Summary

Many Persian Gulf War veterans have raised concerns that their service in the Middle East may have resulted in chronic health problems. The severity of the problems varies; some veterans report relatively mild symptoms, while others report debilitating illness. The cause of these problems is unknown, but many factors have been suggested, ranging from toxic substances to parasites to medications administered to combat possible exposure to nerve agents. This report provides information on the current military and health status of 125 Gulf War veterans from the 123rd Army Reserve Command, headquartered in Indianapolis. These veterans were among the first to raise these health concerns. GAO also presents the veterans' opinions on the health care they have received.

GAO found that: (1) the veterans surveyed were still concerned about their health and were dissatisfied with the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) and the Department of Defense's (DOD) services; (2) most of these veterans were still on active duty and believe their health problems are linked to their service in the Persian Gulf; (3) less than half of the separated veterans reported that health problems related to their Persian Gulf service contributed to their discharges; (4) most of the veterans reported that their health problems limited their physical and social activities; (5) almost one-third of the respondents reported that family members also experienced health problems that were related to their Gulf service; (6) although over half of these veterans had used VA or DOD health care services, many veterans received care from sources other than VA or DOD; and (7) VA and DOD have taken a variety of actions to address Persian Gulf veterans' concerns by expanding special health examinations and their outreach efforts.