Capital Hill Re-examines Cancer Rates Among Aviators and Missileers

Capital Hill Re-examines Cancer Rates Among Aviators and Missileers

In a significant move towards understanding occupational cancer risks in the military, the Air Force is conducting a study on whether the nuclear missile community is at a higher risk of contracting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 13 other cancers. This study comes in response to growing concerns about elevated cancer rates among military aviators, which have intensified due to legislative actions and new research findings.

The Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act, passed by Congress in July 2021, is a key initiative in this regard. The ACES Act mandates the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a comprehensive study on cancer incidence and mortality in military fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircrew across the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The legislation aims to clarify potential links between aviation service and higher cancer risk, thereby guiding improved health protocols and enabling veterans to access disability benefits by establishing a service connection for cancer diagnoses.

The ACES Act is supported by lawmakers with military backgrounds, driven by personal experiences. Rep. August Pfluger, the bill's co-sponsor and an Air Force Reserve colonel, introduced the ACES Act in honor of his friend Andy Shurtleff, a retired colonel who died of cancer in May at age 48 following a two-decade career as an Air Force fighter pilot.

Parallel concerns exist for other military occupational groups, such as the missile community. The Air Force is under congressional scrutiny to investigate and address these risks with cleanliness and safety improvements at missile facilities. This scrutiny is further intensified by the ROTOR Act, which includes a provision to review the findings of the Air Force's missile community cancer study and to run its own study of the occupational health and safety hazards facing Airmen at Minuteman III missile facilities.

Complementing the ACES Act is the Counting Veterans’ Cancer Act, which facilitates sharing of veterans’ cancer data with state registries to ensure comprehensive cancer tracking among veterans, helping provide better care and research data.

The Senate's version of the ROTOR Act requires the Air Force to deep clean the underground crew capsules where Airmen operate ground-based nuclear weapons every five years. The first intensive cleaning of these capsules was completed in 2014.

Another similar study, the Rotary-wing Operator Toxic Occupational Research (ROTOR) Act, is tacked onto the House version of the 2026 defense policy bill. This study aims to determine whether aviators who work with helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft are diagnosed with a range of cancers at a higher rate than the general population.

Recent expanded studies have shown that aircrews are up to 24 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the comparable U.S. civilian population in studies in 2021 and 2023. These findings have spurred congressional attention and resulted in the passage of the bipartisan ACES Act and the ROTOR Act.

In the UK, the British military is dealing with a reckoning regarding military service-connected cancer, with at least 180 current and former aircrews considering suing the Ministry of Defence for damages related to cancer diagnoses.

In summary, expanded, federally mandated studies are underway or soon to begin, focusing specifically on the risk of several cancers among military aviators and nuclear missile personnel. These efforts represent a significant step toward understanding occupational cancer risks in these communities and building a framework for veteran health protections and benefits.

1. The Air Force is conducting a study to examine if the nuclear missile community has a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 13 other cancers, in response to elevated cancer rates among military aviators.
2. The Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act, passed by Congress in July 2021, requires the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study cancer incidence and mortality in military aircrew across the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
3. The ACES Act aims to clarify potential links between aviation service and higher cancer risk, guiding improved health protocols and enabling veterans to access disability benefits.
4. Rep. August Pfluger, the ACES Act co-sponsor and an Air Force Reserve colonel, introduced the bill in honor of his friend, a retired colonel who died of cancer after a two-decade career as an Air Force fighter pilot.
5. Parallel concerns exist for other military occupational groups, such as the missile community, and the Air Force is under congressional scrutiny to investigate and address these risks.
6. The Senate's version of the ROTOR Act requires the Air Force to deep clean the underground crew capsules where Airmen operate ground-based nuclear weapons every five years.
7. Another study, the Rotary-wing Operator Toxic Occupational Research (ROTOR) Act, aims to determine if aviators who work with helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft are diagnosed with a range of cancers at a higher rate than the general population.
8. Expanded studies have shown that aircrews are up to 24 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the comparable U.S. civilian population, spurring congressional attention and resulting in the passage of the bipartisan ACES Act and the ROTOR Act.

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