A.Rahman
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Local War Vets Take Fight Against Government Over DU Exposure To Court
uploaded 11 Sep 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.
by Dean Meminger
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.
uploaded 11 Sep 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.
by Dean Meminger
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.
