Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force installation located approximately eight miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. The facility began in 1941 as the Las Vegas Army Air Field, which trained aerial gunners during World War II, and was later renamed Nellis Air Force Base on April 30, 1950, in honor of 1st Lieutenant William Harrell Nellis, a Nevada fighter pilot killed during the Battle of the Bulge. Over the following decades its mission evolved from gunnery instruction toward advanced fighter and combat training. Today Nellis falls under Air Combat Command and is home to the United States Air Force Warfare Center, and it hosts the well known Red Flag exercises that began in 1975. The base and the adjoining Nevada Test and Training Range have long supported large scale training involving aircraft and fuels.

Like many installations with extensive aviation and firefighting activity, Nellis has been associated with environmental concerns about potential exposure to certain industrial chemicals. Investigations by the Department of Defense have focused in particular on a family of compounds detected in groundwater beneath the base, and these findings have drawn attention from Nevada officials and members of Congress.

1. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. At Nellis, PFAS have been detected in groundwater at levels reported to be above health based screening values, with the contamination traced largely to past firefighting activities. PFAS exposure has been associated in some studies with a range of health concerns, which is why ongoing testing and monitoring continue.
2. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is one of the PFAS compounds commonly identified in sampling at military sites. It was a primary ingredient in older firefighting foam formulations, and its presence in groundwater at Nellis is among the substances the Air Force has analyzed. PFOS has been associated with potential health effects in some research, and federal agencies have set advisory levels reflecting concerns about long term exposure.
3. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another PFAS compound frequently tested for alongside PFOS at affected installations. It can persist in the environment and has been associated in some studies with concerns about potential health impacts. Sampling related to firefighting foam use at Nellis has included analysis for PFOA as part of broader PFAS characterization.
4. AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) is the firefighting foam used for decades to suppress petroleum based fires during training and emergency response. AFFF contained PFAS compounds, and its repeated use at Nellis is understood to be the principal source of the PFAS detected in groundwater. Concerns about exposure stem from the way these foams can migrate into soil and water over time.

Regarding cleanup status, EPA records classify Nellis Air Force Base as not listed on the National Priorities List, with the site instead deferred to corrective action under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA Subtitle C). The Air Force has reported that no PFAS has been found in drinking water at the base so far, while acknowledging PFAS in groundwater, and the Department of Defense has identified Nellis among Nevada installations undergoing PFAS analysis. Nevada elected officials have pressed federal agencies for clearer timelines on PFAS investigation and cleanup at the base.

Veterans and family members who lived or served at Nellis may wish to stay informed as environmental testing and remediation continue. Those with questions about possible exposure are encouraged to keep records of their service dates and locations and to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about health resources, screenings, and benefits that may apply to their circumstances.