American Cold War Veterans

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Comment by Kelly S on January 8, 2009 at 7:43am

Cold War vets sue over alleged experiments

By Paul Elias - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jan 7, 2009 22:25:31 EST

SAN FRANCISCO — Six veterans who say they were exposed to dangerous chemicals, germs and mind-altering drugs during Cold War-era experiments filed a federal lawsuit against the CIA, Department of Defense and other agencies Wednesday.

The veterans say they volunteered for military experiments as part of a wide-ranging program started in the 1950s to test nerve agents, biological weapons and mind-control techniques, but were not properly informed of the nature of the experiments.

They blame the experiments for poor health and are demanding the government provide their health care. They also want the court to rule that the program was illegal because its administrators failed to get their consent.

Marie Harf, a CIA spokeswoman, declined to comment on the lawsuit, which seeks class action status on behalf of all participants allegedly exposed to harmful experiments without their knowledge. Vietnam Veterans of America, a veterans advocacy group, is also a plaintiff.

The suit, filed in San Francisco, alleges that at least 7,800 U.S. military personnel served as volunteers to test experimental drugs such as LSD at the Edgewood Arsenal near Baltimore, Md., during a program that lasted into the 1970s, and that many others volunteered for similar experiments at other locations.

“In virtually all cases, troops served in the same capacity as laboratory rats or guinea pigs,” the lawsuit states.

The suit contends that veterans were wrongfully used as test subjects in experiments such as MK-ULTRA, a CIA project from the 1950s and ‘60s that involved brainwashing and administering experimental drugs like LSD to unsuspecting individuals. The project was the target of several congressional inquiries in the 1970s and was tied to at least one death.

Harf said that MK-ULTRA “was thoroughly investigated and the CIA fully cooperated with each of the investigations.”

The plaintiffs say many of the volunteers’ records have been destroyed or remain sealed as top secret documents. They also say they were denied medals and other citations they were promised for participating in the experiments.

They are not seeking monetary damages but have demanded access to health care for veterans they say were turned away at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities because they could not prove their ailments were related to their military service.

In 1988, the Justice Department agreed to pay eight Canadians a total of $750,000 to settle their lawsuit alleging they suffered psychological trauma from CIA-financed mind-control experiments that included the use of LSD

Comment by Art Farash on December 9, 2008 at 2:19pm

I keep thinking about "cold war" veterans and think about the years I spent in Germany in military intelligence where my entire life was spent working with the East Bloc/Warsaw Pact forces and their order of battle. It was a daily "war" of sorts and we had ""casualties" in this war who became enmeshed in both worlds and became victims like my former OIC George Trofimoff who no is spending his older years in federal prison. I know defectors on both sides who also were victims. These were interesting times.

Comment by John Gariano USMC 1962/66 on November 16, 2008 at 7:35pm

It's an honor to be with any Vet's.. SEMPER FI for god and Country and our FLAG.

Comment by Art Farash on November 8, 2008 at 5:56pm

When I hear "cold war" can't help think about all my years in Germany doing inteligence collection on the Warsaw Pact forces, While in Iraq 2004-2005 as a contractor was told several times that we old timers were "'cold war warriors" in an uncomplimentary sense, i.e. were were still thinking as we did dealing with the Soviet and Warsaw Pack armies. I had to tell them that that was a real war that could have easily happened. Those young intelligence people in Iraq apparently picked up this attitude at Ft Huachuca. And in between German tours there was the "hot war" in Vietnam.

Comment by Patrick Pacalo Phd on August 17, 2008 at 10:11am

glad to be aboard!

Comment by Sean Eagan on July 27, 2008 at 6:58pm

Welcome everyone.

Who We Are

We all answered the call. Drafted or enlisted, when it was popular and when it wasn't. America needed it's guardians of freedom and we were there. Our members served around the globe for
46 years ensuring freedom would not disappear at the hands of
totalitarian communist regimes. We did it at places most of the
world never heard of and at locations that made routine headlines.
We did it in the air, on land and at sea. We served with our
active duty forces, our reserve forces and with the National
Guard. We served with conviction and honor. We served with pride.
We are the AMERICAN COLD WAR VETERANS.

Born of a desire to further the cause of those who have gone unrecognized for their service and sacrifice, the American Cold War Veterans are taking the lead in securing that long lost
recognition. Many of our members participated and continue to
participate with other Veteran Service Organizations to help all
Veterans but felt there was a void and lack of progress in
guaranteeing that Cold War Veterans were among those receiving
that help. To that end, we came together and pledged our time and
resources to make Cold War Veteran recognition a priority. Where
others have tried and failed to make progress for the Cold War
Veteran, we dedicate ourselves to that cause.

We now stand on four guiding principles. These pillars, our foundation, are to focus on these four items. First, we will continue to push for May 1st to be a day of recognition in all
fifty states and eventually, a National Day of Remembrance.
Second, for the unsung men and women who did their duty, a Cold
War Victory Medal to show the world our commitment to world peace
was worth their sacrifices. Third, a national memorial to honor
the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price to preserve
our freedom during the Cold War. Lastly, to keep the memories and
lessons of the Cold War in the minds of the people and eventually,
to educate our youth as to the cost and sacrifices made to keep
the world safe.

Our history and our future began on August 18, 2007. In Independence Missouri at the Truman Presidential Library, a group of Cold War Veterans, with a vision and a determination met for
the first time. There they forged a plan. There, they took their
first steps together on a journey of their own choosing. With Dr.
Frank Tims being named the first Chairman of the newly formed
American Cold War Veterans, the die was cast and an organization
was born. Yes, the journey has just begun but together with the
support of our members, we will achieve those four guiding
principles. We hope that you will join
us and together we will make history.


American Cold War Veterans meet at the Truman Library

On Saturday August 18th the founding meeting was held in
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - Cold War veterans from throughout the country
attended a meeting creating a new veterans service organization.
"The time has come for those who served during the Cold War,
America's longest war; to finally be recognized for their service"
said Frank Tims, Ph.D. "It is time to tell the truth about the
Cold War, and to recognize its forgotten heroes." Thanks to all
who attended!

MISSION STATEMENT

We are The American Cold War Veterans. A Veterans Organization incorporated in the State of Florida and founded on August 18, 2007 at The Truman Library in Independence, MO. As a group we are dedicated to all of our Brother and Sister Veterans, with special dedication to those who served during the Cold War era September 1945 to December 1991. Our Mission is to bring respect, recognition and awareness to Veterans of the Cold War era no matter what branch of service, whether active duty, reserve or National Guard. We are committed to honoring the sacrifices made by millions of American men and women during the Cold War, especially those who paid the ultimate price of life or liberty. We intend to see that the Cold War's history is completely and accurately understood by people everywhere. We are united in these goals and speak with one voice.

Officers and Directors of American Cold War Veterans

Board of Directors (5 members):



Frank M. Tims, Ph.D. (Chairman) (Term expires August 1,
2008)




Sean Eagan (Term expires August 1, 2009)



Lloydene Hill (Term expires August 1, 2010)

Two seats vacant, to be elected by membership in 2008




Scott L'Ecuyer

Associate Director for Membership


OFFICERS



National Director and Legislative Director, Frank M. Tims
PhD.




National Secretary - Paul Dudkowski



ACWV Historian - Hector Ed Autry




Membership Director, Lloydene Hill



Treasurer, Jerald Terwilliger




Public Affairs Director - Sean Egan



National Chaplain and Director of Operations, D