Malmstrom Air Force Base

Malmstrom Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation located near Great Falls in central Montana. It was established in 1942 as Great Falls Army Air Base and initially served as a training facility for airmen preparing for B-17 Flying Fortress missions during World War II. The base was renamed in 1955 in honor of Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom, and in the early 1960s it took on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) mission that defined its Cold War role. Today the base operates and maintains a portion of the nation's Minuteman III ICBM force, with missiles housed in hardened underground silos spread across a large area of central Montana.

Like many long-operating military airfields, Malmstrom has been the focus of environmental investigations into substances used in past firefighting, maintenance, and training activities. Sampling has identified contamination in groundwater at the base, and these findings have raised concerns about potential exposure for personnel who lived or worked there and for nearby communities. The contaminants below are those documented in connection with the installation.

1. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. At Malmstrom, PFAS entered the environment largely through the historical use of firefighting foam in training and emergency response. Because these compounds break down very slowly, PFAS have been associated in research with a range of potential health concerns, and the base is among 140 Department of Defense sites with extended PFAS investigation and remediation timelines.
2. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is a specific PFAS compound that was a common ingredient in older firefighting foams. Groundwater sampling at Malmstrom in 2018 detected PFOS at approximately 1,900 parts per trillion, far above the 4 parts per trillion limit the EPA set for drinking water in 2024. PFOS has been studied for possible associations with several health effects, prompting concerns about potential exposure.
3. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another PFAS compound often found alongside PFOS at sites where firefighting foam was used. It is among the substances addressed in the base's PFAS investigation, and like related compounds it has been associated in studies with potential long-term health concerns when present in drinking water.
4. AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is the firefighting foam itself, used to suppress fuel fires during training exercises and emergencies. AFFF historically contained PFOS and PFOA, and its repeated use at Malmstrom is identified as the primary source of the PFAS detected in groundwater. Concerns about potential exposure relate to the PFAS chemicals the foam carried into soil and water.

Malmstrom Air Force Base is not listed on the National Priorities List (Superfund) and is instead tracked by the EPA as a federal facility under a Department of Defense-lead cleanup program. According to a 2025 Department of Defense progress report, the planned completion date for the base's remedial investigation and feasibility study shifted from September 2026 to June 2032, part of a broader extension affecting roughly 140 military sites. Investigation and remediation of the documented PFAS contamination remain ongoing.

Veterans and family members who served or lived at Malmstrom Air Force Base may wish to stay informed as environmental investigations continue and cleanup standards evolve. Anyone with questions about possible exposure and related health matters is encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and a personal healthcare provider, who can offer guidance based on individual circumstances.