Callum Jones
An Area 51 veteran has claimed that a top secret project 'permanently altered' his DNA, while others were allegedly killed by an 'invisible enemy'.
Located in southern Nevada, Area 51 is often associated with alleged unidentified flying objects, with many conspiracy theorists even claiming it's where the US government harbors alien life.
It's the home to a highly classified US Air Force base that's located within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and no one really knows what goes on there.
However, Area 51 veterans are now hitting out at the government, claiming they were handed a death sentence without their knowledge by working at the site.
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David Crete, a former Air Force Sergeant who'd served at the NTTR from 1983 through 1987, runs a campaign group called The Invisible Enemy.
As per NewsNation, this is 'a nonprofit fighting for government transparency, pushing for legislation that would provide medical treatment and compensation for military personnel and their families who were exposed to contamination at the Nevada Test and Training Range'.
Crete, who is one of a number of veterans speaking out, has claimed that over 490 people have died from severe illnesses since working at the facility.
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At the House Veterans Affairs Committee earlier this year, Crete said that his time at the base 'permanently altered' his DNA.
He explained: "My wife had three miscarriages. One of the guys that I worked with, his wife had seven. All four of my children were born with birth defects or significant health problems.
"It's not their fault. I'm not saying it's mine, but I brought it home. It was my DNA that was permanently altered from low-dose, long-term, ionizing radiation exposure."
There are many other veterans who have been impacted by this 'invisible enemy' as it's believed their illnesses are a result of being exposed to radiation while working.
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Crete hosted a reunion BBQ in 2016 and invited his fellow Air Force friends to his Las Vegas home in what was a revealing day.
Veteran Randy Groves said that he had a lump on his back, prompting Crete to open up about his own experiences after having a 'grapefruit-sized tumor' removed from his back.
He said the large lump was just one of more than 20 lipomas on his body, while it's believed that eight people around the table that day had reportedly developed tumors.
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The US Department of Defense is said to be denying Crete and many other veterans who've worked at Area 51 because their records are 'Data Masked', meaning they are unable to get access to Veterans Affairs - which provides essential healthcare to eligible military veterans.
UNILAD has reached out to the Air Force for comment.