GULF WAR VETS EXPOSE Defense Department Mistakes: Soldiers still at great risk from biochem exposure
ngwrc.org
As U.S. Prepares for Gulf War II
Force Health Protection still not implemented.
Steve Robinson, Executive Director
As The US prepares for Gulf War II The National Gulf War Resource Center demands, The Department of Defense implement Force Health Protection Per Public Law 105-85, section 762-765
The President of the United States, George W. Bush, recently briefed the United Nations on the reasons he believed it was important to fight another Gulf War with Iraq. In his speech, the President detailed many reasons why Sadam has become a menace to the world.
Absent from his speech, was any mention of the veteran’s that had fought in the last Gulf War and the illnesses that they currently suffer.
Eleven years ago, former president, George H. Bush detailed the many reasons why we should fight Sadam Hussein. He also stated that America was behind the soldiers who would fight this war and that he would provide them with the equipment and man power necessary to achieve victory.
Upon return from the stunning victory in the Gulf, veterans began to complain about various illnesses and conditions that they believe were attributed to their service in the Gulf region.
Veterans began to organize and ask for assistance from DOD, the VA and the White House. No matter which direction they turned to try to understand their illnesses, the White House and the DOD refuted any suggestion that the illnesses they suffered were linked to exposures, vaccines or anything that occurred during the war.
Today, after 11 years of fighting for health care and compensation, a new generation of Gulf War veterans will be asked to face the same enemy, the same mistakes, the same equipment and the same mindset of 11 years ago. They will be asked to fight a type of war that many cannot imagine and that we are certainly not prepared for.
As a result of the last Gulf War, Congress instituted congressional protections designed to insure that the mistakes of the last Gulf War could never be repeated. This law entitled Force Health Protection (PL-105-85, subsection 762-765) requires pre-deployment, during deployment and post deployment screening of soldiers to include serum collection and hands-on physical inspection by a clinician.
Recently, the DOD admitted before Congress that is has no means to ensure this law is being acted upon and if soldiers were actually receiving the benefit that Congress intended. In addition to this blatant disregard for Congress and the American service member, the DOD is still using chemical agent alarms that were used during the first Gulf War. The DOD claims that these M8 alarms produced over 14,000 false-positives during the last Gulf War and little has been done to improve its detection capabilities. This detector is in service NOW in the war on terrorism.
Since the last Gulf War, veterans who returned were forced to fight the Department of Veterans Affairs for compensation. The VA is under funded and cannot adequately take care of the veterans currently under its charge. The VA is also in violation of Public Law 102-585 Sections 701 and 702. The VA is withholding the "Gulf War Veterans Information System" report because it fears the debate that will ensue related to Gulf War veteran statistics. .
How can America debate going back to war with Iraq, knowing that our equipment may not protect us, that the VA cannot withstand an increase in patient load and the status of those who have already fought this war have produced thousands of casualties that still need help today?
The NGWRC is not trying to prevent another war with Iraq. We are trying to prevent the same mistakes from being made on a NEW generation of Gulf War veterans.
So far, science has taken 11 years to understand the exposures that veterans of the last Gulf War faced. Science has absolutely shown that the illnesses GWS veterans face, are not as a result of the stressors of war but as a result of exposures, un-approved vaccines, un-approved pills and a myriad of other things that have not yet been researched. The NEW generation of GW veterans need our protection and need our experience. The history of 1991 cannot be disregarded. If it is disregarded, then it is done with the absolute knowledge that unnecessary harm will come to those who fight the enemy on the battlefield and those who will fight for healthcare from the VA when they return.
Our government has ignored the GW veteran experience of 1991. Will America stand by and watch another tragic event occur that could be avoided?
How can we fight the next GW without correcting the mistakes of the last GW and what does it say to our current active duty servicemen and women who see the horrible treatment veterans have faced after war?
Does the last 11 years of suffering, denials and mistreatment from DOD instill confidence in the NEW generation of soldiers?
Posted to the NGWRC Web 9/16/2002 2:01:50 PM |
