What to Do If You Were Exposed to PFAS: A Practical Guide for Service Members and Families

If you served on a military installation and have heard about PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, sometimes called forever chemicals), it is reasonable to want a clear plan rather than alarm. This guide walks through how to learn whether your base was affected, what a PFAS blood test can and cannot tell you, ways to reduce ongoing exposure, the health conditions worth raising with a doctor, and the benefit pathways open to veterans. None of this is medical or legal advice, and the science is still evolving, but knowing the steps can help you make informed choices.

How to Find Out If Your Base Had PFAS

Much of the PFAS found on military property has been linked to aqueous film forming foam, the firefighting foam known as AFFF. The Department of Defense required PFAS based foam for fire training and aircraft fire suppression for more than five decades, with some use dating back to the 1960s. Independent analysis by the Environmental Working Group has identified hundreds of installations with confirmed or suspected PFAS, reporting confirmed detections at 455 sites and concerns at many more.

A good starting point is our own exposure check tool, which lets you match your service history against known contamination, and our detailed pages on PFAS and AFFF. Some bases also overlap with other contaminants such as TCE, so checking the full picture for your installation matters. Installations like Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam and Camp Lejeune have well documented water concerns, and the EPA has continued to expand sampling near Army installations.

The Option and Limits of PFAS Blood Testing

A blood test can measure PFAS levels in your body, and in 2022 the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) issued clinical guidance for clinicians on how to interpret those results. NASEM suggested decisions be based on the sum of seven PFAS compounds. Roughly, a total below 2 nanograms per milliliter calls for standard preventive care, a total between 2 and 20 ng/mL warrants encouraging exposure reduction and screening for high cholesterol, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and breast cancer, and a total at or above 20 ng/mL adds thyroid testing along with screening for kidney cancer (age over 45) and assessment for testicular cancer and ulcerative colitis (age over 15).

It is important to be clear about what a test does not do. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), PFAS blood results do not identify the source of exposure, do not indicate whether a current illness can be attributed to PFAS, and do not predict future health outcomes. Because PFAS are so widespread, ATSDR notes that the vast majority of people already have measurable levels. NASEM itself acknowledged that interpretation is challenging, since the exposure level at which harm may occur is unknown and the underlying science is advancing quickly. A test can help inform monitoring, but it cannot deliver a verdict.

Steps to Reduce Ongoing Exposure

There is currently no approved medical treatment to remove PFAS from the body, so reducing what comes in is the practical focus. ATSDR and CDC point to several reasonable measures:

1. Find out whether your current drinking water has been tested, and if levels of concern are reported, consider an alternative water source or a filtration system certified to reduce PFAS.
2. Eat a varied diet, since some exposure has been associated with certain fish from contaminated waters.
3. If your work involves potential PFAS contact, ask about occupational health resources and protective practices.
4. Check local advisories from your water utility, state health department, or installation environmental office.

These steps will not undo past exposure, but researchers suggest that lowering ongoing intake is a sensible goal while the evidence continues to develop.

Health Monitoring and Conditions to Discuss With a Doctor

Epidemiological studies have associated some PFAS with a set of health effects, though associations are not the same as proof of cause in any one person. ATSDR describes evidence linking certain PFAS to increases in cholesterol, a lower antibody response to some vaccines, changes in liver enzymes, pregnancy related high blood pressure and preeclampsia, small decreases in birth weight, and kidney and testicular cancer. The agency uses careful language, noting that animal study results do not always correlate with human health effects.

If you believe you were exposed, it is worth bringing your service history to your primary care provider and discussing age appropriate screening, including for the conditions above. Sharing the NASEM thresholds with your clinician may help frame what monitoring, if any, makes sense for you.

VA Screening and Benefit Pathways

The VA offers a toxic exposure screening to all veterans enrolled in VA health care, intended to be repeated at least once every five years. It is a brief conversation, often five to ten minutes, in which a provider asks whether you believe you experienced toxic exposures during service and connects you to further resources if you answer yes. You can request one at an appointment or by contacting a toxic exposure screening navigator at your local VA facility.

For benefits, PFAS related claims generally follow the same route as other toxic exposure claims. Our guide on filing a VA disability claim for toxic exposure walks through documentation, and our overview of the PACT Act explains how toxic exposure law has expanded. You can review the current list of presumptive conditions, estimate a rating with our disability calculator, and, for families who have lost a loved one, read about survivor benefits. More help is gathered on our resources page. PFAS policy is still evolving, so keeping records of your service locations and any testing now can make a future claim easier.