America’s atomic vets: ‘We were used as guinea pigs - every one of us’
The USS De Haven sailed from Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor on May 5, 1958, carrying 240 men deep into the Pacific on a secret mission.
Gunner’s mate Wayne Brooks had only a vague idea of their destination. But within a few days, he would experience an explosion so immense and bright that he could see his own bones. He and his crewmates had been assigned ( Read more... )
Gunner’s mate Wayne Brooks had only a vague idea of their destination. But within a few days, he would experience an explosion so immense and bright that he could see his own bones. He and his crewmates had been assigned ( Read more... )
All of his children have medical issues of some kind. I have everything I've listed above except MCS, and other issues. My half-sister has almost identical health issues. My half-brother has various health issues and bipolar disorder. I don't know my eldest half-brother very well, but his daughter has developed severe migraines in single digits and symptoms of fibromyalgia.
My father has basically no recourse; the VA denies that Agent Orange caused any health issues whatsoever. Those of us who are second and third generation, even less.
Iraq veterans fight for PTSD treatment and injuries sustained in the war. There are veterans who have had amputations who have had recompense and disability denied. It continues to this day. Veterans have to fight to get anywhere, and chances are they they will be denied and not have the spoons to continue a long, protracted battle against the very people who are supposed to help them.
This isn't meant to derail, but to elaborate that the gov't and military have a known, repeated history of dismissing and ignoring medical issues caused during military operations. It's disgusting, and shameful. These are people who risk their lives daily for their country (regardless of what I may think of a given war, I have respect for the veterans, if not necessarily the gov't), and they are treated like shit.
I am furious that the "secrecy oath" was upheld until 1996, and that oath prevented veterans from being able to give their doctors full medical details that could have narrowed down possibilities. Speaking from experience, diagnosis can take a long time, and I'm certain there are people who died while the doctors were trying to figure out what was going on, while the information of radiation poisoning would have given them vital information. As far as I'm concerned, that is no less than murder by the hands of the US gov't and military, because they knew what the medical ramifications of radiation poisoning were. Doctors have an oath of confidentiality, and veterans should have at least been allowed to disclose that they were exposed to radiation to a medical professional, if nothing else.
Another reason for me to loathe the gov't and military command, I see.
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