Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force installation located south of Omaha, adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. The site traces its origins to Fort Crook, an Army post established in the 1890s, and it took its present name in 1924 in honor of 1st Lt. Jarvis Offutt, a World War I pilot from Omaha. From 1948 until 1992 the base served as the headquarters of the Strategic Air Command, and it later became the headquarters of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Today Offutt hosts the 55th Wing of Air Combat Command, along with USSTRATCOM and the 557th Weather Wing, making it one of the more strategically significant installations in the country.

As with many long-operating military airfields, environmental review at Offutt has examined concerns about potential exposure to substances tied to historical firefighting and aircraft operations. The principal focus has been a family of synthetic chemicals associated with firefighting foam that was used and stored at several locations on the base over many years.

1. AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam): AFFF is a firefighting foam that was widely used at military airfields to suppress fuel fires during training and emergency response. At Offutt, officials identified several locations where AFFF was historically used or stored, and these areas became the focus of screening-level site inspections. AFFF has been associated with the release of long-lasting fluorinated compounds into soil and groundwater, which is why these foams have drawn close regulatory attention.
2. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): PFAS are a broad group of manufactured chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil, and they are a primary component of older firefighting foams. At Offutt, the Air Force, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assessed PFAS linked to historic AFFF use, including site-wide groundwater sampling. PFAS have been associated in some research with a range of health concerns, and they are noted for persisting in the environment for long periods.
3. PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate): PFOS is one of the individual PFAS compounds commonly found in legacy firefighting foams. It was among the substances of interest in the assessment of AFFF-related contamination at the base. PFOS has been studied for its potential effects on human health, and concerns about potential exposure have contributed to lower regulatory screening levels over time.
4. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid): PFOA is another individual PFAS compound that has been associated with historic firefighting foam and industrial uses. Like PFOS, it was part of the broader PFAS evaluation tied to AFFF at Offutt. PFOA has been the subject of ongoing health research, and it is among the compounds for which regulators have set stringent advisory and drinking-water benchmarks.

Offutt Air Force Base is not listed on the National Priorities List. Investigation and cleanup of PFAS at the installation have proceeded through the Department of Defense environmental program in coordination with EPA Region 7 and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, including screening-level site inspections and groundwater sampling. EPA has also supported research aimed at developing remedial treatment approaches for PFAS in soil and groundwater, awarding a Small Business Innovation Research contract in 2020 to a Nebraska company to help advance such treatment methods.

Veterans, family members, and others who lived or worked at Offutt Air Force Base may wish to stay informed as monitoring and remediation continue. Those who have questions about possible exposure are encouraged to keep records of their service and to consult the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which can provide current guidance on health resources, screenings, and any benefits for which they may be eligible.