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Young U.S. Veterans Carry More “Forever Chemicals” Than Civilians, Study Finds
They served in the military. Years later, some may still be carrying traces of chemicals linked to serious health concerns. A new Brown University study has found that younger U.S. military veterans have significantly higher levels of PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” in their blood than civilians of the same age.
U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. Bryson Ruggs
The study, published September 14, 2026, examined eight cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey covering 2003 through 2018. Researchers used nationally representative data and estimated that the veteran participants represented about 22.8 million U.S. adults over age 20 with prior military service.
The difference was particularly striking among veterans aged 20 to 39.
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Researchers found that younger veterans had PFOA concentrations about 13% higher, PFOS about 19% higher, and PFHxS about 24% higher than non-veterans of the same age. Their combined levels across seven PFAS chemicals were 17% higher.
There was another number researchers wanted veterans to notice.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends clinical monitoring when the combined blood concentration of seven PFAS chemicals reaches 20 nanograms per milliliter. Young veterans in the study were 18% more likely than similarly aged non-veterans to exceed that threshold.
PFAS are a large family of chemicals that persist in the environment and can remain in the human body for years. Researchers say exposure has been associated with health effects including certain cancers, liver and cardiovascular disease and thyroid dysfunction. Importantly, having elevated PFAS levels does not mean someone will necessarily develop one of these conditions.
So where could the military connection come from?
Researchers cannot identify a single cause from this study. They say possible sources include firefighting foams, munitions and contaminated groundwater. Previous research has also pointed to other military-related exposure pathways.
The age difference may provide another clue.
PFAS levels can decline over time as some chemicals are gradually eliminated from the body. Researchers therefore believe younger veterans may have had more recent exposure during military service, leaving less time for those chemicals to disappear from their blood.
Lead author Christian Hoover specifically recommended that male veterans aged 20 to 39 speak with a physician about PFAS testing and whether screening for related health conditions is appropriate. Researchers also noted that older veterans may have faced similar exposure when they were younger, even though the study did not find the same difference in older age groups.
For veterans who spent years training, fighting fires, handling equipment or living around military installations, the finding raises an uncomfortable possibility: some occupational exposures may not end when the uniform comes off.
Editor’s Note: This study found an association between veteran status and higher PFAS levels among younger adults. It did not establish that military service caused the elevated concentrations, nor that PFAS exposure caused disease in the veterans studied. The researchers say further investigation and medical monitoring may help clarify the implications.
