One of my readers called me a few weeks ago and wanted to tell me about his Gulf War experiences.
It was a great conversation.
Daryl Norton was assigned to an Army Field Artillery Group. He was involved in a MLRS. ( Multiple
Launch Rocket System) 6rockets at a time. Aimed and fired a rocket filled with grenades , released
before impact, used as anti-infantry capable of creating concussion waves that could kill the inhabitants
of a tank without a lot of damage to the outside of the tank. The result? Many dead Iraqi soldiers found
near lots of Russian Equipment. Area of destruction, possibly 1000 square meters. The Iraqi soldiers in
many cases would abandon their positions on the first assault. Who could blame themthat is a lot of
destruction at the pressing of a few buttons.
Never seeing the target might have made it easier at the time, but once you start thinking about the
destruction, death, and damage, how could you not have a few regrets. You served your country, and
came back with an injury of the soul that does not manifest for years. It’s the reason the use the word
POST in the PTSD descriptions.
Thank you for your service Daryl Norton.
The rest of this article is taken from the Veterans Administration website:
Another prominent condition affecting Gulf War Veterans is a cluster of medically
unexplained chronic symptoms that can include fatigue, headaches, joint pain,
indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders, and memory problems.
VA refers to these illnesses as "chronic multisymptom illness" and "undiagnosed
illnesses." Preferring not to use the term “Gulf War Syndrome” when referring to
medically unexplained symptoms reported by Gulf War Veterans. Why? Because
symptoms vary widely.
Gulf War Veterans who meet the criteria below do not need to prove a
connection between their military service and illnesses in order to receive VA
disability compensation.
VA presumes certain chronic, unexplained symptoms existing for 6 months or
more are related to Gulf War service without regard to cause. These
"presumptive" illnesses must have appeared during active duty in the Southwest
Asia theater of military operations or by December 31, 2021, and be at least 10
percent disabling. These illnesses include:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a condition of long-term and severe fatigue that is not relieved by rest
and is not directly caused by other conditions.
Fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by widespread muscle pain. Other symptoms may include
insomnia, morning stiffness, headache, and memory problems.
Functional gastrointestinal disorders, a group of conditions marked by chronic or recurrent
symptoms related to any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Functional condition refers to an abnormal
function of an organ, without a structural alteration in the tissues. Examples include irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, and functional abdominal pain syndrome.
Undiagnosed illnesses with symptoms that may include but are not limited to: abnormal weight loss,
fatigue, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, headache, menstrual disorders, neurological
and psychological problems, skin conditions, respiratory disorders, and sleep disturbances.
Gulf War Veterans may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including health
care, and disability compensation for diseases related to military service. Their
dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits.
God Bless all of our soldiers!
