Keesler Air Force Base

Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation in Biloxi, in Harrison County along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The base was activated on June 12, 1941, and dedicated as Keesler Field on August 25, 1941, and it has served as a center for technical and ground training since World War II. Today it is home to the 81st Training Wing, the host unit, and falls under Second Air Force, providing technical training in fields such as electronics, communications, air traffic control, weather, and information management. Tens of thousands of students pass through its training programs, making Keesler one of the Air Force's principal technical training hubs. The installation has remained an active training base throughout its history.

As with many long-operating military airfields, environmental sampling at Keesler has raised concerns about the possible presence of certain chemicals in groundwater. These concerns relate primarily to firefighting materials used in training and emergency response over many decades. The following contaminants have been documented in connection with the base.

1. PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. At Keesler, PFAS have been reported in groundwater samples, with the contamination linked to past use of firefighting foam. PFAS have been associated in some studies with a range of potential health effects, and there are ongoing concerns about potential long-term exposure through drinking water.
2. PFOS: PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the most studied individual PFAS compounds and was a common ingredient in older firefighting foams. It was among the substances reported in groundwater at the base. PFOS has been associated with possible effects on the immune system and other health concerns, which is why monitoring of affected areas has continued.
3. PFOA: PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another individual PFAS compound historically connected to firefighting foam and industrial uses. It was identified alongside other PFAS in sampling at Keesler. PFOA has been associated in research with potential health concerns, and questions about cumulative exposure remain part of ongoing review.
4. AFFF: AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is the firefighting foam widely used at military airfields to suppress fuel fires during training and emergencies. AFFF used at Keesler is understood to be the source of the PFAS, PFOS, and PFOA reported in groundwater. Because AFFF formulations contained these compounds, concerns about potential exposure have focused on areas where the foam was historically applied or stored.

Keesler Air Force Base is not listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List. According to EPA records, the site is not on the NPL and has been deferred to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA Subtitle C) program. Investigation and monitoring of PFAS in groundwater have been carried out by the Air Force, and those activities are described as ongoing.

Veterans, family members, and others who lived or worked at Keesler Air Force Base may wish to stay informed as the Air Force continues its environmental investigation and monitoring. Anyone with questions about possible exposure or related health matters is encouraged to speak with the Department of Veterans Affairs and to consult official Air Force and EPA updates as they become available.