Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force installation located just southeast of Goldsboro in Wayne County, North Carolina. The site was first activated in June 1942 as an Army Air Forces training installation during World War II, and it was named in honor of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Seymour A. Johnson, a Goldsboro native and test pilot who died in 1941. After being deactivated in 1946, the base reopened on April 1, 1956, under Tactical Air Command. Today it serves as home to the 4th Fighter Wing, an early operational F-15E Strike Eagle wing, along with the Air Force Reserve Command's 916th Air Refueling Wing. Decades of flight operations, maintenance, and fire training have left a documented legacy of environmental contamination that is the subject of ongoing investigation.

As with many long-operating military airfields, activities at the base have been associated with the release of several substances into soil, groundwater, and surface water. The most prominent concerns involve firefighting foams and fuels. The following contaminants have been documented in connection with the installation, along with general health concerns that have been raised about potential exposure.

1. PFAS are a large family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. At Seymour Johnson, PFAS entered the environment primarily through firefighting foam used in training and emergency response. These chemicals are persistent, and research has associated certain PFAS with potential effects on cholesterol, the immune system, and other health outcomes.
2. PFOS is one of the most studied individual PFAS compounds. Groundwater sampling at the base reported PFOS concentrations as high as about 300,000 parts per trillion, far above federal screening levels in place at the time. PFOS has been associated in some studies with concerns about thyroid, liver, and immune effects.
3. PFOA is a related compound that was also detected in base groundwater, with reported levels of roughly 12,000 parts per trillion. PFOA has been the subject of research on possible associations with kidney and other health concerns.
4. AFFF, or aqueous film-forming foam, is the firefighting product that served as the principal source of PFAS at the installation. It was used at fire training areas and in response to fuel fires, and its breakdown left PFAS compounds in soil and water that drains toward the Neuse River.
5. Jet fuel has been handled, stored, and burned in large volumes to support flight operations. Fuel releases and fire training have been associated with concerns about soil and groundwater contamination.
6. Solvents and other volatile organic compounds have been documented at the base in connection with aircraft maintenance and degreasing, and with groundwater concerns.
7. Heavy metals and pesticides have also been identified at the installation. Metals can accumulate in soil and sediment, and elevated exposures have been associated with a range of potential health concerns.

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is not listed on the National Priorities List as a federal Superfund site. Environmental investigation and cleanup are instead being carried out by the Department of Defense and the Air Force under the federal cleanup framework for active installations, in coordination with North Carolina environmental authorities. Work has included sampling of groundwater and surface water, treatment of affected drinking water supplies, and continuing PFAS investigation.

Veterans, family members, and others who lived or worked at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base may understandably have questions about possible exposures. Staying informed as investigation and cleanup continue, and discussing any personal health concerns with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a qualified medical provider, can help individuals make decisions appropriate to their own circumstances.