Cold War-era military Nuclear Weapons Technicians maintained America’s nuclear arsenal in silence — many have died, others struggle with the consequences of radiation and toxic chemical exposure from working on those weapons. —————— In a recent episode of the Price of Business Show, host @KevinPriceLive and co-host Wendy Bjork @bjork_ms spoke with Rick Workman, retired U.S. Air Force Captain and founder of The Sound of Silence Project, about the secret work veterans performed for decades to sustain America’s nuclear deterrent. During the Cold War, tens of thousands of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Nuclear Weapons Technicians maintained U.S. nuclear weapons worldwide. Their work was highly classified, conducted in silence, and hidden even from their families. Many were forced to lie. Many took their secrets to the grave. Live nuclear weapons continuously emitted ionizing radiation through their surfaces. Ionizing radiation damages DNA, causes mutations, disease, and cell death. During routine maintenance, repair, component replacement, transport, and storage, technicians were repeatedly exposed through direct contact and close proximity. Nuclear Weapons Technicians were assured they were safe. That assurance was incorrect, dangerous, and potentially deadly. They were not given informed consent. Their radiation exposures were rarely measured, recorded, explained, or managed. Today, most Cold War–era Nuclear Weapons Technicians still do not know the truth about their exposures. Silence protected the mission — not the people. Interview link: usdailyreview.com/the-silent… @DarshDavis, @wynnaa_17, @dc_ksh . #PriceOfBusiness #POBInsider #TheSoundOfSilenceProject #TSOSProject #ColdWarHistory #NuclearWeapons #VeteransVoices #RadiationExposure #MilitaryHistory #VeteransHealth #CongressionalAction #TruthMatters

Some stories were never meant to stay silent. On an upcoming episode of the Price of Business Show, Kevin Price and I sit down with Rick Workman, retired U.S. Air Force Captain and founder of The Sound of Silence Project. @TSOSProject Rick shares what tens of thousands of Cold War–era Nuclear Weapons Technicians were never told while maintaining America’s nuclear weapons under strict secrecy. The exposure. The silence. The lifelong consequences. And why Congressional action is now essential. This conversation is also personal for me. My father served as a U.S. Navy Nuclear Weapons Technician aboard the USS Independence CVA-62 during the same era. Like so many others, he carried responsibilities and risks he was never warned about. Joining us is @KevinPriceLive, host of the Price of Business Show, as we shed light on a chapter of history that still needs acknowledgment and action. The interview link is coming soon. Please watch for it, listen with an open heart, and be ready to share. Some truths change everything once they’re finally spoken. #PriceOfBusiness #POBInsider #TheSoundOfSilenceProject #TSOSProject #ColdWarHistory #NuclearWeapons #VeteransVoices #RadiationExposure #MilitaryHistory #VeteransHealth #CongressionalAction #TruthMatters #HeartsOfWellness

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CAN THE SILENCE HURT? -- A "note" to my fellow Cold War period Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Nuclear Weapons Technicians (and related titles, ratings, MOS, specialties, etc.). -- Members of Congress and Department of War are invited to read this also. Who are some of our biggest obstacles for recognition in Congress, to gain support for an amendment to Federal Law —Title 38 U.S. Code, Veterans' Benefits—for claims related to our ionizing radiation exposures? Coming right out of Veterans Day—after all the annual Congressional promises to “support veterans”—the answer to the question is uncomfortable: sometimes, it’s us. Most members of Congress don’t know that military Nuclear Weapons Technicians (NWTs) existed during the Cold War. Except for Senator Cortez Masto (NV) and Congressman Bergman (MI), few offices have any clue who we are. And here’s the hard truth: they can’t help a group that they don’t know exists. And no one will know if we keep refusing to speak. One of the biggest reasons we remain unknown—even ghost-like—is because so many NWTs still believe they “must never talk” about the work we did during the Cold War. But that “war” ended 34 years ago. With few if any exceptions, the weapons we maintained don’t physically exist anymore. Yes, newer variations/mods are out there, but they are not the weapons we sat on, leaned on, stuck our heads in, crawled under, and worked on. So ask yourself: Do we really believe that information about weapons that no longer exist is still classified? If so, please give an (unclassified) example. But even if something technically remained classified, I argue that you can say this without violating anything: “I worked on live nuclear weapons during the Cold War. I replaced limited-life components, repaired, maintained, transported, and stored them. We were exposed to ionizing radiation in the process—and we were never informed about those exposures or given a choice to provide informed consent.” None of that is classified. It’s simply the truth. Silence ruled the day back then because we had no choice. Perhaps for operational security. The Cold War we knew, is over. We’ve recently learned—through unclassified and publicly available sources—that those weapons continuously emitted dangerous ionizing radiation through their exterior surfaces. The technical term is intrinsic radiation (INRAD). Consider the Inverse Square Law for radiation which states that the intensity of radiation is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. Start one meter away. Use a pseudo value of one radiation unit (1 RU). Cut the distance to a radiation source in half → the exposure quadruples. Halve it again → multiply by four again. Once more → multiply by four again. Do the math carefully. It might shock you, and you will not yet be at the surface! Our families, our friends, our physicians—and yes, even the VA—must finally understand the exposures we faced. At the very least, we owe that truth to our families and the others who care about us. You don’t have to shout it from the rooftops. But stop believing you are forbidden to speak. Your silence may hurt you, your family, your fellow veterans—thousands of them—and the surviving family members of thousands more. #TheSoundOfSilenceProject #Veterans #VeteranNuclearWeaponsTechnicians #ColdWarVeterans #IonizingRadiation #DeptOfWar

Break The Silence - Please Honor our Veterans, thank their surviving family members (they also served/sacrificed)

To Members of Congress and Executive Branch leaders/staff: Please review The Sound of Silence Project at TSOSProject.com. During the Cold War, Nuclear Weapons Technicians (NWTs) from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps secretly maintained America’s nuclear arsenal — routinely exposed to ionizing radiation without their knowledge or consent. Decades later, these veterans are still technically bound by secrecy and many have taken — or will take — their stories to the grave. Families remain in the dark. We buried a dear friend in June 2023 who never shared the truth of his service. We hear from surviving families with the same heartbreak and unanswered questions. Today, under Title 38 of the U.S. Code, these veterans are not recognized as radiation-exposed — and are routinely denied VA benefits. More than half have already died. At this rate, no one will remain to speak up. Perhaps that’s the plan. They upheld our nuclear deterrent. Now it’s time we uphold our duty to them. 📄 Draft legislation: tsosproject.com/files/CWVNWT… 🔁 Please repost and share widely. #Veterans #ColdWar #NationalSecurity #TSOSProject

The images are from a May 1, 2025 DOD post in "X" and my May 2 reply. Cold War-era (1947-1991) Nuclear Weapons Technicians (NWTs) in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps worked in secrecy while maintaining all live nuclear weapons in custody of the DOD throughout the world. Without our knowledge and consent, we were bombarded by ionizing radiation (gamma and neutron) continuously emitted through the live nuclear weapon surfaces. Routine tasks included maintenance, disassembly, limited life component exchange, reassembly, transport, storage, etc. The radiation had no on/off switch. Many NWTs removed radioactive alpha particles from radioactive materials in the weapons, unseen by the human eye. When airborne, those unseen particles could be inhaled, and ingested. They could easily and unknowingly be carried home to family members or to the barracks in their hair, on uniforms, etc. Alpha radiation is 20 times more biologically dangerous than gamma radiation. Neutron is 5-20 times more. Title 38 U.S. Code nor the VA consider as radiation exposed veterans. The law, in Title 38 U.S. Code "Veterans' Benefits" must be amended to acknowledge and provide presumptions of occupational radiation exposure. Until then, veteran NWTs continue to fight an uphill battle, typically a losing cause, required to individually prove their actual exposures and prove the connection to cancers and other diseases as likely as not caused by the radiation. on their own. That is near impossible, as Cold War-era NWTs have not been formally and completely released from the secrecy requirements and agreements from their time of Service to our nation, many of whom are (technically) unable to speak of their duties with physicians, family members, or friends. Many have, and more continue to, take those secrets to the grave.