Creech Air Force Base

Creech Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation in Clark County, Nevada, near Indian Springs and roughly 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The site was first developed during the early 1940s as Indian Springs Airport and supported air-to-air gunnery training, and it later operated for many years under the Indian Springs designation while supporting activities at the Nevada Test and Training Range. The base was renamed Creech Air Force Base in 2005 in honor of retired General Wilbur L. Creech, who had commanded Tactical Air Command. Today the installation is best known as a hub for remotely piloted aircraft operations, where the 432nd Wing flies MQ-9 Reaper missions. Because of this long and varied history, parts of the base have come under environmental review.

Like many long-operating military airfields, Creech Air Force Base has drawn attention because of concerns about potential exposure to certain industrial and firefighting compounds. Environmental sampling and reporting have focused on chemicals associated with decades of aircraft operations and fire response activity at the site.

1. PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a large family of synthetic chemicals once widely used for their water- and grease-resistant properties. At Creech, PFAS have been associated with the use of firefighting foam during training and emergency response. Public reporting indicates that PFAS were not found in the base drinking water but were detected in groundwater at levels above health-based screening values. PFAS have been studied for possible links to a range of health effects, and many veterans and nearby residents have expressed concerns about potential exposure.
2. AFFF: Aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, is a firefighting agent historically used to suppress petroleum-based fires at airfields and is a primary source of PFAS in the environment. AFFF use at Creech Air Force Base has been identified as the likely origin of the PFAS detected in groundwater at the installation. The persistence of these compounds in soil and water has been the focus of ongoing analysis, and concerns about potential long-term exposure remain part of the discussion around the base.

An October 2021 Department of Defense report identified Creech among several Nevada installations, including Nellis, Hawthorne, and Fallon, where PFAS analysis and remediation were underway following AFFF use. Creech Air Force Base is not listed on the National Priorities List as a Superfund site. Cleanup and investigation are being carried out through the Defense Department environmental restoration process, and officials have indicated that fully defining and addressing PFAS contamination across affected installations is expected to take many years.

Veterans who served at Creech Air Force Base, along with their families, may wish to stay informed as testing and cleanup work continues. Those with questions about possible exposure are encouraged to keep their own records and to consult the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about current guidance, screening options, and any benefits for which they may be eligible.