In this episode, we sit down with guest Paul Griego, a radiochemist, to discuss his involvement and exposures during the cleanup of the Marshall Islands from 1977-1980. The Marshall Islands Atomic Cleanup was a Joint Task Force of military and non-military personnel. During the atomic cleanup, all personnel lived on two military bases - Enewetak and Lowja. As young men and teenagers, they were given a futile and dangerous task to 'cleanup' the nuclear fallout and debris of 43 atmospheric nuclear weapon tests. The group attempted to gather the highest level of radioactive material and dump it into a nuclear blast crater. They dumped 110,000 cubic yards into a nuclear blast crater on Runit Island before covering it under a massive concrete containment dome, which today is leaking. 

We dive into the various radiation exposures and issues endured by enlisted and unenlisted participants, the impact on health and bodies of those exposed, the broader DNA impacts, and the toll these exposures take on loved ones and family members. 

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About

Civilian Exposure is a fully tax-exempt, non-profit news and outreach organization. Our writing and research is made possible through reader support.

We are dedicated to shedding light on the extent of military contamination, as well as the generational health impacts to all people exposed. Our work honors and serves our nation’s military veterans and civilian DOD personnel working aboard US military installations, along with their families and children, in need of critical information about exposures.

Mission

To expose abuses of power, betrayals of the public trust, and overall negligence by government agencies and the military, using the moral force of investigative journalism to spur reform through the sustained spotlighting of wrongdoing and harm due to toxic military contamination.