(Dave Crete) – First, I want to apologize for being a bit out of touch these last three weeks. Please allow me the opportunity to explain why.
For eight years, I have been researching an issue related to my time stationed north of Las Vegas on the Nellis Test and Training Range (NTTR). During my time up there, I had many great experiences and saw and did things that nobody else got to do or even know was being done. It was amazing.
Years later, in talking to others who served with me, I saw a pattern of health issues that I began to investigate to see if there was a nexus to where we were stationed. This is something that many of us thought may be the cause of these issues, but we did not have a way to connect the dots.
Also, we believed that our government would not put us somewhere that would likely make a significant number of us sick, some terminally and worse, that our children would suffer from health problems too.
Now, I have compiled enough data to prove the government knowingly exposed us to ionizing radiation and other contaminants that would have long term effects on us and our family members’.
At the beginning of April, I had a conversation with Rep. Amodei about this, then a few days later a second conversation about my efforts to help those who, like me, who were stationed on the NTTR.
I told him about certain legislation and an Executive Order signed by President Clinton, we were blocked us from filing a claim and that out time on the NTTR was still classified. I told him that my goal was that by the end of the year, we could have a bill in draft in Congress that would give us an opportunity to fight for the benefits we and our families need because of our exposure.
I also explained to him that the Department of Energy employees and contractors who worked where we did, received the help they needed 23 years ago but again, the military was exempt.
He asked about the recently passed PACT Act and I told him that again, we were not eligible and that only a new bill would help us. He then understood our situation and understood that the military was truly being treated as a second-class citizen.
My goal of having a bill in draft by the end of the year was done within the next few hours. Rep. Amodei went beyond anything my group could have ever imagined. He did everything we asked. For this we are all very grateful.
This was just three weeks ago. In the past three weeks, my life has been beyond anything I could have imagined and busier than I thought possible. My priorities have changed.
I love this country; I love our community and I love the Republican Party. Our party needs help and it needs to start winning elections. Seeing the way my schedule has changed, I must pick what is most important to me.
For now, I must choose my brothers and sisters I served with and their families. I am now leading the fight for this group of people and there are thousands of people in this with me.
My political experience has taught me what needs to be done and an understanding of how to do it. With this said, I am no longer going to run to be the next Clark County Republican Party Chairman.
I will always be here to help but this time is not my time to seek this position. Our party needs help and I pray the changes needed will take place. I am sorry to those who may be disappointed in my decision, but I hope you understand why. This has been a difficult decision, but I know this is what I am supposed to be doing.
Mr. Crete lives in Clark County, Nevada
