Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos

Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos is a military installation in Orange County, California, used today by the California Army National Guard, the California Air National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve, and other federal reserve component units. Its Navy lineage traces to a Naval Reserve Air Base established at Long Beach in 1928, with flight operations relocating to the new Los Alamitos site, where the base was commissioned as Naval Reserve Air Base Los Alamitos in 1942. It was redesignated Naval Air Station Los Alamitos in 1943, supporting Navy aviation training through World War II and the decades that followed. In 1973 the California Army National Guard took operational control of the airfield from the Navy, and the rest of the property transferred to Guard control in 1977. The installation took its current name in 2000 to reflect its joint use by multiple components. For much of its history the base has supported aviation operations, which historically involved firefighting and fire training activities.

Like many installations with a long aviation history, Los Alamitos has been associated with concerns about potential exposure to certain contaminants in soil and water, drawing attention from state and federal environmental agencies. The contaminants documented at the base are described below.

1. PFAS: PFAS are a large family of synthetic "forever chemicals" used in many industrial and firefighting products. At Los Alamitos, PFAS have been linked to decades of firefighting foam use, and the base has been ranked among the most PFAS affected installations on the Army's list. PFAS have been associated in some studies with concerns about effects on the immune system, liver, and certain cancers, though research is continuing.
2. PFOS: PFOS is a specific PFAS compound that was a common ingredient in older firefighting foams. Testing reported at the base measured PFOS near 16,800 parts per trillion, far above the federal advisory level used at the time. PFOS has been associated with potential health concerns in some research, and exposure remains under study.
3. PFOA: PFOA is another individual PFAS compound historically found in foams and other products. Testing at the base reported PFOA near 166,000 parts per trillion, thousands of times above the federal advisory level applied at the time. PFOA has been the subject of concerns about potential long term health effects, and investigation is ongoing.
4. AFFF: AFFF, or aqueous film forming foam, is the firefighting foam widely used at military airfields to suppress fuel fires. At Los Alamitos, decades of AFFF use during fire response and training are understood to be the primary source of the PFAS, PFOS, and PFOA detected at the base. Because AFFF can carry these compounds into soil and groundwater, officials have raised concerns about PFAS potentially migrating toward community groundwater.

The base is not listed on the National Priorities List as a federal Superfund site. It appears on the California State Water Resources Control Board's military PFAS list and within Department of Defense PFAS assessments, and it is being addressed under the federal environmental restoration process administered by the Army and the Department of Defense. A remedial investigation has been underway to characterize the extent of PFAS, and additional interim cleanup steps were announced in 2024. Officials have described the cleanup as a multi-year effort that will proceed as funding allows.

Veterans, Guard members, and family members who lived or worked at Los Alamitos and have questions about possible exposure are encouraged to stay informed as testing and investigation continue. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is the best starting point for current guidance on health resources and benefits, and discussing any specific concerns with a VA representative or personal physician can help individuals understand what options may apply to their situation.