Dobbins Air Reserve Base

Dobbins Air Reserve Base is an active Air Force Reserve installation located in Marietta, Georgia, about twenty miles northwest of Atlanta and adjacent to Air Force Plant 6. The site traces its origins to a World War II era airfield and was later renamed Dobbins Air Force Base in 1950 in honor of Captain Charles M. Dobbins of Marietta. In June 1992 it was redesignated Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Today the 94th Airlift Wing serves as the host unit, and the base supports a range of tenant organizations, making it one of the busier air reserve installations in the country. Over its history the base has supported aircraft testing, airlift operations, and reserve training missions.

As with many long established military airfields, concerns about potential environmental exposure at Dobbins center on chemicals used in routine flightline and firefighting operations. Air Force site inspection reports have documented groundwater contamination at the base, and Dobbins has been identified as one of four confirmed military PFAS sites in Georgia. A Department of Defense Inspector General review found that the department had not acted promptly to protect service members and surrounding communities from these substances.

1. AFFF (aqueous film forming foam): Firefighters at Dobbins used AFFF beginning in the 1970s during fire training exercises and in response to aircraft emergencies, and the foam reportedly leaked at times from storage tanks. Because this foam is the primary source of the other contaminants discussed below, it has been associated with concerns about long term soil and groundwater impacts at the installation.
2. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): PFAS are a large family of synthetic chemicals that were key ingredients in the firefighting foam used at Dobbins. Often called forever chemicals because they break down very slowly, PFAS have been detected in groundwater on the base and have been associated in some studies with a range of potential health concerns.
3. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate): PFOS is one of the specific PFAS compounds historically found in older firefighting foam formulations such as those used at Dobbins. Research has examined possible links between PFOS exposure and certain health effects, though findings continue to be studied.
4. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid): PFOA is another individual PFAS compound associated with legacy AFFF and industrial uses. Like related substances, it has been the subject of ongoing research into potential health concerns, and it is among the chemicals of interest in groundwater assessments at the base.

Dobbins Air Reserve Base is not listed on the National Priorities List as a federal Superfund site. Investigation and any cleanup of PFAS related contamination are being handled through the Department of Defense environmental restoration process, under which the Air Force has completed a series of site inspection reports. Those reports identified groundwater contamination at the base while concluding that the Air Force did not detect PFAS in its own drinking water supply. Public reporting has noted that broader cleanup planning at Dobbins and other Georgia bases has experienced delays.

Veterans, reservists, and civilian personnel who served or worked at Dobbins and have questions about possible exposure may wish to stay informed as investigations and remediation efforts continue. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is the appropriate resource for questions about health screening, benefits, and eligibility, and discussing your service history with a VA representative or your health care provider can help you understand your individual situation.