A federally sponsored study presented Monday showed that Gulf War syndrome (associated with the original Gulf War and not the popular sequel) is, in fact, a real problem, unlike the once widespread ketchup/catsup dilemma. Confirmation of this issue by a panel from the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses disproves claims of its denial made in the years subsequent to the war by the federal government, who apparently believed that symptoms were a result of the wild, fanciful imaginations of soldiers.
The illness has been found to arise as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals, as well as a drug once given to soldiers to prevent the effects of nerve gas. In deployments for which the drug was not administered, the study shows, soldiers are much less likely to show symptoms associated with Gulf War syndrome. The committee concludes the report by asking that funding for further research be granted. While this particular problem will likely be avoided in the future in light of these findings, other problems for for war veterans will remain unearthed until many years later, when a committee is formed to address the concerns of distressed family members.
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