VA must do more to satisfy commitments made to ill Gulf War veterans, says American Legion

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The nation's largest veteran service organization is challenging the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to meet its responsibility to provide appropriate care and benefits to ill Gulf War veterans and to honor its promise to explore new research and treatments to address their unexplained illnesses.

"It has been 14 years since Gulf War veterans returned from the war and those who are ill are still desperate for effective treatments to help them deal with unexplained illnesses that threaten their livelihood and their ability to provide for themselves and their families," American Legion National Commander Thomas L. Bock said. "Thousands exhibit similar clusters of illnesses, yet no presumptive illnesses have been established for veterans who served in the Gulf War and very few undiagnosed illness claims are granted."

After reviewing a 2004 report of the VA's Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (RACGWVI), VA announced that it would commit up to $15 million in FY 2005 for new research on Gulf War veteran illnesses and establish a new center to study treatments for the unexplained symptoms that characterize the illness. In a November 15th hearing held by a subcommittee of the House Committee on Government Reform to examine the extent of VA's adherence to research mandates in the Persian Gulf War Veterans Act of 1998, it was reported that the VA's Office of Research and Development had designated $1.7 million for new Gulf War research projects, of which only $400,000 was designated for research specifically addressing Gulf War illnesses. The rest was for other research for illnesses that are not unique to Gulf War veterans, like ALS-which afflicts the entire veteran population at an increased rate compared to the general population. There was no funding in 2005 for the Gulf War illness treatment center.

VA has announced that it would spend $1.7 million on 12 new research projects to better understand illnesses affecting Gulf War veterans for FY 2006, similar to the announcement made in FY 2005. We hope that this time that VA keeps its promise to ill Gulf War veterans and invest in research that will bring us closer to finding treatments they need and bring them closer to getting the benefits that they deserve.

"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 make new research specifically addressing undiagnosed illnesses a top priority," Bock said.

Founded in 1919, the 2.7 million-member American Legion is the nation's preeminent 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.