Atomic Veterans' Association Web site

National Association of Atomic Veterans, Inc. N.A.A.V., Inc.A tax exempt organization NAAV HAS A NEW NATIONAL COMMANDER National Association of Atomic Veterans, Inc. ( A Non-profit Veteran’s Assistance Organization ) The NAAV  Mission  Purpose  NAAV  was founded in August, 1979 by the late Orville E. Kelly ( of Burlington, Iowa ) for the purposes of allowing the U. S. Atomic Veteran Community to speak, with a single voice, to their inability to get a fair hearing related to their developing ( radiogenic )  health issues  that may have been precipitated by their exposure to “ionizing” radiation while participating in a nuclear weapon test detonation, or a “post-test” event.   From the beginning, and to date, we continue to pursue our purpose to this dedicated cause. Who  is  an  Atomic Veteran  Atomic Veterans were members of the United States Armed Forces who participated in atmospheric and underwater nuclear weapons tests from 16 July, 1945 to 30 October 1962.  They also include veterans who were assigned to post test duties, such as “ground zero” nuclear warfare maneuvers & exercises, removing radiation cloud samples from aircraft wing pods, working in close proximity to radiated test animals,  de-contamination of aircraft and field test equipment, retrieval and transport of test instruments & devices, and a host of other duty assignments that provided an opportunity for a radiation exposure & contamination event.    Also included are military personnel who were a part of the Occupation Forces assigned to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan soon after the detonation of Atomic-Bombs over those respective cities, and those American prisoners of war ( POW’s ) who were housed in close proximity to those cities.  These Veterans fit the VA’s “official” description of an Atomic-Veteran.   There is a second group of veterans who may have been involved in radiation exposure events. These  include post test events related to nuclear weapon devices detonated  underground or in shafts ( after 1962 ) that may have provided a radiation exposure event, or those who’s duties involved regular use of radiation producing equipment or processes, such as power plant technicians aboard nuclear powered Aircraft Carriers and Submarines, X-ray technicians, and  those veterans assigned to the Enewetak Atoll radiation clean-up projects.  These veterans fit the VA’s “official”  description  as  Occupational  radiation  exposed veterans. The U. S. Nuclear Weapons Testing Program  There were more than one million U.S. Armed Forces personnel , civilian scientists and engineering technicians involved in the detonation of nuclear & thermonuclear weapon devices, from 16 July 1945 ( the “Trinity” test at Alamogordo, NM. ) to  23 September, 1992 ( the last test in the “Julin” series at the Nevada Test Site ).  The United States has sponsored a total of 1,054 nuclear weapons tests, and detonated two of these weapons over enemy soil during an act of war.   During this period of time there were 1,147 actual nuclear ( aka “bomb” ) tests.  Some of these nuclear and thermonuclear detonations failed to produce any noticeable explosion, either by design, or due to mechanical or electrical faults.  Several of these tests,  by official definition, were actually multiple detonations, two or more at the same time, designed for gathering specific data & information  or for instrument calibration purposes. Nuclear Testing and Health  Even since nuclear testing began, it has been very difficult to get a useful accounting of the effects of human exposure to the radiation particle fallout from these tests. This was largely motivated partly by military secrecy, partly by a desire to allay public fears ( i.e. public relations reasons ), and partly by a fear of possible legal actions by actual ( or potential ) radiation exposed victims.   Some exposure related incidents have been revealed due to the impossibility of hiding them, namely the high radiation exposures of the Marshallese and Japanese  fisherman  after the 1954 Castle “Bravo” disaster in the Marshall Islands.  But most information on this subject has been largely withheld, either deliberately buried in obscure reports, or never collected at all.  This was commonly known as the principle of being careful not to learn what you don’t want to know.  However;  this  information has slowly come to light, in bits and pieces, over the last 29  years.   What is probably the most important study of the health effects of testing were announced by the National Cancer Institute in August of 1997, and released in October of that same year.  The basic finding of the report is that internal exposures to Radioiodine ( I-131 ) in fallout from continental nuclear weapons testing was the most serious of all health consequences. Radioiodine concentrates in milk, when consumed by grazing cows, then concentrates in human thyroid glands after contaminated milk has been ingested into the body.  This concentration effect is especially strong in children. The effect of these exposures is to boost the chance of contracting thyroid cancer, sometime in the lifetime, of those effected.  No efforts were made to systematically study the nationwide effects of atmospheric nuclear weapon testing until Congress ordered such a study, which was finally released 15 years after the order.    Currently, there are approximately 195,000 Atomic Veterans across America who either do not know their oath-of-secrecy has been rescinded, and who are not aware of the potential monetary benefits due them for ( service connected ) radiation induced illnesses.  The VA is offering them ( no cost ) Ionizing Radiation Register examinations, including complete blood and urine testing.  Additionally, as an Atomic Veteran, they qualify for VA prescription drugs ( for a minor co-pay fee ) which,  in most cases, is a meaningful  benefit of  itself.   The Directors, Officers and members of NAAV will always salute the memory of those veterans who suffered and died from the after effects of radiation exposure, in the interest of U .S. National Security, and who’s conditions and suffering were totally ignored by their own Government,  their Congressional leaders and a host of  D.O.D. “Contract Consultants”. We hope you will join us in that salute to honor, duty and dedication to serving their country. Qualifications  for  NAAV  Membership  NAAV offers membership to any veteran who was assigned to participate in a  nuclear device detonation event or who may have been involved in post event assignments associated with  the  U.S. Nuclear Weapons Testing Program from 16 July, 1945 to 23 September, 1992, or any veteran who’s assigned  duties included association with nuclear reactors on Aircraft Carriers and Submarines, or the assembly, storage and deployment of nuclear weapon devices,  or who may have been involved with Depleted Uranium ( DU ) munitions events during and after the first Gulf War, or the surviving ( spouse, or child )  of a deceased Atomic Veteran.  NAAV  Operating  Funds  The Directors and Officers of NAAV are non-paid volunteers who have devote much of their free time to assisting Atomic Veterans, and their survivors, in gaining access to those VA benefits they may be entitled to, since 1979.   Given this, we have depended solely upon our annual membership dues and ( good   Samaritan ) contributions  from sympathetic & patriotic ( non-member ) individuals and small businesses.  All donations, contributions and / or sponsorships are tax exempt, and are 100% dedicated to assisting Atomic Veterans in these important areas.  Your monetary participation would be most welcome and appreciated.  We also welcome Newsletter Sponsorships, as well.  For additional information about tax -exempt contributions,  please  e-mail your inquiry  to:  commander.  You can help us ( and honor an Atomic Veteran )  by sending your contributions to: NAAV, Inc.  11214  Sageland   Houston, Tx. 77089