Remember

This memorial day, remember the fallen, they gave their lives for you and for me, so I could write this blog and you could read it. But also think of the hundreds of thousands of veterans that return from the war with “syndromes” that nobody seems to know the cause.  Many will live the rest of their lives on this Earth with a disability.

Gulf War syndrome (GWS), also known as Gulf War illness (GWI), is a chronic multisymptom disorder affecting returning military veterans and civilian workers of the Gulf War.^[1][2][3] A wide range of acute and chronic symptomshave been linked to it, including fatigue, muscle pain, cognitive problems, rashes and diarrhea.^[4] Approximately 250,000^[5] of the 697,000 U.S. veterans who served in the 1991 Gulf War are afflicted with enduring chronic multi-symptom illness, a condition with serious consequences.^[6] From 1995 to 2005, the health of combat veterans worsened in comparison with nondeployed veterans, with the onset of more new chronic diseases, functional impairment, repeated clinic visits and hospitalizations, chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness, posttraumatic stress disorder, and greater persistence of adverse health incidents.^[7] According to a report by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan may also suffer from the syndrome.^[8] The United States Congress mandated the National Academies of Science Institute of Medicine to provide nine reports on Gulf War Syndrome since 1998.^[15] Aside from the many physical and psychological issues involving any war zone deployment, Gulf War veterans were exposed to a unique mix of hazards not previously experienced during wartime. These included pyridostigmine bromide pills (given to protect troops from the effects of nerve agents), depleted uranium munitions, andanthrax and botulinum vaccines. The oil and smoke that spewed for months from hundreds of burning oil wells presented another exposure hazard not previously encountered in a warzone. Military personnel also had to cope with swarms of insects, requiring the widespread use of pesticides. High powered microwaves were used to disrupt Iraqi communications and though it is unknown whether this might have contributed to the syndrome, recent research suggests that safety limits for electromagnetic radiation are too lenient.^[16]

And remember your parents, if they were in the military and have passed away, like both of mine.  My mom was an ex-marine and my dad US Army Air Corps.  You will understand that even if they did not die in service, it forever changed their life and yours.