Benefits Available to Vets Exposed to Radiation

Benefits Available to Radiation Exposed Vets

The November issue of AARP Bulletin (which should be in your mailbox soon, if you

photo courtesy of Google Images

 or a family member is a subscriber) shares important information on a search conducted by the National Association of Atomic Veterans; they’re looking for the approximately 195,000 vets who were exposed to radiation from atmospheric nuclear tests between 1945 and 1962.

These men and women could receive a one-time $75,000 benefit from the U.S. government under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990 or a monthly disability payment of up to $2,673 from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Few veterans have applied for these benefits. Their widows and children are eligible too if their family member died before receiving a benefit.

For more information on how to obtain benefits and how to obtain your records, I located this site: Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute for further links. 

Per the above site, the program description of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act states that:

“On October 5, 1990, Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (“RECA” or “the Act”), 42 U.S.C. § 2210 note, providing for compassionate payments to individuals who contracted certain cancers and other serious diseases as a result of their exposure to radiation released during above-ground nuclear weapons tests or as a result of their exposure to radiation during employment in underground uranium mines. The 1990 Act provided fixed payments in the following amounts: $50,000 to individuals residing or working “downwind” of The Nevada Test Site; $75,000 for workers participating in above-ground nuclear weapons tests; and $100,000 for uranium miners.”

Share the Knowledge

Hide Sites