Hegseth mulls benefits fix for veterans exposed to radiation at A-bomb test site

[Marlin]

Hegseth mulls benefits fix for veterans exposed to radiation at A-bomb test site

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/05/19/hegseth-mulls-benefits-fix-for-veterans-exposed-to-radiation-at-a-bomb-test-site/

[News Wire]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reviewing legislation that would grant radiation exposure benefits to military veterans who worked at the Nevada Test and Training Center. Current regulations prevent these veterans from accessing the same compensation programs available to Department of Energy civilians who performed similar duties at the site. This policy change would address long-standing discrepancies in how radiation-related health claims are processed for former personnel.

Civilians have received benefits for work at the Nevada test site, but Cold War-era regulations still do not allow veterans to prove they were there, too.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week said he would conduct a review on supporting a bill that would give veterans — predominantly from the U.S. Air Force — the same benefits civilians have been receiving for exposure to radiation at a Nevada test site that has seen more than 900 atomic bomb tests.

At a May 12 hearing of the House Appropriations Committee, Hegseth thanked Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nevada) for pushing legislation to override the Catch 22-type rules that have blocked veterans from getting the benefits received by Department of Energy civilians who also worked at the Nevada Test and Training Center (NTTR) north of Las Vegas.

Read the full article at Military Times:
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/05/19/hegseth-mulls-benefits-fix-for-veterans-exposed-to-radiation-at-a-bomb-test-site/