Government Funds Study on Gulf War Syndrome
The Veterans Administration has agreed to devote $15 million to further study of Gulf War Syndrome, following a panel's recent finding of a probable link between the symptoms of Gulf War veterans and exposures to Iraqi neurotoxins, perhaps including sarin. Earlier investigators, who blamed stress, are skeptical. "Where's the epidemiology?" they say. Maybe now we'll have some. Today's New York Times has the story.
1 Comments:
Nov 05 Government reform Hearing is coming and due to lack of imput by veterans deployment health and VA programs will not be manged in a way the Veterans will be happy with.
There are organizations that are running interference to the Congress. The voices of the veterans who count on these groups to speak for them are "sitting on there statement" - being put in a dark draw.
What is not seen, will not be changed. We must speak, write to our Congressional representative directly, to get the message out.
The PR machine is working against us.
Dear gulf war era veterans/supporters:
What is it that we want from DoD and VA?
Most of all to have our issues addressed!
The goal was to explain serious medical conditions affecting thousands of GW vets whose sympthoms have been dismissed and ridiculed for lack of understanding them.
One group which has pointed out where and how the exams and
program failures ocurred is "Desert Storm Battle Registry"
who has done investigative reporting on deployment exposures
and health/compensation delay, denials, and mis directions.
If it is health care or compensation issues,
we need the DAV, Am Vets, American Legion or National Gulf War Recource Center to include
our remarks into the Committee meetings of DHSD,
Environmental Agents,
IOM on Gulf War Health Committees.
The information on these meetings are being hidden,
but these organization not posting notices/minutes to
their websites in a timely manner. Six months after the
fact, make particapation impossible.
The VA-Rac has delayed creatation of Gulf War Illness
Study Center for 2 years. The NSO represenatives who
sit on these Committees have been silent. Many veterans
don't know of the opportunites that the have lost.
"See GAO-05-903T Defense Health Care: Occupational and
Environmental Health Surveillance Needs Improvement."
Do you want the DOD (Ft Detreick) to control all deployment
health studies and protocals of care? Or would you like HHS
and Presidental Commissions to keep oversite powers to
Persian Gulf Registry, WRIISC, Veterans Disability Benefits Commission,
or Environmental Agents Registry (for OIF/OEF) ?
We must demand sunshine and open dialoge on the care and compensation
for all veterans services. Close door committee meetings, with
NSO groups who do not post what is going on - is not what
veterans who have developed Leshmansis, DU exposure, MCS
Anthrax reaction illnesses; Early on set MS or ALS, Mild Brain Injuries
- who are currently fighting for service connection wanted.
If we dont want lose the progress that has been made and wish to
change policies for the better (PL 105-386 - title 38 ss 1117/1118 AUG 05)
Ref: 38 CFR 3.309 it is time to write your Congressman again and
tell them that PL 102-585 was created to monitored Gulf war Veterans Health by agencies other that VA or DoD - like HHS. [2] We should not lose $245 million of PL 105-368 for INDEPENDENT treatment center due to inaction by
Military Health Veterans Coordination Board;
VA-Rearch Advisory Committee; DHSD
Deployment Health Support Directorate;
National Veterans Service Organizations;
National Gulf War Resource Center.
Your response is requested. Many of our programs is due to end in 2006!
Opinion of Venus Hammack (ED) Desert Storm Justice Foundation
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