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Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 | 2:08 a.m.
More than 200,000 veterans of the first Gulf War have been vindicated by a new report that concludes their multiple health problems stem from their service-related exposure to chemicals.
The report, six years in the making, was written by a congressionally mandated panel headed by a former top official of the Defense Department and assisted by Boston University’s School of Public Health.
This is the first official acknowledgement of what the veterans have been saying all along, that they are suffering from a physical disease. The government’s position has been that they are experiencing a mental condition brought on by post-war stresses or simply suffering from “unknown causes.”
United States and coalition veterans who participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991 drove Iraq’s invading military from Kuwait. Upon returning home, they began reporting multiple physical problems, including memory loss, nausea, headaches, diarrhea, fatigue, breathing difficulties, rashes and muscle and joint aches. Rarely has a Gulf War veteran reported improvement. In fact, most have gotten worse, with many developing brain cancer or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Veterans Affairs hospitals treat the veterans’ symptoms, but the government never made it a priority to discover what was causing them until Congress in 2002 appointed the 15-member Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses.
The committee’s 450-page report identified two sources of exposure that brought on the symptoms — strong insecticides sprayed liberally on and around the veterans during both phases of the war, and PB (pyridostigmine bromide) pills given to combat troops as protection against chemical attacks.
The report also stated that researchers could not rule out oil well fires and the troops’ multiple vaccinations as causes for the illnesses.
Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake has sent the committee’s report to the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine for a review. This is the agency that previously studied the illnesses and reported in 2000 that it could not find any “evidence for a specific cause.”
Congress should take the committee’s findings seriously. It should act to ensure that Gulf War veterans now receive what they have always deserved — treatment for their real illnesses and proper disability payments.
My name is Mike and I am a sick Gulf War Veteran. I will make this as short as possible and that will not be easy.
I served for Ten years on active duty and a few in the National Guard. I am very proud of my service and wish I could still serve. In short I am Airborne Qualified, 63TD3P20 Soldier. I was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for my performance during the War. I have also been awarded the Army Commendation medal and 5 Army achievement medals and many others. I was an E5-P in E-7 slots (Sergeant First Class Positions) the last years of my active duty service. I was highly Trained Motivated and Good at what I did. I have all the paper work to back up what I say. And I have not even scratched the surface of my service to this Country. That I love so much. I am nobody special. But I have proved myself to be trust worthy and my opinion at one time counted. The Military was my life.
Others and I are sick and have been for a very long time and need help. I am sorry that I am not made of steel. I am human after all. Never thought I would say that one.
I lost my first wife to divorce and my first child to a problem with the pregnancy and my 1st wife took it much harder than me. Marriage over. My problems are the same as all the rest of us who are sick . So I will skip that part. Was re-married and had 1st child who was hospitalized twice for unknown reason. Buy that time I was pretty sick to. I have one other child who was born in 1998 who seems fine. I lost our home and all of our belongings in 1999 and became homeless with three kids and a great wife. (WOW) I still can't believe it. I was on around 13 prescriptions at the time. And my fight with the VA had started years before and they knew I was sick. I was also in a very bad training accident in 1989 and that alone was causing me major problems. So I was double trouble to the VA. It was and has been a very long road and I did win my fight with the VA and am rated 100% and I still need medical attention and I can't seem to get anyone at the VA to listen and understand my life is terrible and I have real medical problems and it not in my head. Well it is, the pain, headaches, eyes and so on.
We are sick, we served this Nation when the time came. It's time for this Nation to step up to the plate and help us. We need it. Too many have already died to include my best friend. What is it going to take. For the VA help us.
Mike R.
ordesertvet@aol.com
More time will tell. But for the 1st time in a long time I feel we have a small chance concerning the VA. The VA has shown us all in the past that the truth has no meaning to them. We are the liars and just looking for a free ride.
and dont forget it's all in your head. Here take some more psych meds. We all know the story. So lets hope and pray for a change that is long over do concerning sick Gulf War Veterans. I would like to see the VA shut down and all Veterans given medical cards. Have the soldier rated during out-processing from there prospective branches and put all those VA employees who treat us like we owe them out of work. Make the ones who can go out and get a real job. We are talking about the medical industry jobs should not be a problem for the ones who do thier jobs and are good at what they do and for the ones who had no choice but to seek employment from the Government so they are protected against all the mistakes and lack of knowledge hit the road. I am not sorry I feel this why I have given the VA more chances than I would have ever received during my 10 years of active duty service. It is called dereliction of duty. And game over.
Mike R.
Speak Up this is our LAST chance to tell the VA
HOW poorly we have been treated and WHAT our current health Condition is Today. http://www.gulflink.org
This Committee is asking for written comments from Veterans.
This Committee is allowing Vets to speak before them, during Public Coment Sessions.
This Committee is allowing Vets to Teleconferece - hearing sessions by telephone.
Silence is not an Option ! http://www.va.gov/gulfwaradvisorycommitt...
VA - Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Policy and Planning (008A1)
810 Vermont Ave, Washington, DC 20420
202-461-5758 Lelia P. Jackson, Policy Analyst ,lelia.jackson@va.gov
The Next meeting is January 2009
LOCATION (VAMC) VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 S. Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98108-1597
Additionally, the Committee will meet with a panel of Gulf War veterans who reside in the Seattle, WA area.
Gulf War veterans living in the Puget Sound area who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during 1990-1991 wishing to participate in the panel should contact Lelia Jackson
Public comments will be received on January 14, from 1 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. and on January 15, from 11:15 a.m. until 11:45 a.m.
Individuals wishing to speak must register not later than Jan 11 by contacting Ms. Jackson and by submitting 1-2 page summary of their comments for inclusion in the official record.
Public comments will be limited to five minutes each. A sign-in sheet will be available each day. Members of the public may also submit written statements for the Committee's review. Interested parties may also listen in by teleconferencing into the meeting.
The toll-free teleconference line will be open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on January 14 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on January 15, 2009. To register for the teleconference, contact Ms. Jackson. Any member of the public seeking additional information should contact Laura O'Shea,