Navy Jobs and Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung or the lining of the abdominal cavity, poses a real and ongoing threat to veterans of military service, particularly those who served in the Navy aboard our nation's warships. Although not all asbestos diseases are as devastating or as rare as mesothelioma, thousands of veterans are now dealing with health problems relating to exposure that occurred decades ago.

Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were prevalent aboard Navy ships of the World War II, Korean War and Viet Nam era, and most Navy veterans experienced varying degrees of exposure to these products in the course of carrying out their jobs.

The following table lists various Navy job classifications and the probability of exposure to asbestos for each. Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos-related disease, but knowledge of potential exposure as well as periodic testing for exposed individuals is important.

Note: Some Job Code designations may have changed and others have been added over time. This list is not all-inclusive.

Job Code	Job Classification	Probability of Asbestos Exposure
AA	Airman Apprentice	Minimal
AB	Aviation Boatswain's Mate	Probable
ABE	Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Launch & Recovery)	Probable
ABH	Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Aircraft Handler)	Probable
AC	Air Controlman	Minimal
ADJ	Aviation Machinist's Mate (Jet Engine Mechanic)	Probable
ADR	Aviation Machinist's Mate (Reciprocating Engine Mechanic)	Probable
AE (After 1948)	Aviation Electrician's Mate	Probable
AFCM	Aircraft Maintenanceman (Master Chief)	Minimal
AG	Aerographer's Mate	Minimal
AK	Aviation Storekeeper	Minimal
AM (Before 1948)	Aviation Metalsmith	Probable
AM (After 1948)	Aviation Structural Mechanic	Probable
AME	Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment)	Probable
AMH	Aviation Structural Mechanic (Hydraulics)	Probable
AMS	Aviation Structural Mechanic (Structures)	Probable
AN	Airman	Minimal
AO (After 1948)	Aviation Ordnanceman	Minimal
AQ	Aviation Fire Control Technician	Highly Probable
AR (After 1948)	Airman Recruit	Minimal
ARM	Aviation Radioman	Probable
AS (After 1965)	Aviation Support Equipment Technician	Probable
AT	Aviation Electronics Technician	Probable
AW	Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator	Probable
AZ	Aviation Maintenance Administrationman	Minimal
BM	Boatswain's Mate	Minimal
BR	Boilermaker	Highly Probable
BT	Boilerman	Highly Probable
BU	Builder	Probable
CD	Construction Driver	Probable
CE	Construction Electrician's Mate	Probable
CM	Construction Mechanic	Minimal
CN	Constructionman	Probable
Cox	Coxswain	Minimal
CS	Commissaryman	Minimal
CT	Communications Technician	Minimal
CTR	Communications Technician (Collections Branch)	Minimal
DC	Damage Controlman	Minimal
DK	Disbursing Clerk	Minimal
DP	Data Processing Technician	Minimal
DS	Data Systems Technician	Minimal
DT	Dental Technician	Minimal
EM	Electrician's Mate	Probable
EN	Engineman	Probable
EO	Equipment Operator	Minimal
ET	Electronics Technician	Probable
F	Fireman	Highly Probable
FC	Fire Controlman	Highly Probable
FP	Pipefitter	Highly Probable
FT	Fire Control Technician	Highly Probable
FTG	Fire Control Technician (Gun Fire Control)	Highly Probable
GM	Gunner's Mate	Minimal
GSM	Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical)	Probable
HM	Hospital Corpsman	Minimal
HN	Hospitalman	Minimal
HT	Hull Maintenance Technician	Highly Probable
IC	Interior Communications Electrician	Probable
IM	Instrumentman	Highly Probable
LI	Lithographer	Minimal
M, ME	Metalsmith	Minimal
ML, MI	Molder	Probable
MM	Machinist's Mate	Probable
MN	Mineman	Minimal
MoMM	Motor Machinist's Mate	Probable
MR	Machinery Repairman	Minimal
MS	Mess Management Specialist	Minimal
MT	Missile Technician	Probable
MU (After 1948)	Musician	Minimal
NC	Navy Counselor	Minimal
OM	Opticalman	Minimal
OS	Operations Specialist	Minimal
PC	Postal Clerk	Minimal
PhoM	Photographer's Mate	Minimal
PhM	Pharmacist	Minimal
PN	Personnelman	Minimal
PrTr	Printer	Minimal
PT	Photographic Intelligenceman	Minimal
Ptr	Painter	Probable
QM	Quartermaster	Minimal
RD	Radarman	Minimal
RM	Radioman	Minimal
S	Seaman	Minimal
SC	Ship's Cook	Minimal
SD	Steward	Minimal
SF	Shipfitter	Minimal
SFP	Shipfitter (Pipefitter)	Minimal
SH	Ship's Serviceman	Minimal
SK	Storekeeper	Minimal
SM	Signalman	Minimal
SO	Sonarman	Highly Probable
SoM	Soundman	Highly Probable
ST (After 1948)	Sonar Technician	Highly Probable
STG	Sonar Technician (Surface)	Highly Probable
STS	Sonar Technician (Submarine)	Highly Probable
StM	Steward's Mate	Minimal
SW	Steelworker	Probable
TA	Steward Apprentice	Minimal
TD	Tradesman	Minimal
TE	Teleman	Minimal
TM	Torpedoman's Mate	Probable
TN	Stewardsman	Minimal
UT	Utilitiesman	Highly Probable
WT	Water Tender	Highly Probable
Y	Yeoman	Minimal