From Service to Long-Term Health Risks: Reflecting on Warren County Veterans This Military Appreciation Month

Fundamentally, military service shapes lives long after active duty ends. While troops willingly accept the immediate risks associated with their duty—including perilous deployments, combats, physical injuries, and prolonged family separations—many also face less visible dangers tied to the environments in which they live and work. And researchers are increasingly recognizing these lasting challenges through the lens of toxic exposure, which includes the range of harmful substances service members may have encountered during day-to-day duties at different bases and combat zones. Ultimately, that growing conversation also gives added relevance to National Military Appreciation Month, observed each May across the country. Though the occasion traditionally recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of active personnel, retirees, and their families, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on the realities a large part of this population confronts years after hanging up their uniforms. In Warren County, Virginia, this discussion specifically carries particular significance, given that more than 3,000 veterans embody the deep-rooted military significance in the region. At this point, strengthening policy responses that address service-related exposures—such as the lobbied Veterans Exposed to Toxic (VET) PFAS Act—becomes essential to ensuring impacted personnel receive the aid they direly need.

The Lasting Health Effects of Toxic Exposure on Warren County Veterans

Military service is not an abstract concept—it is present in thousands of households carried through generations of veterans who devoted their lives to safeguard the well-being of their fellow Americans. For many veterans, including those in Warren County, duty is also accompanied by health tolls that may only emerge gradually years later. Some of these risks are already well-established. Asbestos exposure, for instance, has long been associated with the armed forces, particularly among personnel who spent an extended period in older ships, vehicles, armaments, and infrastructure like the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, about 65 miles from Front Royal. Although this natural mineral has been advantageous in bolstering the strength of bases and equipment integral to military operations, its legacy is a reminder of an occupational hazard that caused debilitating illnesses to many service members—and worse, nearly 35 deaths in Warren County from 1999 to 2017.

More alarmingly, another broader pattern of toxic exposure emerged, involving per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Since their widespread utilization in the 1950s, these artificial chemicals have become ubiquitous in a wide array of commercial products because of their incredible heat and water resistance. Even the military recognized these advantageous properties, embedding them in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) as early as the 1960s to innovate a tool that can swiftly extinguish liquid flammable fires. However, such extensive employment has severely polluted the groundwater at more than 15 military sites in Virginia, including Vint Hill Farms east of Warren County. Tragically, that documented crisis has left numerous personnel susceptible to a variety of diseases, most disconcertingly leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and malignancies in kidney, reproductive organs, breast, and thyroid.

Addressing Gaps in the Recognition of PFAS-Related Illnesses

Despite progress in veterans’ toxic exposure policy in recent years, PFAS-related illnesses still occupy a complicated position within the current benefits framework. While the Honoring our PACT Act expanded recognition for several exposure-linked conditions affecting former service members, those associated with PFAS have still not been granted presumptive status under the law. Consequently, many victims continue to face presenting strong evidence demonstrating that their illnesses are directly connected to military service—a prerequisite that may hamper timely access to disability compensation or certain forms of medical support.

Amid this escalating issue, the proposed VET PFAS Act has emerged as part of a wider congressional effort to address lingering gaps in toxic exposure policy affecting veterans. Virtually, the legislation would help create a presumptive pathway for certain PFAS-related illnesses among eligible veterans—reducing the extensive documentation and proof often required under the existing claims process. Once enacted, the measure could significantly ease access to medical care and other benefits for personnel in need of critical support. In many respects, the proposal reflects a broader shift toward acknowledging that some exposure risks were deeply embedded within routine military duties rather than isolated incidents.

For communities like Warren County, Virginia, where military service remains closely tied to local identity, the conversation extends beyond legislation alone, especially during this month’s tribute. National Military Appreciation Month serves not only as a tribute to sacrifice and service but also as a reminder that the long-term consequences of military duty do not always end with discharge papers or retirement ceremonies. As policymakers continue evaluating measures like the VET PFAS Act, greater attention toward the cumulative impact of toxic exposure may prove essential to ensuring that military recognition is accompanied by sustained institutional support.

Cristina Johnson

Cristina Johnson serves as a veteran advocate at the Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit that raises awareness of veterans’ exposure to toxic substances.

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