Gulf War Syndrome Findings Not Breaking News, Says American Legion

From US Newswire

To: National Desk

Contact: Ramona Joyce, 202-263-2982 or 202-445-1161 (cell), Joe March, 317-630-1253 or 317-748-1926 (cell) both of the American Legion

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "Recent media reports that Gulf War Syndrome doesn't exist are misleading and masks the fact that even though ongoing maladies being experienced by Gulf War veterans may not have a scientific name they certainly do exist," said Paul A. Morin, national commander of The American Legion.

"The Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recent report on the health of Gulf War veterans is basically a summary of existing peer- reviewed research and the committee's findings. The most contentious, which some media are just now reporting on, is the conclusion that there is no Gulf War Syndrome," Morin said.

"This is not breaking news within the veterans community, but it does warrant more explanation because of the misleading headlines."

The committee indicated that available research, collectively, indicated there is no cluster of illnesses that could be attributed to a single source and that there were no illnesses unique to those who were deployed to the Persian Gulf during U.S. operations there in the early 1990s.

The same research again stated that Gulf War veterans are sicker than other non-deployed veterans and the IOM committee could not determine a reason for it, and that unexplained illnesses are the most prevalent health outcome of service in the Gulf War.

The report also recommended that the Department of Veterans Affairs provide surveillance for specific adverse health outcomes, such as cancer, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, birth defects, adverse pregnancy outcomes, post-deployment psychiatric illnesses.

Although this report does not provide any new recommendations that are beneficial to 1991 Gulf War veterans, it is the second report congressionally mandated to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the VA on the health of Gulf War veterans to indicate that they are sicker than their non-deployed counterparts.

"What is important, and has been well documented, is that Gulf War veterans are sicker, even if no one can conclusively declare why this is so," said Morin "The American Legion's priority on this issue is to make sure additional funding and effective treatments are made available to help alleviate any suffering service member's symptoms," he said.

The Legion also reinforced the call for benefits to be awarded for illnesses that are found to be related to military service in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

VA has recently dedicated up to $15 million to identify effective treatments for ill Gulf War veterans. The American Legion again will request that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs address the ailments that the IOM have associated with symptoms identified in the report.

"If existing research has not been able to provide the VA with adequate knowledge to effectively treat ill Gulf War veterans, then the VA needs to ensure that finding effective treatments is made a top priority," said Morin

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This text and a high-resolution photo of Cmdr. Morin can be downloaded at http://www.legion.org

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Founded in 1919, the 2.7 million-member American Legion is the nation's largest service organization for veterans of the U.S. armed forces, including active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and their families. A powerful voice for veterans in Washington, The American Legion drafted the original GI Bill and was instrumental in establishing the agency that today is the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

My Nephew Bryce with 4th ID. His deployment ends Dec 14th

This Case makes it possible For Veterans to sue military for medical problems arising from Depleted Uranium exposure. Until now Veterans had no recourse in thier battle to get compensation for illness related to ingestion of DU in Southwest Asia. The Following report is From NY1 .

Sean Eagan

CWVA NY

Director

NY1 News

Soldiers Earn Court Victory In Battle To Prove Exposure Disability
September 30, 2006

Soldiers from the New York area are reacting to news that they can sue their own military for what they say is mistreatment of medical conditions they continue to suffer after serving time in Iraq. NY1'S Dean Meminger filed the following report.

Iraq war veteran Hector Vega says he still gets headaches and lumps on his hands and neck. Why? He says it is because of high levels of depleted uranium or DU in his body. He says he breathed in the radioactive substance in Iraq. But he says for the last three years military doctors have told him something different.

"I'm still being checked out at the VA hospital and they just keep denying the DU issue and keep telling me I'm suffering fro PTSD," said Vega.

PTSD is post traumatic stress disorder.

Vega is one of nine soldiers suing the government for misdiagnosing their illnesses. It's a case federal prosecutors tried to get thrown out, but a federal judge has now ruled part of their case can go forward.

"It is a great ruling, we did not expect this," said Vega. "I'm just happy. It was a landmark decision, but this is just part one. We have a long way to go. I just hope we come out on top."

It wasn't a complete victory: the judge ruled they cannot sue for injuries suffered as active duty soldiers, and that includes exposure to DU. They can only sue for the alleged medical mistreatment of DU after they were discharged. Depleted uranium is a slightly radioactive heavy metal used to strengthen missiles and tanks. The vets say they were wounded by radioactive shrapnel or breathed in radioactive particles.

"These brave men did not receive honest and descent medical treatment. In fact the misdiagnosis they got made them feel bad about themselves, that they could not stand up to the stress, when in fact it was due to radioactivity," said the veterans' lawyer George Zelma.

The judge ruled their wives also can sue, based on claims they have been deprived of companionship.

At the same time, a suit on behalf of Victoria Matthew, the daughter of one of the soldiers, has been thrown out. Her father says the girl was born with a severely deformed hand because of his DU exposure. But since he cannot sue for his own exposure, only for his misdiagnosis, his daughter' s case can not move forward.

Still, the nine soldiers say they look forward to their day in court to battle their own government.

– Dean Meminger

COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL KILLED IN SENATE

From the NDAA07 Final Conference Report released 29 Sep 07

Cold War Victory Medal..

The House bill contained a provision (sec. 552) that would

require the service secretaries to issue a service medal to be known as the Cold War Victory Medal to eligible members and former members of the Armed Forces who performed active duty or inactive duty training between September 2, 1945, and December 26, 1991.

- The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.

- The House recedes.

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I would like to post this in reaction to the recent church bombings after Pope Benedict made his academic speech in Germany referring to violent acts among the alleged Muslim faithful.

The vandalism toward Christian churches wasn't the first incident of this sort. In Turkey [where I was stationed in the Air Force [1968-1969] had several in the past toward Greek Orthodox churches. And I believe that even though the pope is Roman Catholic that there were incidents against the Greek Orthodox church after the recent rampage by Muslim extremists. I am nominally a Catholic, but have relatives who are Greek Orthodox. I am not speaking on their behalf but for my own.

Since I am a veteran who was stationed in Turkey during the Cold War, I feel that these people who call those in the West infidels are themselves INGRATES. They are ungrateful for the fact that US GIs served in Turkey when the Turks were justifiably worried about the Soviet Union. They are ungrateful in their harmful acts on Greek Orthodox churches, a religion well represented in the US--the same US that defended them. They are ungrateful and do this in spite of US help in Afghanistan's battle against Soviet Russia years ago helped free them from Communist rule in a religious nation. They pure and simply are INGRATES.

I think Muslims in general need to become aware of this, but for the most part have not condemned the acts. There was a group of US based Muslims who sent money for rebuilding efforts for the church. Good for them. Now we need the Turks to acknowledge that the US helped during the Cold War, and the veterans did also. I have not seen any Turkish acknowledgment of US aid to them after the end of the Cold War, and it is 15 years and counting. Madeleine Albright wants Turkey to be part of the European Union. I don't agree with her. She is another person who needs to be made aware of what the Cold War veterans did in service of their nation.



FRANK D



Corlu Guy I Agree whole heartedly. I too served in Turkey at Corlu havalani for 17 months 1990-91 US Army. Even then we were treated as if our presence was not appreciated but begrudgingly tolerated. We had numerous incidents with host nation civilian and military personnel including a riot at the front gate off E-5 where Turkish Army basically had us prisoner (nothing or no one in or out unless they had Americans in custody). There were countess bombings against American interest i.e. consulate, McDonald's,etc. American serviceman were killed and wounded in Istanbul, Izmir and Incirlik. We were under Threatcon Delta for 8 months. My battle buddie and I ran supply run every day in civvies. We recieved danger and hostile fire pay from Jan till I left. Does that sound like we were appreciated then. Nothing has changed? The Turks are suppose to be our biggest allies in Muslim world. They use us for money, Arms and for anything else to further their interests, but when we need a Northern front against Iraq its no or when our Armenian ambassador mentions the genocide in 1915 we sheepishly call him home and replace him to placate the Turks. We turn a blind eye on human rights and war against Kurds all to keep a foothold in region and to protect our bases there. The Turks had Ataturk a great man and if it wasn't for him setting up strong secular govt Turkey would be worse. The islamists are strong in Turkey but they are kept in check by secular institutions. We should not be surprised by rhetoric and terrorism from Turkey after Popes comments. Yes its disappointing but Islam trumps any nationalistic or strategic allegiance. We need to realize Islam must be contained and the West better wake up.



Sean P. Eagan
New York State Director
Cold War Veterans Association


sean.eagan@gmail.com
http://www.coldwarveterans.com/
http://cold-war-veterans-blog.blogspot.com/