Cecil Naval Air Station
Jacksonville, FL
25
1941-1994


Base Background
Located in Duval County 14 miles southwest of Jacksonville, Florida, this base was first commissioned as the U.S. Naval Auxiliary Air Station Cecil Field in 1941. The Navy then added 2,000 additional acres to make the site a master jet base. In 1951, the base became Naval Air Station Cecil Field and focused on the maintenance and operations of weapons and aircrafts until its closure on September 30, 1999. The Navy transferred control of the site to the county and city parks departments, as well as the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.
Toxic Exposure at NAS Cecil Field
The installation quickly became an environmental concern, earning a place on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priorities List in 1989. Investigations revealed extensive contamination across multiple areas, with twelve “operable units” and twenty-four separate contaminated sites identified.
NAS Cecil Field Contaminants
Facility operations generated a wide range of hazardous waste materials, including municipal solid waste, industrial wastes, waste oils, solvents, paints, spilled fuels, and waste pesticides. The contamination extended across various environmental media, including shallow groundwater, surface water, and soils. Of particular concern were potential exposures to fuel components, volatile compounds (VOCs), and contaminants in specific areas like the Jet Fuel Pipeline and Site 15 (Blue Ordnance Area).
If you developed related health issues after living or working at or near NAS Cecil Field, you may be eligible for compensation. 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 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Strong | Good | Limited | ||
Alpha-chlordane | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Antimony | Potential Effects | Bronchitis chronic |
COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Arrhythmias |
Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation... Menstrual disorders Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bladder cancer Anemia hemolytic Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Arsenic | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation... Diabetes Type II Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
Steatosis (fatty liver) Skeletal malformations... Renal (kidney) cancer Raynaud's phenomenon Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nasal septal perforation Myocardial ischemia Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Hypertension Hepatoportal Sclerosis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Congenital malformations general Cirrhosis Cardiomyopathy Bladder cancer Arrhythmias Anemia hemolytic Alopecia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Myelodysplastic syndrome... Metal fume fever Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Acute tubular necrosis |
Barium | Potential Effects | - | - | Sarcoidosis Arrhythmias |
Benzene | Potential Effects | Myelodysplastic syndrome Multiple myeloma... Aplastic anemia |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Preterm delivery Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Peripheral neuropathy Neural tube defects/CNS malformations... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Lung cancer Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Cardiac congenital malformations Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Asthma irritant |
Benzo A Pyrene | Potential Effects | Lung cancer |
Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Lung cancer... Immune suppression Bladder cancer |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) |
Chlordane | Potential Effects | - | Porphyria toxic Peripheral neuropathy |
Soft tissue sarcoma Multiple Sclerosis... Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Lung cancer Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Childhood Leukemias Breast cancer Aplastic anemia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Chloroethene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Corrosives | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Ethylbenzene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Gamma-chlordane | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Iron | Potential Effects | Bronchitis chronic |
- | Soft tissue sarcoma Diabetes Type II... Brain cancer adult Alzheimer's |
Lead | Potential Effects | 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) |
Manganese | Potential Effects | Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Cholestasis |
Psychiatric disturbances Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumonia Peripheral neuropathy Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Bronchitis acute ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity |
Skeletal malformations Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Metal fume fever Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Erectile dysfunction Delayed growth COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Arrhythmias |
Naphthalene | Potential Effects | Methemoglobinemia |
Cataracts Anemia hemolytic |
- |
Nickel | Potential Effects | Asthma allergic |
Stomach cancer Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation Laryngeal cancer Immune suppression |
Soft tissue sarcoma Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer Myocardial ischemia Myelodysplastic syndrome Metal fume fever Mesothelioma Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Arrhythmias |
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) |
Petroleum | Potential Effects | - | - | Multiple myeloma Laryngeal cancer |
Phenols | Potential Effects | - | Asthma allergic |
- |
Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs) | Potential Effects | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Porphyria toxic... Developmental Delay Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Cirrhosis Chloracne Behavioral problems ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity |
Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer... Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia Delayed growth Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Bronchitis chronic Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Testicular cancer Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility)... Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Hypoactivity Hypertension Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation Hearing loss Endometriosis Diabetes Type I Breast cancer Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) Altered sex ratio |
Selenium | Potential Effects | - | - | Pulmonary edema Cirrhosis... Alopecia |
Solvents (misc.) | Potential Effects | Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Contact dermatitis Irritant |
Lung cancer |
Vasculitis Seizures... Rheumatoid arthritis Multiple Sclerosis |
Vanadium | Potential Effects | COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Bronchitis chronic... Asthma allergic |
Acute tubular necrosis |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Pneumonia... Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bronchitis acute |
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Potential Effects | Rhinitis irritant |
- | - |
Xylene | Potential Effects | - | Scleroderma Menstrual disorders... Arrhythmias |
Stomach cancer Peripheral neuropathy... Delayed growth Colorectal cancer Brain cancer adult Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
How to Get Compensation
Veterans and civilians who worked at or near Naval Air Station Cecil Field may be eligible for 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 diagnosed medical conditions and exposure to contaminants found at NAS Cecil Field
- Filing a claim
To win your case, you may need legal assistance. An experienced attorney can fight on your behalf and maximize VA benefits in Florida or your state or residence.
For a free evaluation of your case, please call us on 1-888-477-2363. We are Florida attorneys specialized in disability law and work on a contingency basis, with no upfront fees.