Column: Veterans exposed to toxins at Hawaiʻi facilities deserve benefits
By Cristina Johnson | Originally published in Staradvertiser, November 21, 2025
For those who have served in uniform and their families who have supported them throughout their careers, Veterans Day and National Veterans and Military Families Month — celebrated every November — are more than just ceremonies. These traditions are the nation’s symbolic way of acknowledging the long deployments as well as the uncertainty and cumulative strain that service members and their families have endured for generations. But more importantly, they serve as a powerful reminder that military duty carries lasting consequences that extend beyond the battlefield. And in Hawaiʻi — home to nearly 90,000 veterans — this reality includes confronting the ongoing toxic exposures that continue to harm both retirees and their households.
Decades of military operations in Hawaiʻi have left a lasting environmental footprint that continues to threaten the health of veterans and their families.
An updated interactive map shows that at least 13 military installations statewide have documented contamination stemming from the heavy use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — synthetic chemicals embedded in firefighting equipment.
Among those impacted is the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands in Kauaʻi County, which reported chemical concentrations as high as 686,722 parts per trillion. Also, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex in Honolulu as a Superfund site after detecting PFAS, along with lead and other heavy metals, in its soil and groundwater.
Meanwhile, another persistent threat likewise emerged due to asbestos, a natural mineral previously hailed for its durability and heat resistance. Because of these properties, the material quickly found its way into Navy ships and facilities, such as the old Naval Air Station at Barbers Point. Tragically, such heavy dependence led to widespread pollution — triggering severe illnesses in numerous service members and families in Hawaiʻi. True to that, between 1999 and 2017, almost 750 residents across the state died due to this. And notably, Honolulu County became the most severely affected after logging 532 fatalities.
Honoring veterans and military families is essential. Yet symbolic gestures cannot resolve the health and financial burdens tied to toxic exposure. Given this reality, federal lawmakers passed the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 to broaden the medical coverage as well as compensation for personnel affected by hazardous materials. Accordingly, from its implementation, more than 2.9 million applications have already been filed, including nearly 19,100 from Hawaii. As of the latest reporting, close to 2 million claims have been approved, and more than $6.8 billion in benefits have been distributed.
Reforms have also expanded beyond health care. Among these are the updated survivor benefits aiming to give families stronger financial protection after losing a loved one to a service-connected circumstance. At the same time, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act is set to help veterans struggling with mortgage payments.
But still, the path to support is far from seamless. Many veterans face a complex claims system that delays treatment, and these setbacks weigh heavily on families who often assume caregiving roles without adequate resources.
For this reason, federal officials, policymakers and veteran-serving organizations must coordinate more effectively to simplify access to benefits and provide stronger guidance for both veterans and their families. Through this, we can finally ensure that those who served and who stood beside them receive the care they are owed.
*Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for Asbestos Ships Organization Opens in a new tab, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to educate veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships and assist them in navigating the VA claims process.