▁of ▁their ▁participation ▁in ▁N uc lear ▁weapon ▁testing ▁and ▁post ▁test ▁event ▁activities , ▁without ▁legal ▁penalty . ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁however , ▁many ▁thousands ▁of ▁At omic ▁V eter ans , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁aff lic ted ▁with ▁a ▁host ▁of ▁radiation ▁induced ▁health ▁issues , ▁such ▁as ▁cancer , ▁had ▁taken ▁that ▁“ secret ” ▁with ▁them , ▁to ▁their ▁gra ves . ▁ ▁The ▁remaining ▁atomic ▁veter ans ▁may ▁receive ▁special ▁priority ▁en roll ment ▁for ▁health ▁care ▁services ▁from ▁V A ▁for ▁radiation - related ▁conditions . ▁In ▁addition , ▁atomic ▁veter ans ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁an ▁ion izing ▁radiation ▁registry ▁exam ination ▁program ▁operated ▁by ▁V A . ▁ ▁The ▁only ▁copies ▁of ▁service ▁and ▁medical ▁records ▁for ▁many ▁of ▁these ▁veter ans ▁were ▁lost ▁in ▁a ▁fire ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Archives ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁V eter ans , ▁or ▁families ▁of ▁dece ased ▁V eter ans , ▁whose ▁records ▁were ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁fire , ▁were ▁denied ▁these ▁services ▁and ▁must ▁go ▁through ▁an ▁extensive ▁reconst ruction ▁process ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁establish ▁their ▁presence ▁during ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁atmos pher ic ▁tests . ▁ ▁Comp ens ation ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ▁( DO J ) ▁has ▁a ▁different ▁compens ation ▁program ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Rad iation ▁Ex pos ure ▁Comp ens ation ▁Act ▁( RE CA ) ▁which ▁was ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁on ▁October ▁ 5 , ▁