The response letter back was vague, and certainly made no attempt to answer my questions in such a way to assure me that this would be sincerely looked into. 

Dr. Mathers made light that 90,000 Gulf War veterans that had participated in the Gulf War Registry would not agree with my assessment of inaccessibility. If you remember I had commented on how difficult it is now to get into the Gulf War Registry program. That once you walk into a VAMC, the lobbies do not promote the Gulf War Registry program. 

Let me explain:

696,470 Gulf War veterans are listed as Gulf War 1990-1991 combat era. In 1992 the Persian Gulf Registry program made its start, until it was revised in 1996. During that 4 year period more than 49,079 veterans participated in the first registry.

At about 12,269 Gulf War Registry exams a year.

From 1996 to1999 was the revised Persian Gulf Registry, of which 21,306 participated up to September 1999.

At about 7,102 Gulf War Registry exams a year.

While at the same time 32,876 where part of the military Clinical Comprehensive Evaluation Program. So we have 70,385 Gulf War Registry exams, and 32,876 CCEP to produce 100,339 total Gulf War veteran examinations.

In January 2003 the Gulf War Review published by VA reported 85,048 Gulf War Registry exams. Which means 14,663 exams had been done in the 4 years from 1999 to 2003.

At about 3,666 Gulf War Registry exams a year.

As of June 10 2005 Susan Mathers rounded the number to 90,000 Gulf War Registry exams. Which would mean 4,952 exams from 2003 to 2005.

At about 2,476 Gulf War Registry exams a year.

The problem here is that Operation Iraqi Freedom troops are returning home since 2003, and under VA protocols they are supposed to be examined under the same program, as Gulf War Registry exams. So how is it with 100,000 additional troops added to this equation the numbers are going down instead of up when war casualties have been pouring home from Iraq. Only 12% of the original Gulf War veterans returning have been in for a Gulf War Registry exam but 246,150 ( 35% ) have claims filed from the 1990-1991 conflict.  (claim numbers - GWVIS report  February 2005 ).

On another note, Deployment Health Support Directorate has been sitting of a document from the Gulf War that is medically relevant. I wrote DHSD on April 16th 2004 to ask them to release the “Centcom Medical Surveillance, 16-22 December 1990 Survey of 69,875 Personnel Participating in Desert Shield”. This should have been declassified during the 1995 Gulf War Declassification project, in which the Security Review Protocols for this specified that medical buzz words would justify declassification. DHSD would not make this available, and I forwarded the request to Department of Defense Inspector General. It was given case number 92329, which was forwarded the Health Affairs for action in 2004. Nothing.

I made the request again a year later on April 26^th 2005. Then once again to Mike Kilpatrick himself at the IOM Infectious Disease meeting May 26^th 2005 in front of a witness. Then again on June 21^st 2005 when I walked into DHSD at 5113 Skyline Plaza. Still nothing. No call backs, or anything.

The National Archives gave me an official response on June 10^th, 2005 that it would not be declassifying any of the Gulf War 518 Centcom records group for the next 10 years.

This Centcom survey is a disease case report of 69,875 troops in Iraq from the 1990-1991 Gulf War. It could have medical relevance in current Gulf War medical research. There isn’t a justified reason why 15 years later this material should not be made available to medical researchers.

Mr. President, this is two of many unanswered questions that VA / DOD have chosen to gloss over, which leaves the question why? Both obstacles hinder current Gulf War programs, and medical research. As long as Gulf War Veterans are not welcome to participate at VA / DOD Gulf War functions, we are being ignored to death looking for answers to our problems from the first Gulf War. 

Apparently just forwarding my message to them is not enough, would you please inquire into these 2 problems in some official capacity Mr. President.

                                                Sincerely 

                                                Kirt P. Love

                                                Director, DSBR

Desert Storm Battle Registry

P.O. Box 177

Mount Jackson, VA 22842

540-477-2923