Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses - Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards

United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards

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Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses

Information about health problems associated with military service during Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom and related VA programs

Features

Read the August 2009 Gulf War newsletter to learn about new and current programs for Gulf War veterans and more.
Learn about the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses October 2008 report on Gulf War Illness and what VA is doing.

Fires burning during
the Gulf War

Approximately 697,000 men and women served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 1990 to June 1991 during the Gulf War. In the years since they returned, nearly a quarter of Gulf War veterans have experienced illnesses that have led VA and others to investigate whether exposures during deployment caused their symptoms. The research is unclear, although many studies have been and continue to be conducted.

Operation Iraqi Freedom is creating a new group of Gulf War veterans and reinforcing VA’s clinical and research commitment to better understand health issues reported by Gulf War veterans and to monitor Gulf War veterans’ health.