Atomic veteran

Atomic veterans are United States military veterans who were exposed to ionizing radiation while stationing in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the American occupation of Japan before 1946 (including certain veterans who were Prisoners of War there) or who took part in atmospheric nuclear tests (1945-1962).

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA) Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) has maintained a database of participants and radiation dose reconstructions since 1978.

Dose reconstructions are used by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to evaluate and decide veterans' claims filed under the provisions of Public Law (PL) 98-542 and implementing regulations in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 3.311.

Atomic Veterans receive special priority enrollment for health care services from VA for radiation-related conditions. In addition, Atomic Veterans are eligible to participate in an ionizing radiation registry examination program operated by VA.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has a different compensation program established by the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). Atomic Veterans who participated in atmospheric nuclear tests may be eligible.

Epidemiological studies of Japanese atomic bomb survivors have shown exposure to radiation to be associated with a number of disorders including leukemia, various cancers and cataracts.