Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base

Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base is a New York Air National Guard installation located at Gabreski Airport (also known as Francis S. Gabreski Airport) in Westhampton Beach, Suffolk County, on the eastern end of Long Island. The site was built in 1943 as Suffolk County Army Air Field and was used through the early Cold War period before military flying operations resumed in 1970, when the Air National Guard relocated a unit there. The base is named after Colonel Francis Stanley Gabreski, a leading American fighter ace of World War II who later flew in the Korean War. Today the installation is home to the 106th Rescue Wing, which conducts combat search and rescue missions using HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. The airfield itself is owned by Suffolk County, while the Air National Guard operates the military portion of the property.

Concerns about potential exposure at Gabreski center on firefighting chemicals used in training and emergency response. Beginning in the 1970s, foam-based fire suppression products were used at the base, and these have been associated with contamination of soil, groundwater, and dozens of nearby private drinking water wells.

1. AFFF: Aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, is a firefighting foam developed to extinguish fuel fires of the kind associated with aircraft operations. At Gabreski, AFFF was reportedly used in fire training and response beginning in the 1970s, including at a former fire training area at the airport. Because the foam was a source of the chemicals described below, its historic use has been associated with the contamination concerns documented at the site.
2. PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a large family of manufactured chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. AFFF used at the base contained PFAS compounds, which are persistent in the environment and have been detected in groundwater and private wells near the installation. Research has associated certain PFAS exposures with a range of potential health effects, though findings continue to be studied.
3. PFOS: Perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, is a specific PFAS compound that was a common ingredient in older AFFF formulations. PFOS was first detected in public supply wells near Gabreski in 2014 and was later found in private wells sampled in the surrounding area. Exposure to PFOS has been associated in some studies with potential health concerns.
4. PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, is a related PFAS compound that was also identified in drinking water wells near the base during community sampling. Like PFOS, PFOA is persistent and has been the subject of ongoing research into possible health effects associated with long-term exposure.

In September 2016, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) declared the Air National Guard base at Gabreski Airport a Class 2 State Superfund site, meaning the agency considered it a significant threat warranting action under the state program. The site was not placed on the federal National Priorities List. NYSDEC identified the U.S. Department of Defense as a potentially responsible party for the PFOS contamination, and affected homes with contaminated private wells were connected to the public water supply through the Suffolk County Water Authority, which also conducted sampling.

Veterans, civilian employees, and family members who lived or worked at or near Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base may wish to stay informed as investigation and cleanup efforts continue. Those with questions about possible exposure are encouraged to keep records of their service or residency and to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a qualified medical provider about available health resources and benefits.