VA to Reopen Gulf War Files

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/25/us/politics/AP-US-Gulf-War-Illness.html

The Veterans Affairs Department says it's preparing to re-examine the disability claims of what could be thousands of Gulf War veterans suffering from ailments they blame on their war service.

The review could result in more veterans receiving compensation nearly two decades after the Gulf War ended.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki tells The Associated Press that the decision is part of a ''fresh, bold look'' the agency is taking to help veterans who have what's commonly called Gulf War illness and have long felt the government did little to help them.

The VA says it also plans to improve training for medical staff to make sure they do not simply tell Gulf War vets that their symptoms are imaginary -- as has happened to many over the years.

[midnight]

1. Imaginary symptoms... I suppose that is an imaginary diagnosis.

Good lord they better bring in fresh new people to treat these soldiers.

[Dr.Faust]

2. Pretty horrible to be a witness to that n/t

[unhappycamper]

3. The VA did the same shit to veterans suffering from Agent Orange exposure during 'my' war.

Ignore, obfuscate, and delay until many of them die before addressing the problem. (We are doing the same thing with depleted uranium, IMO.)

Granted the VA has increased funding, but they still have old medical equipment and facilities. Buy a few less $5 billion dollar destroyers, $2.8 billion dollar submarines (two a year) or $11.5 billion dollar aircraft carriers and the United States government could actually take care of our veterans the way they deserve. It ain't gonna happen because Lockheed Martin and the Bath Iron Works needs to grab all the bucks they can before the economic collapse occurs.