Altus Air Force Base

Altus Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force installation located near Altus in southwestern Oklahoma. The site began as Altus Army Air Field in 1943, when it trained pilots to fly twin-engine aircraft during World War II, and the Army stopped using the field in 1945. The base reopened on August 1, 1953, as a training facility for transport aircraft, and over the following decades it became a center for airlift and aerial refueling instruction. Today the base is home to the 97th Air Mobility Wing, which provides formal flight and maintenance training for crews operating the C-17 Globemaster III, the KC-135 Stratotanker, and the KC-46 Pegasus. Its long-standing mission has made it one of the principal mobility training hubs in the Air Force.

As with many installations where firefighting foam was used over many years, Altus Air Force Base has been identified among Oklahoma military sites with concerns about potential exposure to certain persistent chemicals. The base was included in an expanded Department of Defense investigation announced in 2020. The contaminants of concern at the base are associated primarily with firefighting foam used in training and emergency response.

1. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. At Altus, PFAS have been associated with the use of firefighting foam near the flightline, and the chemicals have been reported in groundwater beneath portions of the base. PFAS are persistent in the environment and have been studied for possible associations with various health effects, though research is ongoing.
2. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the specific PFAS compounds historically found in firefighting foam. It has been among the substances detected during PFAS sampling connected to the base. PFOS has been the subject of health research, and concerns about potential exposure have prompted continued testing.
3. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another PFAS compound associated with older foam formulations and industrial uses. It has been included among the chemicals examined in groundwater investigations related to the installation. Like other PFAS, PFOA has been studied for possible long-term health concerns.
4. AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is the firefighting foam identified as the primary source of PFAS at Altus Air Force Base. It was used by military personnel during fire-suppression training and response, and its repeated use is understood to be how PFAS entered soil and groundwater at the site. Concerns about potential exposure stem largely from the historical use of this foam.

Altus Air Force Base is not listed on the National Priorities List as a federal Superfund site. Investigation and response activities have been carried out by the Air Force, which has generally addressed PFAS under the framework of the federal CERCLA process, emphasizing data collection, sampling, and public involvement. The Air Force has used Restoration Advisory Boards and similar mechanisms at installations to share information with the community, and the investigation related to Altus remains ongoing.

Veterans, civilian employees, and family members who lived or worked at Altus Air Force Base may wish to stay informed as testing and cleanup work continues. Anyone with questions about possible exposure or related health matters is encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a personal healthcare provider, who can offer guidance based on individual circumstances and the most current information available.