(1977)ENEWETAK
ATOLL
Forgotten, Denied V.A. Benefits
CLEAN-UP
VETERANS(1980)
Life Threatening Illnesses, Cancers
ABOUT JEFF FORTIN
POST FALLS, Idaho – Jeff Fortin of Post Falls wants to become an "Atomic Veteran.”
Right now, These are U.S. Military service members exposed to radiation in the 40's and 50's during nuclear testing and at bomb sites in Japan.
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The federal government eventually acknowledged those veterans had high incidents of cancer as a result of their service and provided extended benefits and compensation.
But Fortin isn’t classified as an Atomic Veteran. He’s part of a different group of veterans claiming they're getting sick, too. They're service members who came in years after nuclear testing to clean up the radioactive debris. Review the following news-story:
In the late 1940's and 50's the U.S. military tested scores of nuclear bombs in the tropical Enewetak Atoll in the South Pacific.
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The nuclear contamination would remain until the late 1970's when the U.S. government hauled in service members to cleanup Enewetak and surrounding islands, including Fortin. "So I was there, 21 years old, I was an E-4 fresh off. I loved the military and there I found myself on Enewetak," said Fortin. Fortin was in the Air Force and helped run the airfield as people and supplies shuffled in and out for the cleanup effort.
“They told us there was minimal danger,” said Fortin.
“They said there was low level, but it wouldn't be anything that would affect us as individuals and we believed them." It wasn't until the end of his year at Enewetak Jeff started wondering if the radioactivity he couldn't see was quietly infiltrating his body. "Toward the end of my tour in '79 I did have two cysts taken out of my left arm that just happened to develop while I was on the Island,” said Fortin. Fortin's VA medical records requested by KREM 2 News state Fortin also developed asthma and skin conditions related to his service. Among the hundreds of pages, a doctor notes Fortin "was exposed to radiation in service."
Our Motto
“I am but one of a few of the survivors of the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Debris Cleanup Mission that took place in the Marshall Islands.
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A major focus of this group has been to help one another with information and moral support during some of the challenging times we’ve encountered following our time in service at Enewetak.
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A secondary focus/goal is to urge Congress to change current law and recognize Cold War Era soldiers and contractors of the Enewetak Cleanup Mission as “veterans and workers who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”
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By obtaining their second goal, individuals experiencing health complications resulting from radiation exposure at Enewetak Atoll will be eligible to apply for funds that have previously been set-aside for other Atomic Veterans who have already been recognized and acknowledged for their service."
Our Mission
Our main focus is to help each other with information and moral support during challenging times.
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Our secondary focus is to urge Congress to change the current laws and recognize soldiers of the atomic cleanup mission as “veterans who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”
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Many of the soldiers and civilians and government personnel who participated in the 1977 – 1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Cleanup Mission never saw each other after they returned to their ordinary lives after playing their part to make Enewetak Atoll somewhat safer to live upon.
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Some of us have kept in touch. Some have lost touch. Some have died. Some of us have reconnected on various websites and social networks such as Facebook.
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Our group at Facebook has grown to over 400 members and over half of us were atomic cleanup participants. The cleanup mission involved about 8,000 participants.