#Enewetak Atoll #AtomicCleanupVeterans are being denied VA healthcare assistance because DTRA continues to tell Congress that we were never exposed to enough radiation to cause health challenges while cleaning up radioactive debris and soils left behind from 43 Atomic Bomb blasts. Most of us had no radiation protection gear. 90-100% of our radiation badges failed and DNA recorded most of us had admin doses of 0.000rem even though Livermore Laboratories said we had higher exposures. When we asked for dust masks, supply told us they were on back order. The percentages of health issues tell a different story than DNA’s claims.
Feel free to share this information with any of our current and prospective supporters of #MarkTakaiAtomicHealthcareParityAct.
Here is what I have found to report:
DNA reports there were 8,033 participants in our 1977-1980 mission.
As of 4/27/2021, our website has reconnected with 757 or 9% of the 8,033 participants.
Military participants account for 96% of our reconnections. This includes Army, Navy, Air Force and USCG personnel.
Government and Civilian participants account for 27 or 4% of our reconnections. This includes DOE, DOI, DNA, Contractors (University of California and Holmes & Narver), Journalists, Others and Unknown (blank responses) personnel.
From the information submitted by those of us who signed our survivors roster:
316 or 42% said they were housed on Enewetak Island.
427 or 56% said they were housed on Lojwa Island.
14 or 2% did not say where they were housed on Enewetak Atoll.
When asked “Do you have any health challenges which may be related to radiation exposure?” The answers were “Yes”, “No”, “Yes & No” or “blank” if no information was provided.
371 or 49% of the 757 answered “Yes”
289 or 38% of the 757 answered “No”
8 or 1% of the 757 answered “Yes & No”
89 or 12% of the 757 answered “blank”
The breakdown of the number of reconnected participants are as follows:
Army = 490 or 18% reconnected from the 2670 participants
154 lived on Enewetak Island, 73 or 47% report health challenges
329 lived on Lojwa Island, 167 or 51% report health challenges
Navy = 154 or 7% reconnected from the 2207 participants
99 lived on Enewetak Island, 47 or 47% report health challenges
49 lived on Lojwa Island, 26 or 53% report health challenges
Air Force = 85 or 4% reconnected from the 740 participants
44 lived on Enewetak Island, 23 or 52% report health challenges
41 lived on Lojwa Island, 19 or 46% report health challenges
USCG (included in “Others” on the DNA list) = 1 participant
1 lived on Enewetak Island, 1 or 100% report health challenges
0 lived on Lojwa Island
DOE & Contractors = 11 or 1% reconnected from the 1011 participants
8 lived on Enewetak Island, 3 or 43% report health challenges
3 lived on Lojwa Island, 1 or 1% report health challenges
DOI/TTPI = 0 reconnected from the 597 participants
DNA/JTG = 11 or 5% reconnected from the 246 participants
8 lived on Enewetak Island, 5 or 63% report health challenges
3 lived on Lojwa Island, 1 or 34% report health challenges
Journalists = 0 reconnected from the 49 participants
Others (USCG & blank employer responses) = 3 or 6% reconnected from the 513 participants
3 lived on Enewetak Island, 2 or 63% report health challenges
0 lived on Lojwa Island
Anywhere from 2 to 7 participants are reconnecting on our website nearly every month.
Here is how many of the 8033 participants we have not reconnected with:
Army = 2180 of the 2670 have not signed our survivors roster
Navy = 2053 of the 2207 have not signed our survivors roster
Air Force = 655 of the 740 have not signed our survivors roster
DOE = 1010 of the 1011 have not signed our survivors roster
DOI = 597 of the 597 have not signed our survivors roster
DNA & Contractors = 225 of the 246 have not signed our survivors roster
Journalists = 49 of the 49 have not signed our survivors roster
Others = 510 of the 513 have not signed our survivors roster
I appreciate all of the updates from my brothers. Hope all are pushing through what Uncle Sam has thrown at us. We need to contact John Stewart about our situation maybe he and Jill Biden can help with our dilemma. Anyone have suggestions?
Ruben Patterson May 28, 2021
Thank you for the stats. I know that even in the early 80s no radiological worker would not have protective clothing at a Commercial Reactor or DOE site. We were truly Ginny-pigs by those who figured we would never connect. The technology of the internet was not even developed, who would have thought we could have connected. I read the dose report and poppy-cock! Massaged data and non conservative assumptions. In the six months I was there air samples on Ruinit Dome was not taken even near the working area. I’d challenge those who say we were not exposed to excavate part of the crater and roll in it or even better expose their grandchildren to it…. Those with knowledge would never agree to it. I have knowledge now as a Senior Health Physicist and 40 years in the industry. Tell me, I don’t know it was wrong….
I did an extended tour on the island as US Navy Deep Sea diver. As far as I know,Dosimeters we’re set to ambient background radiation therefore we never showed any radiation on our badges. I further understand that there is less than a third of us still alive.
Hello, Enjoy this new letter. I was part of the original survey team from Fort Bragg prior to work being completed out of the Engineer Battalion from Hawaii then I did a tour TDY to the Engineer Battalion later from Fort Bragg. My PPE was Zero on the first survey team (Shorts and T Shirt). We lived and travel to all the island with DNA data to calculate what was required (Equipment, Manpower) for clean up each island to the craters. I was given a badge on the TDY tour where I was on the HOT side daily. When on the HOT side it was suite up, tape up and wear the mask with air pump. When I departed the Air Force RAD guys said if there were any problems I could contact Wright Patterson Air Force Base. When I called them after having problems they had no Idea what I was talking about.