North Penn US Army Reserve Center

The North Penn US Army Reserve Center is a U.S. Army Reserve facility in Worcester Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, north-northwest of Philadelphia. The property began as a Nike air defense installation, serving as the launch area for Nike Ajax missile battery PH-91, which operated from roughly 1956 to 1963 as part of the Cold War air defense ring around the Philadelphia region. After the missile mission ended, the Army retained the launch area and used it as a Reserve training center, at one time housing the 330th Combat Engineer Battalion. The site sits within the heavily affected North Penn and Horsham-Warminster region of southeastern Pennsylvania, an area that has drawn extensive attention over groundwater contamination.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has identified the North Penn US Army Reserve Center (Nike PH-91 Launch) among military facilities associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. An Army site inspection examined the property for chemicals that have been linked to historic firefighting and equipment-maintenance activities, and several documented contaminants have raised concerns about potential exposure.

1. PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals once widely used on military installations in firefighting foams and other products. At the North Penn center, the Army site inspection evaluated multiple areas of concern tied to the possible storage, transfer, or use of these compounds. PFAS are persistent in the environment, and research has associated certain PFAS with a range of health effects, prompting concern about potential exposure where they are detected.
2. PFOS: PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) is a specific PFAS compound historically present in firefighting foam. The site inspection reported PFOS detections in groundwater at the facility and in several nearby non-drinking-water residential wells. PFOS has been associated in scientific studies with possible effects on the immune system, cholesterol levels, and other outcomes, which is why detections are taken seriously.
3. PFOA: PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is another individual PFAS chemical that has appeared alongside PFOS in groundwater sampling connected to the site. PFOA has been the subject of considerable study, and some research has associated it with potential health concerns, contributing to the ongoing interest in monitoring affected water sources.
4. AFFF: AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is a firefighting foam containing PFAS that was used on many military sites to suppress fuel fires. At the North Penn center, the Army's review considered structures and a reported fire training burn area as potential sources tied to AFFF, given how such foam was historically applied. Because AFFF can carry PFAS into soil and groundwater, its past use is a focus of investigation.

The North Penn US Army Reserve Center is not listed on the National Priorities List as a federal Superfund site. Environmental work has proceeded under the Department of Defense PFAS investigation process in coordination with state oversight. The site inspection concluded that PFOS and PFOA sources were not confirmed to have been stored, used, or disposed of at the facility, while noting that a Remedial Investigation may be required to determine whether an onsite source exists or whether contamination migrated onto the property.

Veterans and family members who trained at or lived near the North Penn US Army Reserve Center may wish to stay informed as monitoring and any further investigation continue. Anyone with questions about potential exposure or related health concerns is encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which can provide guidance on available benefits and care.