Joint Base Charleston

Joint Base Charleston is a joint Air Force and Navy installation located near Charleston, South Carolina. Its aviation history traces to Charleston Army Airfield, with origins dating to 1941 in support of World War II operations, which later became Charleston Air Force Base. On October 1, 2010, following recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, Charleston Air Force Base combined with Naval Weapons Station Charleston to form the present joint base. The installation is hosted by the 628th Air Base Wing, which provides support to dozens of Department of Defense and federal agencies, while the 437th Airlift Wing operates the C-17 Globemaster III in support of worldwide strategic airlift. The base remains an active hub for military airlift and support missions in the Lowcountry region.

Like many installations with long histories of aircraft operations and fire training, Joint Base Charleston has been associated with environmental concerns tied to the chemicals used in those activities. Decades of firefighting foam use have been linked to contamination of groundwater and surface water on and around the base, and the installation is one of four South Carolina Air Force sites documented as affected by these compounds. The contaminants below have been identified in connection with the base, and their presence has raised concerns about potential exposure for those who lived or worked in the area.

1. AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is a firefighting foam used to suppress fuel fires and was applied for decades during training exercises and emergency response at the base. AFFF is the primary documented source of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds found in the local environment, and exposure to its constituents has been associated in some studies with a range of health concerns.
2. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil and used in AFFF. Air Force site inspections in 2018 reported groundwater PFAS concentrations on base in the range of roughly 1.18 million parts per trillion, and a stream draining the runway was found to carry total PFAS near 3,000 parts per trillion as it flowed toward the Ashley River. PFAS persist in the environment and the body, and research has examined possible associations with various health effects.
3. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the most studied PFAS compounds and a common component of legacy firefighting foam. Testing of the runway-draining stream reported PFOS at roughly 809 parts per trillion. PFOS has been the subject of ongoing study regarding its persistence and potential health concerns.
4. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another PFAS compound documented among the chemicals associated with the base. Like related compounds, PFOA breaks down very slowly and has been examined in research concerning possible long-term health effects from exposure.

Joint Base Charleston is not listed on the National Priorities List as a Superfund site. Instead, the contamination is being addressed through the Department of Defense and Air Force environmental investigation process under the federal CERCLA framework, which began with preliminary assessments and site inspections, including the 2018 sampling that documented elevated PFAS levels. Oversight involves coordination with South Carolina environmental authorities as investigation and any further response actions proceed.

Veterans, civilian employees, and family members who spent time at Joint Base Charleston may wish to stay informed as testing and cleanup efforts continue. Those with questions about potential exposure are encouraged to keep records of their service or residence at the installation and to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about available health resources and benefits.