Enewetak Atoll Clean-up Veterans Connecting on the Internet Outreach
by: Girard Frank Bolton, III.
The Military & Dependent Environmental Hazard Group is an open access Facebook Group 1,108 members strong at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AOACLBG/
They describe themselves as a “Military & Dependent Environmental Hazard Group where you can access all kinds of important information in our “Files” section (just below the main photo). This is where you can find a list of benefits for veterans & spouses, how to file a compensation and pension claim, a list of contaminated bases, chemical exposure info, VA & TRICARE health care regulations, groups that support our members, mental health information, and much much more. Thank you for joining our group and please invite your friends and family members who may have been exposed on one of the over 130 contaminated bases here in the U.S. and around the world.”
National Association of Atomic Veterans, Inc. ( A Non-profit Veteran’s Assistance Organization ) is a group dedicated to help the 1944-1977 Atomic Veterans and, more recently, to help the 1977-1980 Atomic Cleanup Veterans. The NAAV’s website can be found at http://naav.com/
Their mission statement says: “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.”
The NAAV also has an open access Facebook group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/NationalAssociationofAtomicVeterans/
I’ve been a member of the NAAV’s Yahoo Group since 2009 and have learned much from their discussions at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/naav/info
Enewetak Atoll Atomic Debris Cleanup Veterans Facebook Fan Page was created to publicly share historical information about the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Cleanup Mission which is published here at AtomicCleanupVets.com. Our Facebook Fan Page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/AtomicCleanupVeterans
About us: “Veterans of the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Cleanup Mission are looking for Surviving Army, Navy, Air Force, Government Personnel and Contractors.” Or more specifically as stated on our website: “Our main focus is to help each other with information and moral support during challenging times. Our secondary focus is to urge Congress to change the current laws and recognize soldiers of the cleanup mission as “veterans who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”
Atomic Radiation Veteran’s Clean-Up Veteran’s Facebook Group was created this morning, the 4th of July, as an open access group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AtomicVeteran.2/
Mission Statement: “To Provide Information, Photos, Experiences, Contact Politician’s, Museums, News Agencies, Contributing Private Party Individuals, Family Members and Groups to Raise Awareness Concerning Exposure to Ionizing Radiation, Depleted Uranium, Cesium, Beryllium and other Hazardous or Toxic Substances to Military and DOD Contractors. Anyone Exposed by the United States Government. “We turn No One Away”. Open To All Groups Under These or Similar Circumstances.”
Enewetak Atoll Clean-up Project Vets. was created with three members as a closed Facebook group on Independence Day in 2012. It can be found with its 166 members on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/120395714769077/
Mission Statement: “A place for United States Military Veterans,their family and civilians involved in the clean-up of Enewetak Atoll, to share their stories, pictures and to exchange information. This group was started for Veterans and their families. No political postings/comment that are not directly related to our work towards obtaining benefits will be permitted. They will be removed by one of the admins as soon as they are seen. This group was started on July 4, 2012.”
Lojwa Animals Blog was the second website I found after I found the older, now-closed, Atomic Veterans History Website. I’m not sure when the 2006 Lojwa Animals blog was last updated, maybe 2009, but you can find it at http://lojwaanimals.blogspot.com/
Lojwa Animals also has a Facebook Page that appears to have been created and abandoned in 2011. You can view it at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lojwa-Animals/121623434580279
Read - H.R. 5980: Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act
"The primary focus for this group is to urge Congress to change legislation and recognize soldiers of this seemingly forgotten cleanup mission as “veterans who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”
Follow our cause: Atomic Veterans of Enewetak Atoll
