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Compensation News
EEOICPA Compensation
By USVCP Staff Writers
January 22, 2020
Veterans, VSOs, Veterans Organizations, and veterans advocates may not be aware of a little known compensation available to thousands of veterans. Compensation amounts range from $50,000 - $250,000. Veterans who built and supported nuclear weapons during the Cold War era are entitled to tens of thousands of unclaimed federal dollars.
Starting in 1942, the U.S. Government started to build nuclear weapons in over 355 facilities around the country. Unfortunately, thousands of those workers were exposed to harmful radiation.
The good news is that, under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICPA), veterans or their survivors could qualify for $50,000 to $250,000 in benefits.
Furthermore, tens of thousands of veterans worked for individual contractors and don’t believe they had very many benefits. Again, the good news is that veterans didn’t understand they may have been department of energy employees all along, which makes them eligible for Government benefits.
Jason Bougere with the Department of Justice said millions more dollars sit unclaimed by Cold War military veterans who may not know they should apply for both EEOICPA and the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
“Especially veterans who might have participated in atmospheric nuclear test — from the Trinity tests of 1945 through the end of 1962," Bougere said.
That area includes the Nevada Testing Sights and the Pacific Proving Grounds.
Jason Bougere said there are some veterans who may not have been properly recorded and documented as workers, but may have certificates or recollection of events that could be corroborated and confirmed for eligibility.
Currently, Congress has placed no eligibility deadline date on filing for EEOICPA, but filing for benefits under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act ends in 2022.
For additional assistance visit a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or Veterans Organization near you today.
Add Comment
Charles Huegel, 8/30/20
I participated in A Bomb test at Nevada test site in 1955 while in US Army. (Operation Teapot- Apple 2). I have severe cases of skin cancer with multiple surgeries. Could I qualify for any of these programs?
Dennis Kraft, 1/25/20
How about us that worked within the Personal Reliability Program (PRP) . I guarded them, mated them, and inspected them for over 10 years. I was station with Seneca Army Depot NY, 59 Ord 512 Artillery Group with the 2ND Field Artillery Detachment. All of them with nukes.
Eulis Boyd, 1/24/20
What about the men that was exposed during the clean-up of the Marshall Islands (Enewetak Atoll) where the badges were no good and all we had were shorts and t-shirts to wear. That's why we are on the radiation list the Army has and we have been denied anything and everything.