Little Rock Air Force Base
Jacksonville, AR
Known Toxins2
Years of Operation1955-
Base Background
Little Rock Air Force Base opened on October 9, 1955 in Jacksonville, Arkansas, and its mission shifted from Strategic Air Command bombers and reconnaissance aircraft to Titan II intercontinental ballistic missiles in the 1960s. Today the base is home to the 19th Airlift Wing, which supports the largest C-130 fleet in the Department of Defense, alongside the 314th Airlift Wing’s international C-130 training program, the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 189th Airlift Wing, and the Air Force Reserve’s 913th Airlift Group.
Toxic Exposure at Little Rock Air Force Base
A skeet range active through the 1960s and 1970s and decades of firefighting-foam use have both left contamination behind at Little Rock, potentially exposing anyone stationed there long before either was ever addressed.
Lead Contamination
Soil testing across Little Rock Air Force Base turned up dangerously high lead levels on a stretch of land once used as the base skeet range through the 1960s and 1970s. Anyone stationed, working, or training near that site during those decades could have been exposed to lead-contaminated soil long before crews finally dug it out in 2010 and 2011, hauling away close to 36 million pounds, about 18,000 tons, from roughly 15 acres. Find out more about the effects of lead exposure.
PFAS
Like most Air Force bases, Little Rock has used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) in firefighting training for decades, a practice now linked to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination across the military. The Department of Defense has completed its preliminary assessment at Little Rock and is now conducting a full remedial investigation, which the Air Force does not expect to conclude until September 2035.
If a diagnosis you or a loved one received traces back to time spent at Little Rock Air Force Base, our VA disability lawyers can help you figure out where you stand. Get a free case evaluation here to explore your legal options.
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 | ||
| Lead | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Seizures Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Hypertension Gout Developmental Delay Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Chronic renal disease Behavioral problems Anemia hemolytic ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Psychiatric disturbances... Preterm delivery Porphyria toxic Pancreatic cancer Nephrotic syndrome Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hearing loss Glomerulonephritis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Delayed growth Cardiomyopathy Arrhythmias Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) |
Wilm's Tumor Uterine cancer... Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Stomach cancer Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Osteoporosis Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Lung cancer Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Erectile dysfunction Diabetes Type II Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Colorectal cancer Carcinoid Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Bladder cancer Alzheimer's Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| PFAS (Firefighting Foam) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Testicular cancer Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer |
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
Paths to Compensation
Veterans and civilians who lived or worked at or near Little Rock Air Force Base may be able to receive compensation if they developed health conditions associated with toxic exposure. This would require:
- Documenting the time spent at the base using service records and other documentation
- Gathering comprehensive medical evidence
- Obtaining expert medical opinions to establish a link between the diagnosed medical conditions and the toxic exposure
Our VA-accredited lawyers know what it takes to win a toxic exposure claim. Contact us for a free evaluation: we specialize in disability law and work on a contingency basis, with no upfront fees.