Cold War Health Issues Readings
Cold War - Atomic Veterans - Additional
references
Unique Health Risks
Nuclear Testing
Nuclear Cleanup
The Cold War generally refers to the period of tension between the U.S. and its
allies and the Soviet bloc from the end of World War II in 1945 until the collapse
of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. A major fear of the Cold War was nuclear war with
associated health concerns about exposure to ionizing radiation.
Approximately 200,000 US service personnel performed occupation
duties in Hiroshima and Nagasaki following the atomic bombing of Japan and a similar
number of service members participated in atmospheric nuclear weapons tests
from 1945 to 1962.
Largely as a result of epidemiological studies of Japanese atomic bomb survivors,
exposure to radiation has been associated with a number of disorders including
leukemia, various cancers, and cataracts. It usually
is not possible to determine definitely whether or not a neoplasm
is due to ionizing radiation (as opposed to the "background rate" for
the disease or some other factor such as smoking). Usually the most that can be
provided scientifically is an estimate of the likelihood that radiation is responsible.
This estimate sometimes is called the "probability of causation"
and considers such factors as the type of neoplasm, radiation dose, age at exposure,
period between exposure and manifestation of the disease, and other exposures such
as smoking.
Generally no dose of radiation is considered to be safe from the risk for neoplastic
transformation. On the other hand, a minimum or threshold dose of radiation generally
is felt to be necessary for clinically significant nonneoplastic tissue or organ
damage.
By law the Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) is responsible
for determining radiation dose estimates for these groups, sometimes referred to
as "atomic veterans". The average exposure for these
veterans as estimated by the DSWA is relatively low, with less than 1% exceeding
the current annual occupational limit of 5 rem (although many veterans
question the accuracy of these official doses).
Atomic veterans are eligible to participate in the VA's Ionizing Radiation Program.
This includes the opportunity to have an Ionizing Radiation Registry Examination
performed and special eligibility for treatment of conditions that the VA recognizes
as potentially radiogenic by statute or regulation whether or not they have had
a radiation compensation claim approved.
For further information about VA examination and treatment of atomic veterans or
other veterans exposed to ionizing radiation in service, please contact the
Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards (13), VA Central
Office, telephone 202-273-8575, fax 202-273-9080. Veterans' questions regarding
radiation compensation claims should be addressed to the appropriate VA Regional
Office, telephone 800-827-1000.
Every VA medical facility has a registry physician for Agent Orange,
Gulf War and Ionizing Radiation. This individual
can be a resource for additional information.
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