of data. 

The most recent study conducted by the Pentagon analyzed 900,000 service members who had either flown a military aircraft or worked on one between the years of 1992-2017. These years were mainly chosen because there was no reliable cancer data until 1990. This meant that the statistics from the pilots in previous generations would be excluded.

The findings from the most recent study indicate a connection to several different types of cancer, as well as the overall cancer rate for both air crew members and ground crews, which are as follows:

- Air crew members: reported overall cancer rate was 24% higher than average 

- 87% higher rate of melanoma 

- 39% higher rate of thyroid cancer 

- 16% higher rate of prostate cancer in men

- 16% higher rate of breast cancer in women 

- Ground crew members: reported overall cancer rate was 3% higher than average

- 19% higher rate of brain and nervous system cancers 

- 15% higher rate of kidney or renal cancers 

- 7% higher rate of breast cancers in women

Men and women who have been working in this environment reported that there were several concerns about various environmental factors, including the jet fuel used, solvents that were used to clean and maintain jet parts, and radar systems on the landing decks. These fears are not unwarranted, as several of the “known hazards to missileers” are chemicals, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls and lead – all of which can be dangerous based on the level of exposure.

The current study, which will also be conducted by the Pentagon, is now focused on collecting more data to hopefully strengthen any possible links between the Air Force and heightened cancer rates. The plan as of now is to look begin looking through all cancer registries in the Department of Defense, as well as explore any available state records before moving forward.

In a more local sense, in Alabama, based on data from 2017, there are 2,984 active-duty Air Force members, 1,217 members in the reserve force and 2,367 Air Force Civilians. The one Air Force base in the state is the 908th Airlift Wing located in Montgomery. These numbers do not include the number of Air Force veterans that could possibly be impacted by the subject of this study as well.

If you are currently in the Air Force, or are a veteran in the area, received a cancer diagnosis and believe that it could possibly be linked to your service, please reach out to Snable Stevenson & Silva. Our team of attorneys are here to listen to your story and make you aware of what options are available to you.