William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital

Sailors man the rails and a garland decorates the bow of the amphibious assault ship USS TRIPOLI. The TRIPOLI suffered hull damage when it struck an Iraqi mine on February 18, 1991 while patrolling in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm.

     The first Gulf War, led by U.S. and coalition troops in January 1991, followed the August 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.  The war ended on February 28, 1991, and an official cease-fire was signed in April 1991. The last U.S. troops who participated in the ground war returned home on June 13, 1991.  In all, about 697,000 U.S. troops were deployed to the Gulf region during the conflict.

     During operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, thousands of Veterans were exposed to chemicals, pesticides, oil fires, and the psychological stress of SCUD missile attacks.  From these, sprang various symptoms among Gulf War Veterans including fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, memory loss, and mood swings.  VA has recognized that these health problems may be associated with Gulf War service.

     As of September 2002, the VA and DoD Gulf War Clinical Evaluation Programs had seen more than 100,339 Gulf War Veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf War Registry offers a free, complete physical examination to every Veteran who served in the Gulf War.  The VA has also named a physician at every VA medical center to coordinate this special examination program. The VA is also inviting spouses and children of Gulf War Veterans who have received a Registry examination to take advantage of the special health examinations. To schedule an examination you may contact the VA at 800-PGW-VETS (800-749-8387).

FOR OEF/OIF AND GULF WAR VETERANS:    Updated as of December 2010
VA has determined that the following conditions are presumed service-connected for Veterans who served in certain regions during Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom:
• Brucellosis
• Campylobacter jejuni
• Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
• Malaria
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• Non-typhoid Salmonella
• Shigella
• Visceral leishmaniasis
• West Nile virus

For OIF and Gulf War Veterans:  VA  has determined that the following conditions are presumed service-connected for Veterans who served in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom:
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

For more information go to: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/ 
For Veterans interested in Gulf War Registry Examinations, please contact:
WILLIAM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSPITAL                   Environmental Health Coordinator
2500 Overlook Terrace                                                                                 Andrea DeSmet
Madison, WI 53705                                                                                      (608) 256-1901x11895
                                                                                                                     e-mail andrea.desmet@va.gov
                                                                                                                     Fax: (608) 280-7257