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.