Children living in southern Utah, where the fallout was the heaviest, suffered an even higher leukemia incidence. Studies have concluded that children born to Atomic Veterans have also had ill health effects due to exposures they received at nuclear test facilities. Three types of health damage are seen among the test site victims. Establishing proof that radiation exposures caused diseases in individuals is difficult. Cancer effects of low-level radiation can take up to thirty years or more to appear.
Genetic damage can take several generations to appear.
The difficulty is compounded by a pattern of withholding radiation and medical records by the Department of Energy and the Defense Nuclear Agency. Because the government withholds records and information and intimidating affected persons and their families, and suppressing pertinent scientific information makes it difficult for Atomic Veterans and the Area Residents who live downwind from The Nevada Test Site to receive justice from the federal government. When legitimate complaints were made concerning devastating health effects caused by the atomic testing programs, the government placed road blocks in the paths of all concerned and used our tax dollars to cover it up and deny claims filed by the victims of their atomic testing programs. Many fallout victims express the feeling they were used as guinea pigs . Most were never told about possible radiation hazards, or were told that there was not enough radiation to cause concern.