Profiles in Courage: Nuclear Complex & Uranium Worker Edition

By Tim Lerew, Cold War Patriots Spokesperson, Emeritus

Readers of a certain age may recall John F. Kennedy’s 1955 book “Profiles in Courage,” which describes acts of political bravery by eight different United States Senators. From John Quincy Adams in the early 1800s through Robert Taft after World War II, these senators took what were perceived as courageous and often unpopular positions through key votes in the United States Senate.

In their own way, the two Cold War Patriots profiled here expressed a different kind of daily courage. Bound by their Q-level Top Secret security clearances, which prohibited them from discussing details of their work with family or friends, they became part of an extended work family. Their efforts within the nuclear complex were vital to the national security of the United States.

Growing Up in the Shadow of America’s Nuclear Workforce

Cold War Patriot Tom enjoyed his youth. He grew up during the 1960s in the rural South Carolina town of Barnwell, a small community adjacent to the sprawling 300‑square‑mile Savannah River Site (SRS), where his father worked in plant security and good-paying jobs were hard to come by. Tom recalled how his family had taken pride in a twelve-and-a-half-cent hourly raise his dad had once received on the anniversary of his hire date. In those first three decades of plant operation, DuPont was the prime contractor. It had earned a reputation for treating workers fairly and maintained a strong safety-first culture while meeting demanding production targets for critical elements of nuclear weapons production.

So, it was no surprise that after his high school graduation and 18^th birthday, Tom was able to hire in at SRS as an Apprentice Technician. He planned to live with his parents and work for one or two years, then enroll in a degree program at the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB). Tom knew that the work at the plant was potentially dangerous, but he had confidence in his co-workers and followed all process procedures.  He was not expecting that just over a year into his job, he would be exposed to cadmium. While assisting with mobile monitoring equipment during an inspection of a shipment of fuel rods, Tom was exposed when silver-looking cracks in the steel casings of the rod assemblies—somehow damaged in shipment—compromised their integrity. In the complex chemistry of nuclear physics, cadmium is a neutron “inhibitor.” Properly used, it is a very effective component in the successful management of fission reactions. Unfortunately, like many non-radioactive special materials that are part of nuclear production, it is highly toxic to humans. None of this seemed to matter to Tom at the time; he had not picked up a significant radioactive dose from his exposure. He stripped off his PPE gear, showered, and the Health Physics folks had him submit urine samples over the next three days, all of which came back clear. Tom continued his work and saved his money for college.

The Journey After Exposure

It was not until nearly a year later, when Tom had a routine physical as part of his university admission process, that the doctor noted his elevated blood pressure and the unusual swelling around his ankles. Tom also noted at the time that, even though he was getting enough sleep, he still often felt tired. The doctor decided to order some blood work, and both he and Tom were surprised to learn that he had significantly diminished kidney function. This placed him at early Stage 3 chronic kidney disease, which was quite unusual for a 20-year-old who had not suffered an obvious kidney-damaging accident from sports or a car wreck.

I first met Tom more than four decades after his exposure to cadmium. He was able to finish college with a four-year degree and later taught English and literature courses in both high schools and colleges. He was then in his 60s and had enjoyed life, marrying and having two sons of his own. Sadly, his kidney disease persisted and became more acute as he aged, progressing to Stage 4 and requiring dialysis treatments three times per week. Cold War Patriots had assisted him in receiving his Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA) benefits, and he now had daily nursing help at home, as well as assistance traveling to and from the dialysis center. His wife even became part of his paid Professional Case Management (PCM) home care team, making it possible for him to retire comfortably.

A New Law Brings Long‑Awaited Benefits for Jason

I first met Jason and his wife last year in Colorado. They had heard about the new law passed on July 4, 2025, extending the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) benefits. This expansion included many of the “post-71” uranium miners and others who had previously been excluded from health benefits and compensation under RECA. Jason had been a miner all his life, mostly in “hard rock” mining that included gold, lead, silver, and uranium. In his later years, he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and required oxygen at home and while running errands. Because most of his uranium mining had taken place in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was not eligible under the original RECA law but became eligible under the newly expanded RECA law in 2025. He was one of the first claims submitted under the new law, and he received his compensation. Soon after, the Department of Labor provided him with EEOICPA benefits, including free home care.

Recognizing the Bravery of Our Nuclear and Mining Workers

Neither Tom nor Jason thinks of their work as requiring courage. After visiting their workplaces—ranging from Department of Energy sites requiring high levels of security and protective gear to locations more than 1,000 feet underground in Colorado where a hard hat is essential—courage is indeed the word that comes to mind. Men and women like these often toiled in secret so that America could develop the technologies and weapons needed to keep us safe. Every day, Cold War Patriots is proud to do our part to honor them and ensure they receive all the benefits and recognition they have earned.

To learn more about the home care health benefits you may qualify for as a nuclear or uranium worker, call Cold War Patriots today at 855-230-1339 or email us at [email protected].