This is a day late, but important, especially for those in the state of Wisconsin and may not have known about it.
I want to thank Ilona Meagher, of PTSD Combat : Winning the War Within for pointing me over to a radio show, on a day I’m getting Iced out of work, that actually aired yesterday:
WGTD Morning Show: A Discussion with Dr. Edward Tick on Combat PTSD
Posted: 16 Jan 2007 11:38 PM CST
Thanks to new media, you don’t have to be in Kenosha, WI Wednesday morning to catch an informative program on combat PTSD. Just tune into WGTD’s online stream at 8:10 am CST/9:10 am EST (or check show archives following its airing). Click on ‘Article Link’ below tags for more…
in her postings that are sent out.
I visited to see if it was archived, it wasn’t yet, the most recent on that list is from the 12th, looks like they let the week run out before posting those shows.
So I decided to listen to the live feed. On their local and state news section a report came up about ‘Gulf War Syndrom’, so in searching to see if I could find a link to it, or a printed report I found a link to the Wisconsin Veterans Section with ‘Gulf War Syndrom’ listed which led me to what’s posted below.
Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day
Madison, Wisconsin – Jan. 17, 2007
Kicking off the day’s conference will be a proclamation issued by Governor Jim Doyle, remarks by WDVA Secretary John A. Scocos on the significance of the day, comments by various dignitaries, and a presentation on Gulf War veterans’ service-connected disability claims that will be of particular interest to Gulf War veterans and their advocates.
In public recognition of the continuing sacrifice by members of the U.S. armed forces who develop illnesses from exposure to Gulf War-related risk-substances, 2005 Wisconsin Act 37 designates January 17th of each year as “Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day.”
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
_________
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, in response to the August 2, 1990 invasion of the State of Kuwait by the Republic of Iraq, a coalition of approximately 30 nations including the United States of America launched Operation Desert Storm at 3:00 a.m. local time on January 17, 1991 in order to enforce United Nations resolutions for Iraq to end its occupation of Kuwait; and
WHEREAS, about 10,400 Wisconsin service members served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, with 11 losing their lives; and
WHEREAS, during the course of their Persian Gulf War service, these service men and women were exposed to endemic diseases, anti-nerve agent pills and biological warfare agent vaccinations administered without informed consent, and a veritable toxic soup of burning oil well fires, depleted uranium, low-level exposures to chemical warfare agents, pesticides, and petroleum products; and
WHEREAS, nearly one-third of the approximately 697,000 U.S. service men and women who served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War have been granted federal service-connection for a myriad of illnesses and injuries, including chronic multi-symptom illnesses, neurological disorders, and an array of disabling health conditions; and
WHEREAS, elevated rates of life-threatening diseases including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), brain cancer, and testicular cancer have been documented among Gulf War veterans in peer-reviewed medical studies; and
WHEREAS, as a public expression in recognition of the continuing sacrifice by members of the U.S. armed forces who develop illnesses from exposure to Gulf War-related risk-substances, the State of Wisconsin, by 2005 Wisconsin Act 37 enacted on August 17, 2005, designated January 17 of each year as “Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day”;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jim Doyle, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby proclaim January 17, 2007, as
GULF WAR ILLNESSES RECOGNITION DAY
throughout the state and encourage all Wisconsinites to honor and recognize those members of the United States armed forces who served in Operation Desert Storm ? the Gulf War ? for their dedicated service, and courage in protecting and defending the United States, and request that part of the day be used for quiet contemplation to honor those brave members of the U.S. armed forces who suffer illnesses as the result of their service to our nation.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin to be affixed. Done at the Capitol in the City of Madison this tenth day of January in the year two thousand seven.By the Governor
DOUGLAS LA FOLLETTE
Secretary of State
Gulf War Column by Secretary Scocos 2006
Fifteen years ago, as the nation sat down to dinner, President George H.W. Bush announced to a hushed nation, ” Just two hours ago, allied air forces began an attack on military targets in Iraq and Kuwait.”
After months of deploying military forces from dozens of nations in a massive coalition troop buildup, so began the Persian Gulf War on January 17, 1991 at 3:00 a.m. local time.
In all, nearly 697,000 Americans served in theater during the 1991 Gulf War, including an estimated 10,400 from Wisconsin. Eleven of our brave Wisconsin service members never came home.
For those who did return home, some had been wounded – physically, psychologically, morally. For others, the host of strange symptoms they were experiencing came to be known collectively as Gulf War Related Illnesses or Gulf War Syndrome. Of those who were deployed to the Persian Gulf between Aug. of 1990 and Jul. 1991, more than one of every three have now filed claims for service-connected disability compensation, including nearly half of those identified as having been exposed to low levels of Sarin nerve agent when a bunker filled with chemical munitions was detonated near Khamisiyah, Iraq shortly after the Feb. 1991 ceasefire.
Veterans identified by the Department of Defense as included in the Khamisiyah group received a letter in December informing them of the elevated rate of brain cancer among their group. Researchers have also found doubled rates of Lou Gherig’s Disease (ALS) among Gulf War veterans.
This year, our “Year of the Disabled Veteran,” we must do better at effectively helping our disabled veterans to gain effective treatment. And this January 17, Wisconsin is the first state in the nation to recognized Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day, a day statutorily designated for recognition of those who still suffer from post-deployment health issues.
In order to protect our current troops, we must learn the lessons of the 1991 Persian Gulf War to ensure that we will one day be able to treat and prevent the lingering health effects experienced by those who waged the war for the liberation of Kuwait amidst a battlefield filled with burning oil well fires, low levels of chemical warfare agents and other toxins, and exposure to a host of experimental drugs and vaccines.
And, through “Mission: Welcome Home” and related efforts, we must ensure that our newest returning veterans are warmly reintegrated into the society that caused them to be sent to war, while ensuring that they are made fully aware of the range of programs and services available to them.
Gulf War Additional Information links
1. VA Gulf War Veterans Information System (GWVIS) Reports
November 2005 February 2006
- VA’s Gulf War Research Advisory Committee
- CDC’s Research Planning final report
- U.S. Senate Veterans Committee Report
- IOM report, oil well fire combustion-product exposure associated with lung cancer:
- DOD, OSAGWI
- Chemical & Biological Warfare agents in the Gulf War
- Depleted Uranium info
- Health effects of DU
- National Gulf War Resource Center
- Wisconsin Radio Network: “Gulf War Illnesses get Recognition in Wisconsin”
- Gulf War syndrome revisited – The mysteries of Gulf War syndrome are being unravelled, but will it plague the soldiers now returning from Iraq?
- Evaluation Protocol for Gulf War and Iraqi Freedom Veterans with Potential Exposure to Depleted Uranium (DU)
When was the last time you heard about ‘Gulf War Syndrom’ and the Thousands of Veterans, of the first gulf war, who are suffering from?
Why is this just a Single State Action, and still not being covered by the Media, as it should, nor given the recognition by the Federal Government of whom these Military Personal Served Their Duty to, Us, when being sent into a War Theater?
This is something that Should Not Be left to the individual states, not only to recognized but fund, this is a Federal Government Issue, as are All Issues related to what the Federal Government does concerning our Military Personal, Period!!
I’ll give you the quick but most important reason that issues such as this are pushed off the public radar, as they always are concerning our Military Personal and the results of the Conflicts they are sent into, M*O*N*E*Y!!
I don’t care what political party one belongs to No One Wants To Pony Up The Costs Needed, but Many are more than Willing to Spend Multi-Billions to Wage Senseless Wars on others, have No Questions about where the Billions upon Billions are going as to the Defense Department or the Military Industrial Complex thinking they are being Tough on National Security. Hell we don’t even want to Rebuild the Countries We Destroy, we call the people our Enemies after Destroying them and their Countries!!!
Human ‘Animal’ Nature, Disgusting!!!
Just ask a ‘Nam Vet how Country treats you if you had developed illnesses from Defoliants. or PTSD, hell ask any Conflict Vet about what some have and are going through. And just watch what happens to our Present War Theater Veterans, hell it’s been happening already!!
