30 Years After the Gulf War: Veterans and the Legacy of Toxic Wounds

Thanks for sharing!

Ahh sorry for the length but it just kept coming out. Do with this as you wish. Hope it helps somebody.

My wife and I are both retired Navy. I retired before she did and she was deployed with DS for 7+ months in country (Kingdom) and Bahrain well. About 2012, a coincidence happened. She had gradually had the onset of several seemingly unrelated physical and mental (memory loss) problems. On a particular day as I was researching the recent AO Nehmer case, I came across an article about Gulf War Syndrome (not sure what today’s title is after all the name changes) and looked over the qualifying symptoms...she had all but one. I took the printout to her and we agreed.

Next she took the VA form to our primary care. He chalked the symptoms up to tired housewife and said in any event he couldn’t make the diagnosis. I was infuriated at his response and set up and paid for a private 15 minute office visit. When he walked in, he thought I was the patient. After I got done, he agreed to see her again. This time I went with her. He reviewed her medical record of the years we had been with him.

Then he checked off all the symptoms but two which was still enough to qualify. Then we filed online with the VA. About 6 months later she had a C&P appointment. We dressed as though a business meeting. Went in sat down and the doctor went over our physician’s filled out form, reviewed the two statements by friends and discussed the situation with us then signed off on a 100% Benefit. Then we thanked him and left. Her compensation was backdated to the original filing though we had to wait for the coordination between the audit by DFAS as she was entitled to concurrent receipt of Navy Retired (20 yrs) and 100% VA.

I provide all this info here to encourage those vets who served there and have the symptoms to file...hopefully the time hasn’t run out.

As we as a family look back, we realized that symptoms started to appear two years after her return. First it was the fibromyalgia, then loss of short segments of memory (she had been the lockbox of events par excellence) which still continues, the chronic fatigue got worse and worse and other areas as well.. After the VA award, a time came when she sat on the couch next to me and just “wasn’t there” but was awake and conversant. Took her to a different doc, after leaving the idiot, who diagnosed two issues and prescribed meds that brought her back within two days.

Following this I read about a DARPA program researching a detox protocol for 9/11 first responders, and the doctor in charge was opening it up for a limited number of GWS vets. We got her in for the 5 week session at our cost (airfare, hotel, food) in near Annapolis (though not a Navy site). Early in the rigorous treatment including bunches of supplements, arduous exercise and sauna periods, her sweat turned to yellowish-green slightly viscous fluid then slowly regained its normal clear wet. After the five weeks, she still had the symptoms but was now a person who could at least do one to two tasks a day instead of go out to dinner then take the next day to rest. Our expenses were well worth the result. I’m convinced she would not be here now without the treatment.

The DARPA program concluded not long after she returned. We don’t have a clue if its results lead to other treatments but are really glad to have lucked out. A family with dads as bomber gunner aircrews in WWII and Korea, my Vietnam and her Persian Gulf service, we kneel to no anthem other than Amazing Grace.

Remember that look very well. Always said we got something over there.