Meaningful Week Ahead for Gulf War Veterans

Written by Anthony Hardie, 91outcomes

(91outcomes.blogspot.com - July 25, 2009) - The week ahead promises to be meaningful for veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, with a Congressional hearing on Gulf War Illness research timed in the middle of a joint leadership conference of the National Gulf War Resource Center (NGWRC) and Veterans of Modern Warfare (VMW).

The Congressional hearing, entitled, "The Implications of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Limited Scope of Gulf War Illness Research," is the second in an investigative series on Gulf War illness research being conducted by the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the U.S. House of Representatives Commitee on Veterans' Affairs. The hearing will be held on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 30, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Committee's hearing room located at Room 340 in the Cannon House Office Building.

At the same time, the joint VMW and NGWRC Leadership Conference is being held at the Galt House Hotel & Suites in Louisville, Kentucky between July 27 and August 2, 2009, in conjunction with the national convention of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and its sister supporting organization, Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA).

Among the joint events key to Gulf War veterans and their advocates will be a presentation entitled, "Veterans of the 1991 Gulf War: Bittersweet Victory, Treatments on the Way?" and workshops on Gulf War veteran's VA claims and accessing military unit records through the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which may help to provide documentation support for these claims.

Other presentations slated for the joint leadership conference include veteran suicide prevention, Dryhootch of America, and VetJobs, and viewing a documentary by David Block, entitled, “Abandoned Heroes."

The joint leadership conference will also include presentations and workshops relevant to VMW's growing number of local chapters, including presentations entitled, "“Member/Leadership Outreach," “Forming a Chapter/Incorporation," "Conducting a Meeting/Documentation,” and, “Chapter Activities/Community Relations." Other workshops include VMW's national communications, including “VMW Website," “Social Networking,” and “Skype,” and a seminar entitled, "VMW–Adapting to the Mission."

The joint conference is scheduled to be rounded out with separate and joint business meetings, a Veterans Mall, and joint opening and closing ceremonies and an evening banquet with VVA and AVVA.

More information on the joint events, including registration, lodging, and agendas, is available from VMW, NGWRC, VVA, and AVVA.