Gulf War Illnesses; Public and Private Efforts Relating to Exposures of U.S. Personnel to Chemical Agents,
Abstract
Approximately 700,000 U.S. servicemembers served in the Persian Gulf during some point from August 1990 to June 1991. According to DOD, the majority of these personnel returned from the war healthy and remain fit for duty today. However, many of these servicemembers are reporting a wide array of health complaints and disabling conditions, including fatigue, muscle and joint pain, memory loss, and severe headaches. in response to concerns about the servicemembers with these symptoms and the potential health effects resulting from Gulf War service, both DOD and the Department of Veterans' Affairs established programs through which Gulf War veterans could receive medical examinations and diagnostic services. Nearly 100,000 of these servicemembers have participated in clinical evaluation programs established by these two agencies alter the war. According to DOD officials, medical research studies with comparison groups of both deployed and non-deployed Gulf War veterans are designed to clarify whether certain medical conditions may be more common among Gulf War veterans. In addition, DOD and several federal agencies, as well as a number of private organizations, are studying whether servicemembers may have been exposed to chemical agents during the war.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA331040
Entities
People
- Carol R. Schuster
- Donald L. Patton
- Rodney E. Ragan
- Steve J. Fox
- William L. Mathers
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office