The Invisible Enemy Urges U.S. House to Pass Amendment That Removes Barriers to Care and Compensation
LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This week, the Rules Committee of the United States House of Representatives votes on an amendment to the 2025 defense spending bill that could give thousands of military veterans and Department of Defense (DoD) employees and contractors their first major win in their long battle for recognition, restitution and justice.
These personnel served on the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), once the epicenter of U.S. nuclear weapons testing, in areas the federal government knew to be heavily contaminated with toxic radiation and hazardous materials.
As a result of their exposure, many of these personnel and their families have suffered serious medical problems, ranging from cancers and organ diseases to reproductive issues. Hundreds have died. But due to the highly classified nature and locations of their work, the DoD continues to deny these personnel even exist.
If passed, this amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual bill that funds the U.S. military, would finally recognize the existence of these men and women who served on the NTTR and allow them to claim critical medical benefits that help address their injuries and suffering.
Since 2000, Department of Energy (DOE) employees who also worked on the NTTR have received billions of dollars in medical benefits and financial compensation from the government. For military veterans and DoD employees and contractors, the same justice is long overdue.
“The government won’t even acknowledge we served on the NTTR,” says Air Force veteran Dave Crete who was stationed at the top-secret Tonopah Test Range located within the NTTR. “It admits there was an air base at Tonopah. It admits there were aircraft squadrons based at Tonopah. But, apparently, there were no pilots, flight operations personnel, maintenance crews or security police at Tonopah.”
Crete is the founder and Chairman of the Board of The Invisible Enemy, a nonprofit organization fighting to pass federal legislation that ensures everyone who served on the NTTR receives the same or similar medical benefits and financial compensation as the DOE employees who worked there.
“Take a look at our documentary on YouTube and you’ll get an idea of how so many men and women are suffering because our government does nothing to help them,” says Crete. “Getting this amendment into the NDAA will be the first win in our battle for recognition and justice.
“So, we need a lot of people to call their representatives and tell them to support this amendment,” Crete says. “Then we need people to go to TheInvisibleEnemy.org and support our mission, make a donation and help us win this fight.”
To review the documentary link on YouTube: The Invisible Enemy Hidden Secret: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_6ufgAFOO4
Dave Crete is available for interviews. To schedule an interview, contact Virginia Martino, Brand LTD cell: (702) 591-9183 or email: [email protected].
SOURCE The Invisible Enemy
Originally published at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veterans-dod-workers-injured-by-nuclear-exposurecould-finally-get-medical-benefits-302168695.html
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