attn. Desert Storm vets

[AirAssault]

http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=cmty.levele&eid=2443

GO GET CHECKED OUT AT YOUR LOCAL VA!!!!!!!!!!!

Military personnel who served in the Gulf War have had a significantly higher incidence of undiagnosed illnesses than those who were not deployed to the theatre of operations. Veterans who participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm are now referred to as Gulf War veterans rather than Persian Gulf War veterans.

Gulf War veterans have reported suffering from one or more symptoms that include fatigue, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, rashes and pains in muscles and joints. The symptoms range in severity from barely detectable to completely debilitating. There have been no single accepted diagnosis or group of diagnoses identified that describes and explains these symptoms although some of the possible causes are suspected to be associated with multiple environmental exposures.

What is "Persian Gulf Syndrome" or "Gulf War Syndrome"?
These are terms used to describe symptoms and illnesses reported by individuals who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Southwest Asia in 1990-91. Researchers are considering many possible causes including, but not limited to:


Oil, smoke and other petrochemical agents

Leishmaniasis (Sand flies)

Pyridostigmine bromide, malaria prophylaxis and other prophylactic drug treatments;

Inoculations (Anthrax, botulism, etc.)

Infections

Chemicals

Pesticides

Microwaves

Depleted uranium

Pyridostigmine bromide

Chemical and biological warfare agents.

Contaminated food and water obtained in the Persian Gulf

[82ndAbn]

Roger that. At least spend the 5 minutes to fill out the paperwork, get your photo taken, and get an ID card.

It'll save you the incovenience of waiting when you do need medical support.

~

[fnfalman]

Did it. Thanks for the reminder because a lot of us didn't get the word.

[ranger88]

I've been procrastinating fo wayyyyyy too long. Time to get it done this week. Thanks for the heads up guys.

[Big Time]

Rangers lead the way,if you do it Ranger88,then I'll do it also.;)

[ranger88]

Got the forms the other day. Now I just have to fill them out, attach a copy of my DD214, turn them in and schedule an appointment. Little by little.

Your turn Big Time.

[AirAssault]

i took the Gulf War Exam last year.

it can last almost all day depending on the patient load at your VA.

took about a month to get results back.

there is NO cost to the veteran for this exam!

[ranger88]

Paperwork was sent in this past Thursday. Now I suppose that it is wait and see time.

Your turn Big Time.

[AirAssault]

Originally posted by ranger88
Paperwork was sent in this past Thursday. Now I suppose that it is wait and see time.

Your turn Big Time.

the VA got me in within two weeks or so after completing my paperwork.

results were ready roughly a month afterwards.

[Show Killer]

It's those little white pills they gave us over there. I buried mine in the desert and i'm having no complications. I wasn't about to let them use me as a guinea pig.

[AirAssault]

Originally posted by Show Killer
It's those little white pills they gave us over there. I buried mine in the desert and i'm having no complications. I wasn't about to let them use me as a guinea pig.


http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/library/randrep/pb_paper/

[ranger88]

I started to read the report mentioned in the previous post, but holy-moly what a bunch of scientific crap. I don't think that I got past the first few pages of "no conclusive evidence" and "possible existence of something commonly referred to as Gulf War Syndrome".

Can anybody just cut to the chase and give us simple-minded people the jist of the report?

[AirAssault]

Originally posted by ranger88
I started to read the report mentioned in the previous post, but holy-moly what a bunch of scientific crap. I don't think that I got past the first few pages of "no conclusive evidence" and "possible existence of something commonly referred to as Gulf War Syndrome".

Can anybody just cut to the chase and give us simple-minded people the jist of the report?

this seems to do a little better job explaining things: http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/RiskFacto4.doc

[ranger88]

Thanks AirAssault. Much more understandable, but still not necessarily sense if you know what I mean. I suppose that for once I would love to just have someone say that they know something conclusively about GWS.

[AirAssault]

Originally posted by ranger88
I suppose that for once I would love to just have someone say that they know something conclusively about GWS.

you'll never hear our Government speak that freely....

here's a few other sites to check out:

http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/

http://www.gulfwarvets.com/gulflink.htm

http://www.gulfwarvets.com

[SIGShooter]

To all...

I am an Afghanistan combat vet. I served 9 years in the Army. I have been medically retired (TDRL 40%) due to a "connective tissue disease." Prior to deployment I was 100% healthy. No dirogatory informaion in the med records prior to deployment. After the deployment the health started failing. I am kind of lost as to what to do next. I looked up some of the syptoms that the Gulf war vets are suffering from and I have many of them. I have been told by 2 different doctors in the Army that there are other soldiers that are suffering from the same thing. I am at a loss for words right now. Any opinions. Feel free to email me. Thank you.

[DriBak]

I got on the Registry 12 years ago and it took 12 years for me to finally get my 10% disability service connected, prior to that I was service connected 0% disabled non-compensable. I save my 112.00 VA checks for a whole year and then go cash them in so they feel like something :supergrin:

[GlockNess]

I was placed on the registry in '96. The Olymics were going on and I finally had enough of the long travel time and waits. They offered me no effective treatment, or any real dianosis. I guess it's just my "sacrifice". Proud to have the honor to serve, though.