Ionizing Radiation

[dtclou]

I just found in my husbands SMR a "Record of Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation" with 3 dates listed from military service & on the bottom "to be retained permanently in individual's medical record"

It states it was in CVN-/1

What are problems associated with this exposure?

He was also in GW - He was the team blowing up all their ammunitions - so exposed to more there, but this is a seperate date/job.

I have his Letter of Commidation very detailed involvement in hazmat clean up +2 government issued picture of him out in his UTS only. with file number on it. Did they give these to him for future claim referance? Knowing this was extreamly dangerous exposure?

He did have testing on his thyroid at VAMC - found a nodual w/irregular boards & "can't confirm it is not cancerous. Just found this from his C-file - they told him he was fine & didn't schedual any further tests.

He didn't know he was exposed to Radiation & that is noted on his VAMC thyroid report "denies being exposed to radiation" obviously I will send a copy of this note to them & ask for a correction in his file.

He has ton's of illnesses - so I want to know what my be a result/related to "occupational exposure to ionizing radiation"

Edited February 9, 2006 by dtclou

[Guest Berta]

This link shows a limited association of thyroid disease due to high levels of Ionized radiation exposre:

http://www.endocrineweb.com/nodule.html

The best thing to go is use Google, Medline, and med web and try to find radiation as a possible medical cause for each of his disabilities.

Or even see if there are similiar cases at the BVA and what the veteran used to support them- and of course an IMO can always help-

I have to be honest-VA's Radiation criteria is severely limited-look here under Addendum C, February 2005-

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:3f8Qt...k&cd=1&ie=UTF-8

This wifdow's claim, denied, shows you what they will need- RAD information etc.

http://www.va.gov/vetapp05/files1/0502639.txt

They usually need info from The Radiation Surveillance Division of the Radiation

Dosimetry Branch .

My neighbor was part of the Hiroshima occupation.

His only main disability is NSC diabetes and a limp from VA meds (Statins- American Indians should NOT be given statin drugs)

If he does develop a presumptive disease due to radiation he qualifies this way:

A "radiation-risk activity"

includes onsite participation in a test involving the

atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device or participation

in the occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki between August 6,

1945 and July 1, 1946. 38 U.S.C.A. § 1112©; 38 C.F.R. §

3.309(d). In applying this statutory presumption, there is no

requirement for documenting the level of radiation exposure.

Other cases need level of exposure documented and one has to be careful to state whether they are claiming SC due to iozining radiation or non- ionizing radiation.

(two very different types)

[dtclou]

Thanks Berta,

those are good links. My husband was shocked to find this letter in his SMR & didn't realize he had been exposed to ionizing radiaiation, but it definaly states he was.

[admiral7]

I am a radiation exposed veteran also known as atomic vets.You should tell your husband to immediately sign up for the Radiation Registry at his local VAMC.He can expect to have long waiting periods during his claim process un less he has one of the 21 cancers that are listed on the Presumptive list for Radiation ExpOsed vets.My claim has been in the works since 1977,there are only a handful of radiation claims that have been approved.He should also include exposure to DU, depleted Uranium,in his claim since he was involved in the destruction of munitions. Don't fail to sign up for the RR, they will give him a complete radiation examination,If he still has problems getting his claim approved he can always sign up for RECA with the DOJ.RECA=radiation exposure compensation act.DOJ=department of justice.He should list every ailment he has as radiation exposure whether it be DU or IR.Good luck with you claim.You might also want to visit the NAAV.org for more info.

[dtclou]

Does he specifally need to list DU in his claim? (He knows for sure he was exposed to DU)

Should it be a seperate claim from GWI? He was "MANY place & blew up everyones stuff."... He doesn't know who's was made of what.........

Should he leave it lumped in the claim with GWI or file exposure seperatly?

Thanks

[Guest Jim S.]

Your husband and I have the same type of records in their files, if you are stationed in and around nuclear material or weapons, they are required to be check on a regular basis. If any one of these tests give a positive reading to exposure, then I would have some concern for exposure to IR.

I am more concerned with the nodule on the Thyroid. If a biopsy was not conducted to conclusively determine if it was cancerous, I would be interested as to why they did not.

I have had a number of xrays, Cat scan with contrast, MRI, special stress test with Iodized iodine, etc

and now I am having a problem with my Thyroid, with no known cause. I am worried that maybe I have been esposed to something from all the tests I have had to take, that may have played a part in my Thyroid problem.

I'm currious, when he blew up all this stuff, did it occur in the same blast pit and did he or was he required to ware protective gear with closed breathing apperatise?

Jim S.

[dtclou]

He did not wear protective gear. (I have many photo's) No masks for ammunitions demolitions.

The only time they wore protective clothing/mask was when working on or disarming chemical & nuclear munisions he said they wore a charcol suit or a chem suit.

As for using the same pit - he says "sometimes"... "a lot of pits we did that ---demolition pits..."

I do not know why they didn't biopsy the thyroid nodule........ He has just gone to a civilian ENT who has ordered a scan & biopsy this week. (this is a year ++later since VA record found it. They never told him they found anything at all)

I just got his c-file & am going thru it. I found this tyroid record the day he was going in for his hearing test & told him to show it to the Dr - as this Dr is also a thyroid specialist.