Dec. 19, 2010
COMMENTARY: Respond First; Support Patriotism
Just Hold Uncle Sam to Health Issues from Service
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - What do coal miners, Cold War nuclear workers, and 9/11 First Responders have in common? They have had uphill battles receiving compensation from the federal government for untold, unknown, and , perhaps, misleading safety issues that injured a worker or heroes future health. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pled Saturday, Dec. 18, “that 9/11 heroes deserve an up or down vote.”
Heroes fighting for federal health benefits and compensation is not a new field of battle.
Homeland World War II and Cold War employees of then “classified” atomic weapon assembly production factories unknowingly (to themselves) received toxic exposure to deadly radiation contained within the source materials. These atomic and nuclear workers unwittingly ate and drank in areas where they ingested quantities of uranium, plutonium, nickel carbonyl and other radioactive elements.
Deceit of construction, trade, and production workers extended to coal mines where solid paying jobs contained a potential coal dust and black lung death sentence.
History reveals too that war veterans have fought for compensation and benefits from the very government whose constitution they chose to uphold, protect and , if necessary, offer the ultimate sacrifice in the name of patriotism.
Viet Nam vets mounted bureaucratic hurdles to receive compensation for Agent Orange exposure. Now, as the first responders and survivors of 9/11 stand closer to Congressional approved compensation, the men and women fighting against terrorists claim illness from recycled uranium and other elements once a part of the nation’s nuclear war machine.
Cold War veterans still petition Congress for benefit inclusion. They worked at factories which have yet to be included on a list of Department of Energy recognized facilities, even though the same materials were handled as at already recognized facilities.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
COMMENTARY: Respond First; Support Patriotism
Just Hold Uncle Sam to Health Issues from Service
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - What do coal miners, Cold War nuclear workers, and 9/11 First Responders have in common? They have had uphill battles receiving compensation from the federal government for untold, unknown, and , perhaps, misleading safety issues that injured a worker or heroes future health. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pled Saturday, Dec. 18, “that 9/11 heroes deserve an up or down vote.”
Heroes fighting for federal health benefits and compensation is not a new field of battle.
Homeland World War II and Cold War employees of then “classified” atomic weapon assembly production factories unknowingly (to themselves) received toxic exposure to deadly radiation contained within the source materials. These atomic and nuclear workers unwittingly ate and drank in areas where they ingested quantities of uranium, plutonium, nickel carbonyl and other radioactive elements.
Deceit of construction, trade, and production workers extended to coal mines where solid paying jobs contained a potential coal dust and black lung death sentence.
History reveals too that war veterans have fought for compensation and benefits from the very government whose constitution they chose to uphold, protect and , if necessary, offer the ultimate sacrifice in the name of patriotism.
Viet Nam vets mounted bureaucratic hurdles to receive compensation for Agent Orange exposure. Now, as the first responders and survivors of 9/11 stand closer to Congressional approved compensation, the men and women fighting against terrorists claim illness from recycled uranium and other elements once a part of the nation’s nuclear war machine.
Cold War veterans still petition Congress for benefit inclusion. They worked at factories which have yet to be included on a list of Department of Energy recognized facilities, even though the same materials were handled as at already recognized facilities.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
