Base Background
George Air Force Base opened during World War II and was originally called Victorville Army Flying School. The main mission of the base was to support and train tactile fighters and air crews. Flight training continues until the base’s closure in 1992.
Since many of the aircraft maintenance activities produced hazardous waste, the Air Force launched cleanup efforts in 1981. Targeted areas included contaminated groundwater and soil.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the toxins associated with this military location and the potential effects of exposure.*
| Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Dioxins | Potential Effects | - | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism | Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility), Peripheral neuropathy, Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate), Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Cataracts |
| Jet Fuel | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Pesticides/Insecticides | Potential Effects | Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Contact dermatitis Irritant, Contact dermatitis Allergic | Testicular cancer, Renal (kidney) cancer, Porphyria toxic, Photosensitivity, Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Multiple myeloma, Childhood Leukemias, Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma | Wilm's Tumor, Vasculitis, Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Thyroid cancer, Thrombocytopenic purpura, Soft tissue sarcoma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Retinoblastoma, Pneumonia, Melanoma, Laryngeal cancer, Esophageal cancer, Congenital malformations general, Cirrhosis, Cervical cancer, Bronchitis chronic, Bronchitis acute, Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPE) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | Potential Effects | Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) | Scleroderma, Renal (kidney) cancer, Psychiatric disturbances, Lymphoma non Hodgkin's, Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer), Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth), Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium, Cirrhosis, Childhood Leukemias, Cardiac congenital malformations, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Arrhythmias | Trigeminal neuropathy, Testicular cancer, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Raynaud's phenomenon, Prostate cancer, Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatitis, Pancreatic cancer, Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate), Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Nephrotic syndrome, Multiple myeloma, Lung cancer, Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, Hodgkin's Disease (lymphoma), Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias), Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Choanal atresia, Cervical cancer, Brain cancer adult, Adult-Onset Leukemias, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, Acute tubular necrosis |
Contamination also included medical wastes, construction debris, and various inorganic compounds.
If you were stationed, lived, or worked on George Air Force Base and experienced adverse health effects, you may be eligible for compensation.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
