Oct. 31, 2010
Honoring Quiet Sacrifice
Nation Remembers Those Who Worked in Cold War Government Owned Atomic Plants
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
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Piketon, OH (HNN) – A small crowd of about 30 to 40 people gathered at the OSU Endeavor Center, Friday, Oct. 29, to remember the sacrifices made by homeland atomic weapon workers, most of whom had no idea their job exposed them to components of atomic radiation.
Former workers reminisced and shared stories of their days at the Portsmouth A Plant a.k.a. Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Most of those speaking recalled friends and coworkers during their employment at the plant. Though wheelchairs and oxygen tanks were present, few of those present expressed regrets. Their attitude seemed to be a civilian military mind of service to their country.
Those providing testimonials about their lives did not , in general, tell their names. One man told of how he had just recently “I am 90 years old and I am a dancer. I dance in front of 10,000 people this time last year. I roller skate and am a man that enjoys life.” The former Piketon worker had driven trucks inside the PGDP. Still, another praised his work experience , even as he revealed his recent diagnosis of leukemia .
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Again, most, thought their exposures to nuclear chemicals had been an unintentional exposure and many expressed hope that the new planned state of the art uranium enrichment plant (American Centrifuge) would stress safety that had been overlooked during the Cold War era.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health issued the following statement:
This month, our country recognizes a group of workers who quietly made personal sacrifices to protect our country and our freedom. October 30, 2010, will be the second National Day of Remembrance for American nuclear weapons program workers and uranium miners, millers, and ore transporters.
These workers did not just do a job. During a time when our country was at war, and later, during the Cold War, they discreetly built a nuclear weapons program to protect and defend their families, neighbors, and fellow citizens across the country. In doing so, some of these workers were exposed, often unknowingly, to the types of workplace risks that NIOSH now strives every day to prevent. Some of these workers sacrificed their health. Some lost their lives as a result of these exposures.
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From the beginning of our involvement in this compensation program, NIOSH's core values have been an integral part of our activities. In particular, the core values of quality of science, transparency, and accountability are at the heart of the actions, decisions, and communications in this program.
As NIOSH continues to fulfill its role under EEOICPA, we would like to again recognize our debt of gratitude owed to these workers. They quietly made sacrifices to protect our country. NIOSH honors that debt with our commitment to quality of science, transparency, and accountability in our work.”
However, the first salute to these ‘veterans’ was during the summer of 2008 in Portsmouth, Ohio. Organized by Colley’s non-profit Portsmouth/Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (PRESS) and National Nuclear Workers for Justice (NNWJ). it started as a “local” thing and expanded as a national thing. “The Cold War Patriots have picked it up and more people are starting to recognize there are Cold War veterans and there are problems in nuclear plants.”
Colley attended the 2010 remembrance too. She told the audience that “for 29 plus years I gave up my life fighting for Cold War veterans. I’ve been sick since the 80s In the 1990s I found out we had been working in plutonium and yet [workers] were not told.”
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Afterwards, she told HNN that she regretted that the ceremony did not include a prayer or the lighting of candles in memory of those who have passed.
“I wish they had had a prayer and maybe a lighted candle to really honor the Cold War veterans. They gave their lives and they are still giving their lives. This will be a national day of remembrance for our generation and future generations. Ms. Colley explained. “/We are affecting all of them by not recognizing that we still have problems in these nuclear facilities…. [government] is still covering up problems at the nuclear plant , how the workers are sick and still getting exposed.”
Contrary to expressing positive thoughts for the possibility of the state of the art American Centrifuge plant making a step toward a $2 billion dollar loan guarantee, Ms. Colley knows her position his unpopular, but she supports anything but nuclear for the redevelopment of the gaseous diffusion plant site.
“We’ve done our part. We need to have good healthy safe jobs that will bring in more jobs. This nuclear plant will not bring many jobs except for the construction,” Colley stated.
“This area is already shot up with too many environmental issues,” she said.
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Honoring Quiet Sacrifice
Nation Remembers Those Who Worked in Cold War Government Owned Atomic Plants
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Piketon, OH (HNN) – A small crowd of about 30 to 40 people gathered at the OSU Endeavor Center, Friday, Oct. 29, to remember the sacrifices made by homeland atomic weapon workers, most of whom had no idea their job exposed them to components of atomic radiation.
Former workers reminisced and shared stories of their days at the Portsmouth A Plant a.k.a. Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Most of those speaking recalled friends and coworkers during their employment at the plant. Though wheelchairs and oxygen tanks were present, few of those present expressed regrets. Their attitude seemed to be a civilian military mind of service to their country.
Those providing testimonials about their lives did not , in general, tell their names. One man told of how he had just recently “I am 90 years old and I am a dancer. I dance in front of 10,000 people this time last year. I roller skate and am a man that enjoys life.” The former Piketon worker had driven trucks inside the PGDP. Still, another praised his work experience , even as he revealed his recent diagnosis of leukemia .
Again, most, thought their exposures to nuclear chemicals had been an unintentional exposure and many expressed hope that the new planned state of the art uranium enrichment plant (American Centrifuge) would stress safety that had been overlooked during the Cold War era.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health issued the following statement:
This month, our country recognizes a group of workers who quietly made personal sacrifices to protect our country and our freedom. October 30, 2010, will be the second National Day of Remembrance for American nuclear weapons program workers and uranium miners, millers, and ore transporters.
These workers did not just do a job. During a time when our country was at war, and later, during the Cold War, they discreetly built a nuclear weapons program to protect and defend their families, neighbors, and fellow citizens across the country. In doing so, some of these workers were exposed, often unknowingly, to the types of workplace risks that NIOSH now strives every day to prevent. Some of these workers sacrificed their health. Some lost their lives as a result of these exposures.
From the beginning of our involvement in this compensation program, NIOSH's core values have been an integral part of our activities. In particular, the core values of quality of science, transparency, and accountability are at the heart of the actions, decisions, and communications in this program.
As NIOSH continues to fulfill its role under EEOICPA, we would like to again recognize our debt of gratitude owed to these workers. They quietly made sacrifices to protect our country. NIOSH honors that debt with our commitment to quality of science, transparency, and accountability in our work.”
However, the first salute to these ‘veterans’ was during the summer of 2008 in Portsmouth, Ohio. Organized by Colley’s non-profit Portsmouth/Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (PRESS) and National Nuclear Workers for Justice (NNWJ). it started as a “local” thing and expanded as a national thing. “The Cold War Patriots have picked it up and more people are starting to recognize there are Cold War veterans and there are problems in nuclear plants.”
Colley attended the 2010 remembrance too. She told the audience that “for 29 plus years I gave up my life fighting for Cold War veterans. I’ve been sick since the 80s In the 1990s I found out we had been working in plutonium and yet [workers] were not told.”
Afterwards, she told HNN that she regretted that the ceremony did not include a prayer or the lighting of candles in memory of those who have passed.
“I wish they had had a prayer and maybe a lighted candle to really honor the Cold War veterans. They gave their lives and they are still giving their lives. This will be a national day of remembrance for our generation and future generations. Ms. Colley explained. “/We are affecting all of them by not recognizing that we still have problems in these nuclear facilities…. [government] is still covering up problems at the nuclear plant , how the workers are sick and still getting exposed.”
Contrary to expressing positive thoughts for the possibility of the state of the art American Centrifuge plant making a step toward a $2 billion dollar loan guarantee, Ms. Colley knows her position his unpopular, but she supports anything but nuclear for the redevelopment of the gaseous diffusion plant site.
“We’ve done our part. We need to have good healthy safe jobs that will bring in more jobs. This nuclear plant will not bring many jobs except for the construction,” Colley stated.
“This area is already shot up with too many environmental issues,” she said.
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
