The Postwar Hospitalization Experience of U.S. Veterans of the Persian Gulf War

During the Persian Gulf War, there were far fewer combat and medical casualties among U.S. military personnel than expected. 1 – 7 Since returning from the Persian Gulf, however, some veterans have reported a variety of symptoms. 7 – 9 The Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services have responded with a number of investigations 10 – 14 and programs of comprehensive clinical evaluation for Gulf War veterans and their families. 15 , 16 Panels of distinguished scientists continue to examine environmental, medical, and laboratory data to determine whether the veterans' symptoms are associated with a common exposure and whether the various combinations of symptoms . . .