Saturday, July 30, 2011

Other Toxic Substances - radition: Atomic veterans meet decades after the testing

THE GROUP:
Bob Shreiner of Chambersburg and Clyde Stair of Greencastle founded the branch in 1986 as an outlet for veterans who participated in U.S. above-ground nuclear testing between 1945 and 1962, were part of the 1945-1946 occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, or were prisoners of war. According to the parent NAAV, all could have been exposed to ionizing radiation and therefore have related illnesses. They could be eligible for compensation or free medical care.

None of them fully understood the nature of the testing.
“We did not realize how dangerous it was. We weren’t told a thing,” said Stair.

Some in the group have suffered with various cancers or other conditions.

In general, the members are disappointed with the treatment they have received from Veteran’s Affairs since they were discharged.
RESEARCH:
The department, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, has just begun research into the level of lifetime risks possible from low-level radiation exposure. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the results are expected to apply to people affected in the workplace, during medical exams, from environmental cleanups, nuclear waste disposal or dirty bomb attacks. The project will study 120,000 military personnel who participated in the atmospheric nuclear weapons tests from 1945 until the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.

The Source

My Uncle - George Marquardt pilot of 'Necessary Evil' flew along side the Enola Gay

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