Camp Atterbury

Camp Atterbury is an Army National Guard training installation located near Edinburgh, Indiana, spanning parts of Bartholomew, Brown and Johnson counties in the central part of the state. The Army established the site in 1942, purchasing more than 700 family farms and several rural communities to create a mobilization platform, and during World War II the camp trained more than 275,000 troops and housed both a general hospital and a prisoner of war camp. The federal Army discontinued the installation as a Department of the Army post at the end of 1968, and the Military Department of Indiana assumed control on January 1, 1969. Today the base, part of the larger Atterbury-Muscatatuck complex, supports training for the Army National Guard, Active, Reserve and Joint Forces, and it can serve as a mobilization force generation installation when ordered.

Like many military installations where firefighting foam was stored or used, Camp Atterbury has been associated with concerns about potential groundwater contamination from a group of compounds commonly described as forever chemicals. In 2022, contractors reported detecting these substances in groundwater near a former firefighting-foam storage area on the north side of the base.

1. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals that resist heat, water and grease and break down very slowly in the environment. At Camp Atterbury, contractors detected PFAS in groundwater near a storage site at the corner of Headquarters Road and Durban Street, an area associated with current and former fire stations and the storage of foam. PFAS exposure has been associated in some studies with a range of health concerns, and these compounds remain under active study.
2. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the individual PFAS compounds that was widely used in firefighting foam formulations. It is among the substances investigated at installations where such foams were handled, including Camp Atterbury. Research has examined possible associations between PFOS exposure and various health effects, though findings continue to be evaluated.
3. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another individual PFAS compound historically linked to industrial and firefighting-foam uses. As part of the assessment at Camp Atterbury, PFOA is among the chemicals of interest in the groundwater investigation. Studies have explored potential health concerns related to PFOA exposure, and these questions remain a subject of ongoing scientific review.
4. AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) is a firefighting foam used to suppress fuel fires, and many older formulations contained PFAS. At Camp Atterbury, contractors observed emergency response carts containing PFAS-bearing foam at a storage facility and described that location as a potential release area, noting that incidental leaks or spills could occur during storage and transport. Because AFFF can carry PFAS into soil and groundwater, it is a focus of the investigation at the base.

Camp Atterbury is not listed on the National Priorities List as a Superfund site. The groundwater detections are being examined as part of the Department of Defense PFAS assessment program, which investigates installations where firefighting foam was used or stored. According to the reporting, contractors found PFAS in groundwater but stated that it did not affect the base water supply, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) tested the Camp Atterbury water supply and did not detect PFAS.

Veterans, civilian staff and family members who spent time at Camp Atterbury and have questions about possible exposure are encouraged to follow official updates from the Department of Defense and IDEM as the investigation continues. Those with health concerns may wish to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about benefits, screening options and current guidance.