Veterans Benefits

Gulf War Illness Gets Its Due With VA Research

9 Comments

Approximately 697.000 men and women served in various operations during Desert Shield and Desert Storm between August 1990  and June 1991. While the war was short lived, the chronic medical symptoms are not.

A Gulf War Illness Task Force, wisely formed so as to prevent litigation, has discovered that nearly a quarter of these veterans of war have reported chronic fatigue, weakness, gastrointestinal problems, cognitive dysfunction, sleep interruptions, persistent headaches, skin disorders, lung problems and chronic mood disorders. This cluster of symptoms are now known as “Gulf War Veteran’ Illness”  The task force states that there research with these veterans will continue for the next three to five years.

A preliminary finding is that the reported illnesses are not the result of  mental health issues, but the by product of exposure to environmental toxins.

Publicly, no one mentions depleted uranium exposure, yet we know that it is included in the research. We also know that a team of soldiers who returned to Kuwait to clean up the Bradley tanks from DU, all became gravely ill.

To some this an Agent Orange Deja Vu. But again, we must give some credit to the new regime at the VA, they are not trying to hide, as they did with Agent Orange.

The VA has approved $2.8 million for research into treatments for these illnesses.

Continue to hold these soldiers in your prayers. With wars going on in 6 countries, with our troops, these Desert Storm warriors are kind of forgotten.

9 thoughts on “Gulf War Illness Gets Its Due With VA Research”

  1. Better late than never regarding this news, but I already knew I was exposed to toxins and DU the first time I was hospitalized at the age of 22 with an undiagnosed medical emergency. I dont think anyone cares what happened to us in the that war, you think you know pain, you dont know pain. Try living knowing you’re going to die from Gulf War Illness when doctors tell you its all an imaginary disease, its almost laughable. Years of my are wasted because of GWS, I can never get that back, or fix what happened but at least I dont get angry over it, I hope I can enjoy what time have left knowing the truth finally came out.

  3. Thank you so much for this article. I have Gulf War Syndrome I have been to four different VA hospitals. I even have been to Walter Reed Hospital to War Related Illness Injury Study Center. I am sick and cant work on Social Security Disability with nothing for compensation from the military it hurts me. I have worked since 14 years old and I am at my prime life in the working world at 41 and only have 1,000 monthly when I was working I was making seven times that before I became sick.

    1. Greg – Get in touch with me.  I’ll help you file a claim with the VA for disability compensation related to your service in the Persian Gulf War.  Be happy to help in any way I can. 

      Semper Fi,
      Dave Winnett
      Captain, USMC (Ret.)
      USMC-ONE@dslextreme.com
      Board Advisor, National Gulf War Resource Center (NGWRC.org)

  4. I have been fighting this for 19 years and don’t think I got a result one back  read back to me on all the blood test they have done over the years.Just Your kiddneys are bad ,your stomach is bad, the pain is in your head,go see MHC ,We don’t know why you have head ackes 24/7, We don’t know why you can’t get out of bed and your 20 years old,Have know idea why you cough up blood and pass out . Were do we get these fakes from. They all act like were are thier to get a hand out.Don’t know how many times I was the youngest guy at the VA and the VETS would ask me if my Dad was thier or Gran Dad. They act so suprized now makes me sick! Good Luck my brother and sisters getting what you deserve.

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