Tomas enlisted at the age of 17 to the U.S. Army. He trained at Fort Bliss for 7 weeks on radar and was sent to Germany as a Radar Operator. He has told me the radar equipment was old and outdated. It was not the radar equipment he trained on at Fort Bliss. He would be out in the field for one to 3 weeks at a time, in and out of the radar closet at least 5 hours a day. He handled the radioactive tubes with just a pair of gloves, no other safety covering. The cabinets were clearly marked with "DANGER, Radioactive Material." He checked, tested, and changed various tubes of different colors in the cabinet.
Within one year, his dominant right hand started tingling and numb. He went to see a doctor in Germany, quite a few times. When his arm starting having the same problem he was sent to CONUS, Walter Reed for examination. He was medically discharged in 1986 at 93% with loss of use of right arm akin to amputation and left brain atrophy. One fourth to one quarter of his left brain was gone. No mention of radiation exposure or no sign of any German medical reports are listed in his TDRL exam for medical discharge. The Army said the cause was probably a stroke he had before entering the Army or of Unknown Etymology. He did pretty good with these disabilities, but in 2017 he had Gran Mal Seizues. As I have read with radiation exposure many times the presumptive disabilities don't start till years later. It is now December of 2019 and Tomas has been declared incompetent by the VA and he has Autoimmune disease of his brain and AIED of bilateral hearing. He cant walk without assistance and is in a wheelchair. He has lost his short term memory, can only remember 5 minutes ago. He has lost almost all cognitive abilities and is unable to form thoughts for conversation (aphasia), In recap, I cant list all that is wrong with him as it far outweighs what is right with him.
As his wife and VA appointed fudiciary, I have filed an appeal with VA on his behalf. The VA cant prevent you from submitting an appeal. It is on their shoulders to prove that "it is a least likely as not", that he was exposed to Occupational Military Radiation Exposure. We have also appealed for SCM Aid and Attendance, "R" Rating. We have an appointment next week to review his case.
I would advise file an appeal and let VA figure out if it is "as likely as not". Don't let anyone deter you if you are suffering from radiation exposure from working on any kind of radar, while serving your country. Don't wait till it is too late.
I have had much negative feedback that the Army would not let this happen to a soldier. Think twice!!!


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Personal History Of Exposure To Ionizing Radiation (ICD-9-CM V15.89) To all of us ADA Veterans and those who served with the Air Surveillance Radar.

Just getting this information out to all Veterans who may qualify for this New Screening. This Ionizing Radiation Screening the VA came out with this year is for All Veterans who served around Microwave RF Radar Radiation,

No Matter if you have medical problems that may link to this or not; -> ‘Register’! This includes our Cooks, Mechanics, MPs, Maintenance, Commo, Medics, etc. that were there with us. Trapper

This is for ALL ADA Assigned Veterans. So, pass this out to all of these contacts that you have who apply to this! Army, Marine, AF and Navy Veterans who served with ADA or any Air Surveillance Radar, needs this Accurate Information.
Please update/inform our Veterans. This statement needs to show up for these Veterans, VA Medical Record.
ACTIVE PROBLEM: Personal History Of Exposure To Ionizing Radiation (ICD-9-CM V15.89)
Ref: Veterans Health Benefits Handbook, July 2012, Chapter 3, Page 19.
Ref: Ionizing Radiation Review, Volume 5, February 2011,

Note From Veteran Carl Palmer, 24D/24G, SFC, A & B 3/7 ADA

Correct, the full impact of RADAR Exposure on a HAWK Site is still in discovery. We had the PAR, ROR, CWAR, HIPIR Radars using Multiple Radiation Frequencies and Power Levels, to include ICC / PCP Rotating Microwave Antennas.

Reference: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov National Center for Biotechnology Information PUBMED 19035449 (and related HAWK RADAR citations)

My purpose of sharing is Information is to get Fellow HAWKERS on a VA Registry, to have this as part of your Military Medical History, to be on their Data Base in event of any follow-up programs possibly resulting from the Exposure. ‘You never know’.

The 4 VA Health Registries are: Agent Orange Review
Operations Iraqi Freedom / Enduring Freedom Review
Gulf War Review
& Ionizing Radiation Review

These Registries include a Free Specialized and Comprehensive Health Examination provided by a VA Environmental Health (E H) Clinician.
Reference: -> Veterans Health Benefits Handbook, July 2012, Chapter 3, Health Registries, page 19hand started tingling, followed with numbness. He saw a doctor in Germ