Randolph Air Force Base
JBSA Randolph, TX
Known Toxins1
Years of Operation1930-Present
Base Background
Located in Bexar County, about 15 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio, extending into the neighboring cities of Universal City and Schertz, Randolph Air Force Base was dedicated June 20, 1930 as a flying training base and took its current name on January 13, 1948. Today it hosts the headquarters of Air Education and Training Command and the 12th Flying Training Wing. Since a 2010 BRAC consolidation, Randolph has been administered together with Lackland Air Force Base and Fort Sam Houston under Joint Base San Antonio.
Toxic Exposure at Randolph AFB
Firefighting foam containing PFOS and PFOA has been sprayed at Randolph’s fire-training areas since 1970, part of a practice common across the military. A 2017 Air Force-wide groundwater study found PFOS reaching 120,000 parts per trillion at Randolph’s highest-testing site, per a 2019 news investigation into the Air Force’s own results, and a separate 2018 Department of Defense dataset put the combined PFOS-and-PFOA reading there as high as 182,000 parts per trillion, alongside several other PFAS compounds including PFBS and PFHxS. Joint Base San Antonio’s own Installation Support Section Chief has confirmed the PFAS contamination was found in on-base groundwater.
Getting Compensation
Randolph’s training history means service members stationed there for any length of time could have come into contact with the PFAS contamination, and the resulting conditions often take years to surface. The chart below matches the PFAS documented at this base to the conditions they’re linked to. Get a free evaluation to learn what your claim could be worth: our best disability lawyers can fight on your behalf for what you’re owed.
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 |
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
Veterans stationed at Randolph Air Force Base who later experienced health issues associated with toxic exposure but were denied or underrated by the VA should pursue their claims to obtain compensation, as well disabled veteran benefits for themselves and their families. Our VA-accredited attorneys focus on winning appeals for veterans and eligible survivors alike, and charge nothing unless successful.