Fwd: [ NOLA_C3_Discussion] War Vets Take Fight Against Government Over DU Exposure To Court

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Ward Reilly <wardpeace

Sep 9, 2006 11:12 AM

[NOLA_C3_Discussion] War Vets Take Fight Against Government

Over DU Exposure To Court

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Cc: cawi , NOLA_C3_Discussion

 

 

Sat Sep 9, 2006 4:41 am (PST)

Manhattan

 

Local War Vets Take Fight Against Government Over DU Exposure To Court

 

September 07, 2006

 

They fought for their country in Iraq, and now they are fighting

their government over an illness that they say can be directly

linked to their service. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following

report.

 

A group of New York Iraq war veterans are in a battle against their

own military and government, and they are hoping the Federal courts

will come to their rescue.

 

On Wednesday a judge held a hearing to determine if the nine

veterans have the right to sue because they were exposed to depleted

uranium from U.S. military weapons and equipment while in Iraq.

 

" This is not only for us, but for every soldier that is serving in

Iraq right now that has a family. This affects everyone, " said

veteran Agustin Matos.

 

The vets were a part of the New York National Guard when they were

shipped to Iraq to be military police. They complain of numerous

health problems, and they say depleted uranium, or DU, is to blame.

 

DU is a slightly radioactive heavy metal left over in the process of

creating nuclear fuel. The military uses it in missiles and tanks to

make them stronger, but when it's hit or explodes, soldiers can get

wounded by radioactive shrapnel or breathe in radioactive particles.

 

The soldiers came forward in 2004 saying private doctors confirmed

they had high levels of DU but the military has said the levels are

safe. The vets say they were never trained correctly about DU and

military doctors didn't diagnosis them correctly.

 

" They knew about treatments and preventative measures, " said veteran

Jerry Ogeda.

 

" The biggest danger that these guys faced, as it turned out, in

their lives was from our own government, " said attorney George

Zelma.

 

The government argues that the soldiers can not sue for injuries

suffered while on active duty.

But the soldiers' wives and children want to sue as well. Gerard

Mathew says his daughter was born with a deformed hand because of

his DU.

 

" She can't really come out and say how she feels or what's going

on, " he said. " So to have this in the court today, regardless of

what happens, will show that her father and her friends, who also

came out to convey a message, do care. And that we not only care

about ourselves, but about our fellow soldiers who are over there

right now that don't even know what is going on. "

 

The soldiers say that if the judge rules against them, they will

come up with other strategies to make the government and military

compensate them for their DU exposure.

 

The judge did not indicate when he'll make his decision.

 

- Dean Meminger