The following are real comments from real Gulf War veterans, published here to show how actual Gulf War veterans are reacting to news VA is retaliating against VA's independent Gulf War Illness panel and Gulf War veterans.
These comments are just a tiny sampling from among hundreds of similar comments in an array of online Gulf War veteran forums.
These veterans' names have removed to protect their identities.
VA needs to respond not with some outrageous press release saying what a good job VA thinks VA is doing, but by listening to those VA is supposed to be serving and reversing its damaging "changes" gutting Gulf War veterans' best hope at VA, the Research Advisory Committee (RAC)... and, starting with the Secretary and on down, enact the RAC's many recommendations for Gulf War veterans that remain buried or ignored.
-A.H.
-A.H.
============
"This study, just released, shows amazing progress in
finding a diagnosis (and possible treatments) for the 250,000 veterans ill with
Gulf War Illness.
If VA gets their way, such studies will never be done again
- and there will be no effective treatments, and no effective outcome.
This is
why the news stories about the VA from today and last night are so outrageous
and appalling to Gulf War vets - indeed, all vets."
****
“Dr. Baraniuk is an incredible medical researcher who, like
other independent medical researchers funded by the CDMRP is willing to go
where the science took him. It took many years of fighting the VA and DOD, and
years of seeing legislation creating the RAC to reach this point after the VA
refused for several years to create it...mandated by Congress.
"It was created...independent researchers like Baraniuk
were finally funded, clear medical problems were found, and the VA has decided
to sabotage the RAC...so their own researchers can get back on the gravy
train." -Chris Kornkven, Gulf War veteran and past president,
National Gulf War Resource Center
****
Reacting to Fox News coverage of VA retribution against the
Gulf War Illness panel: "It was GREAT!!!
Shepherd hit the nail on the head. Shienceki can kiss my ass....he is in the
hot seat now. A pathetic 7 million dollars for GW Research? That shit should be
in the billions!!"
***
"Seems that scandal is the
norm in Washington DC these days. ...he won't resign. The word shame has
no meaning in Washington."
***
"I'm sure Shinseki's plan
is to replace Mr. Binns with a "yes man". The whole point of this
shakeup is to make the RAC essentially impotent. Guys like Shinseki don't like
to be told the brutal truth. So as Mr. Binns said on the news today, Secretary
Shinseki chose to "shoot the messenger".
"Trust me, if this
"reorganization" happens the RAC will end up being nothing more than
a Parrot, personally trained by people at the VA who seek to portray our
illnesses as psychosomatic. This is a VERY BAD thing that's happening."
***
"Don't forget, thankfully,
that CDMRP has $20 million coming this year for Gulf War Illness Research.
CDMRP is separate and apart from VA. That's where most of the research progress
has been made. VA will probably spend their $7 million GWI research money for a
new handball court." -W.
***
"VA HAS A BAD 22yr history
of lying to us..."
***
"Of course the VA doesn't
want to admit that GWI exist... They're hoping we die off so they won't have to
help us. They tried the same crap with veterans with agent orange."
***
"Well I enrolled in the
Gulf War Registry five years ago. Why? They've done nothing. In fact my gfi
related claims are still pending. VA. What a joke."
***
"unfortunately I believe our chilren's children will be
collecting our disability benefits by the time the VA honors up."
***
***
"More of the anti-veteran VA. "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan" (Abraham Lincoln) which is on a plaque outside every VA hospital. It should be changed to, "To care for the bureaucrats who shall have borne the paper cuts and for his mistress and his maid"
"In truth, Dr. Coughlin, Epidemiologist and Veterans Affairs
whistle-blower, stated that the Veterans Affairs incompetence has carried over
to other veteran populations. Sadly, this is not surprising when considering
World War II, radiation experiment, and Vietnam veteran, Agent Orange,
struggles. Effectively dismantling an effective Congressionally Chartered
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (RAC) will not
benefit 1991 Gulf War veterans. Please help us stop Veterans Affairs Secretary
Eric Shinseki."
"Personally, I believe it is possible that Veterans Affairs
Secretary Shinseki is striking out from frustration and anger, and not in the
interest of 1991 Gulf War veterans. Once again, please help us 1991 Gulf War
veterans. The Congressionally chartered Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War
Veterans' Illnesses (RAC) leadership and members are our only consistency. I
think the above quotes verify how the RAC has gone to bat for us on multiple
occasions. They should not be replaced for doing their job and asking that some
Veterans Affairs bureaucrats be replaced."
***
"More of the anti-veteran VA. "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan" (Abraham Lincoln) which is on a plaque outside every VA hospital. It should be changed to, "To care for the bureaucrats who shall have borne the paper cuts and for his mistress and his maid"
***
"Shame on VA. We must each call Congress and demand VA
restore the Gulf War RAC !"
***
***
"Yet the VA decides to sabotage the very committee created that
produced these results.
"Rather than trying to sabotage this committee, and the important
medical research that we have waited 20 years for, why not spend your efforts
on reducing the backlog of claims for medical conditions by veterans returning
from Iraq and Afghanistan?
"Why not do your job and support the mission your agency was
created for? Providing medical care to veterans?"
***
"If he [Shinseki] can't do his job correctly, I say we form a
committee and file a lawsuit against him personally for acting fraudulently or
dariliction of duty!"
***
"Well holy hell !! They say syria used chems and now the
country should be outraged !!??? WTF...we were exposed to WAY more chems than
they say were used in syria IN A DAY ! And we get nothing from our own
government. But lies. Ok. We get it. Your agenda is worth more than our lives.
Your really pissing some of us off !!"
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