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Oral Statement for July 26, 2007 House VA Committee - Health Subcommittee on Gulf War Illness
Good morning Congressmen of the VA House Health Subcommittee and to all staffers and attendees. It is indeed an honor to testify at this hearing for all Operation Desert Storm Veterans which reflects only one part of the earlier portion of the Iraq War. It has been since November 1993 that we have been having hearings on the care and needs of Gulf War Veterans. I am retired USAFR Major Denise Nichols a tactical Aeromedical Evacuation Nurse Officer that was sent as far as the border of Saudi Arabia and Iraq to care for those wounded in that war. I have continued that duty as a sworn obligation. I am just one of the 697,596 that were deployed in 1990-91.
My profession, life, and family have been directly affected as has been so many others. The symptoms and life changes I have experienced are not unique. The war changed our health status and our abilities to perform our duties and our chosen life roles through no fault of our own.
There are hundreds of thousands of human case examples both those that were deployed and those that received vaccines and exposures from secondary sources.
In 1994, I told a gathering of ill veterans, DOD officials, VA officials, and University Professionals at Bethesda Attending the Conference held on the Health Consequences of the Persian Gulf that we Gulf War veterans were different. We were a force of highly trained, educated, and physically fit men and women who had served our country in wartime and even through we were now damaged due to that time in a foreign country we would not give up and we would find answers and help. Since then we have battled for compensation, the exposing of the full truth and nothing but the truth, we have battled for the best care and treatment. Sadly our war has been facing our own government. But as Major Hebert said so long ago we did swear to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic. Sadly the battle against the domestic end of that has been the lack of faith and sworn duty in our own government.
The Gulf War Veterans community has deteriorated health rise at a rapid rate, we have lost too many of our own, but we still stand pushing, prodding, encouraging to get to the truth and to life saving that has been denied for too long. We were met with denials, delays, and resistance. But yet if you had listen and acted many of our lives could have been saved and restored.
WE asked for the best diagnostic procedures and treatment. We were denied that by lack of truth from our own DOD and government officials. Some but not all of the truth has been exposed, we felt that more would have been exposed to back up our acknowledge of the multiple exposures that taken alone or in combination would have an affect on our health. We pushed for the medical examination and diagnostic testing that would expose the truth held within each of our bodies. We pushed for the Care and Treatment we earned by putting our lives on the line to serve our country. Sadly we have been delayed by forces within our own government. We would win a major firefight in that battle to face a counterattack or a blocking move. WE still wonder why is it financial, is it a policy, is it protecting some secret? But that answer and the battle our government raged to find the single cause of exposure while we lay wounded still continues. Those of us with an undying spirit and faith would push the wounded each time to raise up and fight for yourself, your fellow soldier/veteran, your family, and the future soldiers and veterans to reach the goal.
Within my longer supplied testimony is a recap of just a few of the insights or snapshots of the road we have traveled in regards to the VA. I have supplied yet again a point paper of an ACTION Plan or if you want to call it an OP order outline to fix the broken parts to move forward to the goal of appropriate medical care. The system was not broken by us but the result of a multitude of errors complicated by a government or its employees that denied us the access to the best medical care for whatever reason. It has costs us lives of your fellow Americans, your soldiers, your veterans, and their family members. In one three month period of GWVIS data reporting in the past we lost 1,000 of us to whatever causes. The full count is most definitely more. This is morally and ethically wrong.
In our path we have met many civilian experts that have volunteered to help us out of that morally and ethically wrong drive to fix this, sadly many of their careers have been negatively affected through their joining the battle.
We have officers and individuals that have tried to help from the shadows will it is time for the all out assault to fix this result. The veterans have led this battle and we are not done. WE hope that each of our elected representatives will listen to us and join us to fix these problems, remove the roadblocks, and move for true action.
Let us move forward together to the best diagnosis, care, treatment, and compensation before we lose more lives. The veterans have identified something that is critically important and that could affect every citizen in this country through the response to critical hazardous substances - WMD and environmental exposures- examples are the WTC, the anthrax exposures, radiation damage, and potential terrorist use in our own country. The advances made through us could help save lives in the future throughout the US and other countries. WE need the funding and the commitment from all. Will you do your part to correct the errors, mismanagement, misguidance, obstructions of the past? Will you commit the funds and the fast tracking of corrective legislation? Will you be the active leaders to investigate, deliberate, and be part of the solution? But please if you are you must move quickly and decisively in order to save lives! Help us to streamline the process to get the pinpointed research that is needed, help us to get the right diagnostic care and an effective treatment. Do not study, investigate, or deny each of us to the grave.
We need to blend research to actual diagnosis and care in a cost and time sensitive manner. We can gain from the clinical data that can be obtained at a cost effective means within each VA hospital and merge it with research efforts to find better diagnostic markers that can be quickly implemented in the clinical area. We need to have our VA care organized so that research for treatment by way of treatment trials can be moved into the clinical arena
in an expedited manner at true cost effectiveness. WE need universities to cut their cost of research business so that we can use funds provided in the most effective way to implementation. Universities should share their commitment to the troops and veterans and not make a profit off of the endeavor. We can do this in weapon development with tiger team approaches and field the instruments of war in record time can we do the same to save our troops and veterans?
Will you have faith in us the veterans and those civilians as doctors and researchers and members of the Veterans Affairs Research Advisory Committee that have committed to help? Will you put the full weight of this government and its resources to this task? Our remaining lives and quality of our lives depend on you.
Thank you very much for this honor to appear before you today. I would be delighted to answer any questions you may have.
-----------------
POINT PAPER SUMMARY OF TESTIMONY
ACTION PAPER FOR ADDRESSING ISSUE OF GULF WAR
ILLNESSES
1. The last benefits law(2000) for Gulf War illness had within the original
bill not only Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromylagia but also Neurological
Autoimmune Diseases/Disorders. Unfortunately the Neurological Autoimmune
diseases/disorders was removed and now in 2007 we are asking that wording to be
added. We are asking for a bill to be moved quickly that adds Brain Cancers, ALS,
and MS to the presemption of service connection for Gulf War Veterans. The Brain
Cancers and ALS should have no problem since the VA has agreed by regulation.
We need a bill that is fast tracked to be completed this session of congress. We
want this done by Law not by VA discreationary action.
2. In regards to legislation in the authorization and appropriations area, the
congress and senate should follow the Lead of the VA Research Advisory
Committee on Gulf War Illness and Gulf War Veteran’s Organizations. Just
yesterday the House Appropriations Committee did not do that and has in effect
caused potential detrimental action in the needs of the gulf war veterans community.
3. VA attitude starts at the top and goes down. The hearing today will show
the detrimental effect that attitude has caused for 16 years. That attitude has to be
turned on its head. People within the VA system have directly affected tens of
thousands no hundreds of thousands Gulf War Veterans in regards to the VA
Benefits,
VA Health Care, and VA Research. It is time now that certain people be removed
from their positions for their deliberate misguidance, mismanagement, and ill regard
to gulf war veterans needs.
4. All VA Directives/Policies/ Guidance/ Contracts must be faced with a
Stop Order and Investigated.
They have led to a Direct Breech of Duty to the Gulf War Veterans.
5. New Directives/Policies/Guidance/contracts must be submitted and
reviewed by the VA RAC GWI and
other congressional committees before they are officially released.
6. Dental and Eye Exams must be Mandated for ODS Veterans now. Data
that must be gathered and shared with the VA RAC GWI and House and Senate VA
Committees and Government Reform Committee.
Treatment for Dental and Eye conditions should be allowed through the VA for
these veterans regardless of VA rating.
7. VA Outreach and all forms of Communication to ODS Veterans must be
started in a robust manner expediously. This should include the newest research
information and exhibit a new VA attitude a true we are here to serve the veteran.
8. VA physicians and medical personnel must be notified to perform
expansive lab work measurements to cover:
A. Immune System Function
B. Viral Panels
C. Hypercoagulation Lab work
D. Thyroid system functions
E. Adrenal Gland Function
F. Pituitary Gland Function
G. Hormonal function
H. Renal Function
I Cardiac Function
J. Liver Function
K. Screening Cancer workup labs
9. Data gathered from lab work needs to be collected and analysed and sent
to the Research Advisory Committee and reports on same should be issued on the
VA Website so that physicians, researchers, and patients alike have the information.
10 Treatment of any abnormalities should be started as soon as results are
obtained.
11. Data on all causes of deaths should be assembled and posted as Data
Report from the VA on its website.
12. Data on all Diagnosed illnesses for ODS Veterans must be collected and
also published on the VA Website.
13. Two additional advisory Committees similar to the VA RAC GWI in the
areas of Clinical Care and Benefits
should be legislated and should be impleted ASAP.
14. New Clinics should be initiated at each VA Hospital specifically for
Operation Desert Storm Veterans. The staff should be dedicated and then throughly
brought up to current state of knowledge on relevant physiological based research
that has occurred. Then the educational process for Medical staff and medical
personnel should be expanded rapidly.
The educational process should involve routine scheduled teleconferences and
videotape reviews. The Videotaping of Jim Binns, Lea Steele, Beatrice Golumb, Dr
Roberta Hailey, and Dr Roberta White should be produced and distributed ASAP.
New tapes with other leading researchers and clinicans should follow.
15. The registry progam and environmental agent program should be
renewed and expanded. The individuals that went thru these registries should be
brought back in for updating of medical progress, expanded lab work, and any other
diagnostics.
16. A proactive agressive Cancers and Neuro Auto Immune
Diseases/Disorders Screening Program for Operation Desert Storm Veterans should
be legislated and implemented ASAP.
17. A directive should be sent out to all VA hospitals that symptoms
suggestive of ALS or MS need to have through and complete diagnostic workups
done regardless of VA Rating.
18. Anti Aging Board Certified Physicians and Environmental physicians
should be proactively recruited for contracts with the VA headquarters and VA
hospitals to provide consultation and physician education programs
immediately.
19. DOD AND ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS NEED UPDATE TRAINING ON ASSESSMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES AND REVIEW OF CURRENT RESEARCH.
20. New DOD and Service Components guidance and regulations on all
environmental exposures need to be initiated. Documentation of potential exposures
and tracking for active duty needs to be reviewed. Any and all potential health
affects need to be documented.
21. DOD must review and update exposure lists to include AF, Navy, and
Marine units and notify the individuals affected.
22. Assurrance needs to be in place by oversight that DOD Military services
are recording all vaccines appropriately with lot numbers.
23. Individuals listed in Exposed areas must be notified by DOD and VA by
letter of the increase risk of Brain Cancers/ALS.
Good morning Congressmen of the VA House Health Subcommittee and to all staffers and attendees. It is indeed an honor to testify at this hearing for all Operation Desert Storm Veterans which reflects only one part of the earlier portion of the Iraq War. It has been since November 1993 that we have been having hearings on the care and needs of Gulf War Veterans. I am retired USAFR Major Denise Nichols a tactical Aeromedical Evacuation Nurse Officer that was sent as far as the border of Saudi Arabia and Iraq to care for those wounded in that war. I have continued that duty as a sworn obligation. I am just one of the 697,596 that were deployed in 1990-91.
My profession, life, and family have been directly affected as has been so many others. The symptoms and life changes I have experienced are not unique. The war changed our health status and our abilities to perform our duties and our chosen life roles through no fault of our own.
There are hundreds of thousands of human case examples both those that were deployed and those that received vaccines and exposures from secondary sources.
In 1994, I told a gathering of ill veterans, DOD officials, VA officials, and University Professionals at Bethesda Attending the Conference held on the Health Consequences of the Persian Gulf that we Gulf War veterans were different. We were a force of highly trained, educated, and physically fit men and women who had served our country in wartime and even through we were now damaged due to that time in a foreign country we would not give up and we would find answers and help. Since then we have battled for compensation, the exposing of the full truth and nothing but the truth, we have battled for the best care and treatment. Sadly our war has been facing our own government. But as Major Hebert said so long ago we did swear to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic. Sadly the battle against the domestic end of that has been the lack of faith and sworn duty in our own government.
The Gulf War Veterans community has deteriorated health rise at a rapid rate, we have lost too many of our own, but we still stand pushing, prodding, encouraging to get to the truth and to life saving that has been denied for too long. We were met with denials, delays, and resistance. But yet if you had listen and acted many of our lives could have been saved and restored.
WE asked for the best diagnostic procedures and treatment. We were denied that by lack of truth from our own DOD and government officials. Some but not all of the truth has been exposed, we felt that more would have been exposed to back up our acknowledge of the multiple exposures that taken alone or in combination would have an affect on our health. We pushed for the medical examination and diagnostic testing that would expose the truth held within each of our bodies. We pushed for the Care and Treatment we earned by putting our lives on the line to serve our country. Sadly we have been delayed by forces within our own government. We would win a major firefight in that battle to face a counterattack or a blocking move. WE still wonder why is it financial, is it a policy, is it protecting some secret? But that answer and the battle our government raged to find the single cause of exposure while we lay wounded still continues. Those of us with an undying spirit and faith would push the wounded each time to raise up and fight for yourself, your fellow soldier/veteran, your family, and the future soldiers and veterans to reach the goal.
Within my longer supplied testimony is a recap of just a few of the insights or snapshots of the road we have traveled in regards to the VA. I have supplied yet again a point paper of an ACTION Plan or if you want to call it an OP order outline to fix the broken parts to move forward to the goal of appropriate medical care. The system was not broken by us but the result of a multitude of errors complicated by a government or its employees that denied us the access to the best medical care for whatever reason. It has costs us lives of your fellow Americans, your soldiers, your veterans, and their family members. In one three month period of GWVIS data reporting in the past we lost 1,000 of us to whatever causes. The full count is most definitely more. This is morally and ethically wrong.
In our path we have met many civilian experts that have volunteered to help us out of that morally and ethically wrong drive to fix this, sadly many of their careers have been negatively affected through their joining the battle.
We have officers and individuals that have tried to help from the shadows will it is time for the all out assault to fix this result. The veterans have led this battle and we are not done. WE hope that each of our elected representatives will listen to us and join us to fix these problems, remove the roadblocks, and move for true action.
Let us move forward together to the best diagnosis, care, treatment, and compensation before we lose more lives. The veterans have identified something that is critically important and that could affect every citizen in this country through the response to critical hazardous substances - WMD and environmental exposures- examples are the WTC, the anthrax exposures, radiation damage, and potential terrorist use in our own country. The advances made through us could help save lives in the future throughout the US and other countries. WE need the funding and the commitment from all. Will you do your part to correct the errors, mismanagement, misguidance, obstructions of the past? Will you commit the funds and the fast tracking of corrective legislation? Will you be the active leaders to investigate, deliberate, and be part of the solution? But please if you are you must move quickly and decisively in order to save lives! Help us to streamline the process to get the pinpointed research that is needed, help us to get the right diagnostic care and an effective treatment. Do not study, investigate, or deny each of us to the grave.
We need to blend research to actual diagnosis and care in a cost and time sensitive manner. We can gain from the clinical data that can be obtained at a cost effective means within each VA hospital and merge it with research efforts to find better diagnostic markers that can be quickly implemented in the clinical area. We need to have our VA care organized so that research for treatment by way of treatment trials can be moved into the clinical arena
in an expedited manner at true cost effectiveness. WE need universities to cut their cost of research business so that we can use funds provided in the most effective way to implementation. Universities should share their commitment to the troops and veterans and not make a profit off of the endeavor. We can do this in weapon development with tiger team approaches and field the instruments of war in record time can we do the same to save our troops and veterans?
Will you have faith in us the veterans and those civilians as doctors and researchers and members of the Veterans Affairs Research Advisory Committee that have committed to help? Will you put the full weight of this government and its resources to this task? Our remaining lives and quality of our lives depend on you.
Thank you very much for this honor to appear before you today. I would be delighted to answer any questions you may have.
-----------------
POINT PAPER SUMMARY OF TESTIMONY
ACTION PAPER FOR ADDRESSING ISSUE OF GULF WAR
ILLNESSES
1. The last benefits law(2000) for Gulf War illness had within the original
bill not only Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromylagia but also Neurological
Autoimmune Diseases/Disorders. Unfortunately the Neurological Autoimmune
diseases/disorders was removed and now in 2007 we are asking that wording to be
added. We are asking for a bill to be moved quickly that adds Brain Cancers, ALS,
and MS to the presemption of service connection for Gulf War Veterans. The Brain
Cancers and ALS should have no problem since the VA has agreed by regulation.
We need a bill that is fast tracked to be completed this session of congress. We
want this done by Law not by VA discreationary action.
2. In regards to legislation in the authorization and appropriations area, the
congress and senate should follow the Lead of the VA Research Advisory
Committee on Gulf War Illness and Gulf War Veteran’s Organizations. Just
yesterday the House Appropriations Committee did not do that and has in effect
caused potential detrimental action in the needs of the gulf war veterans community.
3. VA attitude starts at the top and goes down. The hearing today will show
the detrimental effect that attitude has caused for 16 years. That attitude has to be
turned on its head. People within the VA system have directly affected tens of
thousands no hundreds of thousands Gulf War Veterans in regards to the VA
Benefits,
VA Health Care, and VA Research. It is time now that certain people be removed
from their positions for their deliberate misguidance, mismanagement, and ill regard
to gulf war veterans needs.
4. All VA Directives/Policies/ Guidance/ Contracts must be faced with a
Stop Order and Investigated.
They have led to a Direct Breech of Duty to the Gulf War Veterans.
5. New Directives/Policies/Guidance/contracts must be submitted and
reviewed by the VA RAC GWI and
other congressional committees before they are officially released.
6. Dental and Eye Exams must be Mandated for ODS Veterans now. Data
that must be gathered and shared with the VA RAC GWI and House and Senate VA
Committees and Government Reform Committee.
Treatment for Dental and Eye conditions should be allowed through the VA for
these veterans regardless of VA rating.
7. VA Outreach and all forms of Communication to ODS Veterans must be
started in a robust manner expediously. This should include the newest research
information and exhibit a new VA attitude a true we are here to serve the veteran.
8. VA physicians and medical personnel must be notified to perform
expansive lab work measurements to cover:
A. Immune System Function
B. Viral Panels
C. Hypercoagulation Lab work
D. Thyroid system functions
E. Adrenal Gland Function
F. Pituitary Gland Function
G. Hormonal function
H. Renal Function
I Cardiac Function
J. Liver Function
K. Screening Cancer workup labs
9. Data gathered from lab work needs to be collected and analysed and sent
to the Research Advisory Committee and reports on same should be issued on the
VA Website so that physicians, researchers, and patients alike have the information.
10 Treatment of any abnormalities should be started as soon as results are
obtained.
11. Data on all causes of deaths should be assembled and posted as Data
Report from the VA on its website.
12. Data on all Diagnosed illnesses for ODS Veterans must be collected and
also published on the VA Website.
13. Two additional advisory Committees similar to the VA RAC GWI in the
areas of Clinical Care and Benefits
should be legislated and should be impleted ASAP.
14. New Clinics should be initiated at each VA Hospital specifically for
Operation Desert Storm Veterans. The staff should be dedicated and then throughly
brought up to current state of knowledge on relevant physiological based research
that has occurred. Then the educational process for Medical staff and medical
personnel should be expanded rapidly.
The educational process should involve routine scheduled teleconferences and
videotape reviews. The Videotaping of Jim Binns, Lea Steele, Beatrice Golumb, Dr
Roberta Hailey, and Dr Roberta White should be produced and distributed ASAP.
New tapes with other leading researchers and clinicans should follow.
15. The registry progam and environmental agent program should be
renewed and expanded. The individuals that went thru these registries should be
brought back in for updating of medical progress, expanded lab work, and any other
diagnostics.
16. A proactive agressive Cancers and Neuro Auto Immune
Diseases/Disorders Screening Program for Operation Desert Storm Veterans should
be legislated and implemented ASAP.
17. A directive should be sent out to all VA hospitals that symptoms
suggestive of ALS or MS need to have through and complete diagnostic workups
done regardless of VA Rating.
18. Anti Aging Board Certified Physicians and Environmental physicians
should be proactively recruited for contracts with the VA headquarters and VA
hospitals to provide consultation and physician education programs
immediately.
19. DOD AND ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS NEED UPDATE TRAINING ON ASSESSMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES AND REVIEW OF CURRENT RESEARCH.
20. New DOD and Service Components guidance and regulations on all
environmental exposures need to be initiated. Documentation of potential exposures
and tracking for active duty needs to be reviewed. Any and all potential health
affects need to be documented.
21. DOD must review and update exposure lists to include AF, Navy, and
Marine units and notify the individuals affected.
22. Assurrance needs to be in place by oversight that DOD Military services
are recording all vaccines appropriately with lot numbers.
23. Individuals listed in Exposed areas must be notified by DOD and VA by
letter of the increase risk of Brain Cancers/ALS.
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