Eaker Air Force Base
Blytheville, AR
Known Toxins1
Years of Operation1942-1992
Base Background
This base first opened in 1942 as a training field for pilots. After closing for just under a decade, the base re-opened in 1955 as the Blytheville Air Force Base. The base’s main focus became bomber training. It was later renamed Eaker AFB in 1988. Following its closure in 1992, the site was used for the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. Environmental cleanup and restoration began on the site in 1984 under the direction of the EPA and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
Toxic Exposure at Eaker AFB
The primary concern at Eaker is PFAS contamination in soil and groundwater, tied to historic use of AFFF during training, emergencies, or maintenance activities. Because PFAS compounds are persistent (hence their nickname of “forever chemicals”), they don’t break down readily in the environment, making containment and remediation more challenging.
The Arkansas Attorney General has filed lawsuits targeting PFAS manufacturers, citing the presence of PFAS contamination at military bases in Arkansas, including the former Eaker site and Little Rock Air Force Base, as grounds for liability. Veterans who lived or worked at or near Eaker AFB may be eligible for VA disability benefits, if they can prove PFAS exposure and its connection to their medical conditions. Get in touch with our VA disability lawyers for a free evaluation of your case.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the medical conditions associated with toxic exposure at this base, classified by the strength of evidence required (strong, good or limited).* Please keep in mind that it is not a complete list.
| Toxin | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| PFAS (Firefighting Foam) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Testicular cancer Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer |
If you were stationed or worked at the former Eaker Air Force Base and have experience adverse health effects, you may be eligible for benefits.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.