I have talked with Mr Binns, Chair of Research Advisory Committee
Meeting, he of course wants a good showing for Sept 15-16th meeting but
he and I both agree that representatives of organizations should go to
their meeting and as many veterans as possible. There will be no public
comment on Sept 16th when the Committee Releases their huge report!
Our feeling is to have Gulf War Veterans go to the new VA committee on
Gulf War Veterans on Sept 24-25th to impact our VA Care and our problems
with the VA. SO the concentration for veterans will be for the Sept
24-25th meeting!
Of course we will try to still pull together to find ways and means for
veterans that want to to be at both of these meetings. Stay tuned as
plans are developed.
But I have been asked if vets had to chose then which one...........well
then it is Sept 24-25.
Again I will remind you to get started on your two pages that will be
submitted under written.
That will guide you on your oral 5 minutes.
If you need help or want to submit drafts to me I will give you
suggestions or whatever help I can as you work on that.
Again check in frequently here for updates. If you have interest in
coming please sign in
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Now this is the letter I am sending and trying to get us the support we
need to do this:
Dear XXX,
We Gulf War Veterans of 1990-91 need help too. Our veterans have
stepped back and gone some what quiet since 911 knowing our new
veterans of OIF/OEF needed urgent help.
But we need help too! In September we have two critically important
meetings to get our veterans to in Washington DC that directly
impacts us the Veteran's Affairs has two advisory committees. One
the VA advisory committee on Gulf War illness Research(Sept 15-16 in
Washington DC) will be releasing a landmark study the first in 4
years and their chairman is encouraging me to get the maximum
participation from Veterans and I am trying but these veterans don't
have financial means to afford Travel and hotel in DC.
http://www1.va.gov/RAC-GWVI/page.cfm?pg=21
The second meeting is our new advisory committee on Gulf War
Veterans that covers everything else but research. This committee
deals with actual care and treatment at the VA and benefits issues.
Their meeting is scheduled for Sept 24-25 again in DC.
Right now I have vets from Calif(2), CO(myself), Tx (1-2), Kentucky
(1-2), GA, Alabama, MO, Ark that are indicating they would like to
be there but we need help! Help in the form of air travel, gas
expense, and housing in DC costs.
WE have set up a page to get the info to the veterans and to
coordinate the effort.
On that site vets and people wanting to help can so indicate.
I am encouraging vets to contact local veteran organizations post
and chapters to ask for help individually to get to DC and I hope
that all organizations from the top and bottom up will
step forward to help our gulf war veterans. Letters to your post
and chapters to get involved would help greatly.
WE certainly could use some help, can you see if your organization
can help?
This is when the veterans can be there face to face to tell their
own story and their suggestions for making changes face to face!
Their own impact is invaluable in getting action to correct problems
we have been living with since our return home in 1991!
Sincerely,
Denise Nichols, Maj, USAFR(ret)
Gulf War Veteran ill and former flight nurse
__________________________________________________________________
Each of you should also try to reach out to get this assistance at
local VFW, DAV, Legion,VVA posts............Show them their magazine
current issue that covers the new committee.........and let them
know you want to go but need help............explain help
needed.....help with gas, help with bus fare, help with air fare,
etc......follow their directions....go to their meeting and do the
same.
Let me know details who is contact, phone number if you need my
assistance in talking with them.
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WE hopefully will have flyer for all of us to use soon to get the
word out to others......re post at hospital, clinic, VSO offices
hospitals and regional offices, grocery stores(where ever other vets
might see it), at Veterans posts and chapters etc etc..............
If you can help with flyer development.............
I have the wording need it placed on a snappy background re gulf
war scene?
Then we can get that done and posted so all can use.
_______________________________________________________
Need others working with local veteran groups Patriot Guard, Rolling
Thunder to help raise funds ...I think they do runs to do
that...............
All can help make this happen!
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ALL
FIND WAYS TO CONTACT YOUR BUDDIES AND FELLOW GULF WAR VETS AND GET
THEM THE INFO. EMAIL LISTS...POSTINGS ON OTHER WEBSITES....MAIL TO
THEM...PHONE CALLS ETC.
DO IT THIS COUNTS NOW.
________________________________________________
I know we all went quiet after 911 and felt somewhat small in need
compared to our sisters and brothers now but that isnt exactly
true!
We have had a lot of us die that didn't get help.
We have a lot that are seriously ill.........Cancers, MS,
Parkinson's, etc.
Each of you served your country and this is not welfare but YOUR
EARNED BENEFITS!
We should have knowledgeable DRS helping us at the VA
hospitals.......WE have outdated Clinical Guidelines for DRS and we
have a SEC of VA that denied Sarin connection and that is a lot of
the reason why we dont get effective care. You need to come forward
and tell them face to face what problems YOU have had!
I will remind you that Agent Orange Vets finally got their law and
action when we were in the Desert 90-91! More than 20 years for
them! They won that victory by staying out there and being seen and
heard!
Also I will remind you of the Atomic Veterans!
So help yourself and your buddies or their survivors by coming
forward in Sept in DC
_________________________________________________________________________
In order to gather gulf war veterans with other diagnosed
illnesses these email groups were set up in order to form up for
legislative action similar to what has been done ALS,
MS..........
I set these up years ago but I quess I did not advertise it well
enough.
So here they are for your use. The bulletin boards do good work
but these are email groups where all can sign up and share on
specific diagnosed illnesses
Denise
DSNurse1@yahoo.com
|
This group is to find gulf war veterans with gulf
war illness that have been diagnosed with
Parkinson's Disease or other neuromuscular disease
or ALS
|
|
Gulf war veterans with Diagnosed Cancers
This is place to come and be counted.
If you fall in this category re Gulf War Veteran/OIF/OEF
or Anthrax vaccine group with diagnosed cancers
please join.
|
This is a group that is for people suffering from Gulf War
Illness with diagnosed Heart Conditions. Gulf War Veterans,
Operation Desert Storm with Heart/Cardiac conditions that
have been diagnosed.
__________________________________________________________________
Also here is list of current deaths
Also here for more complete list
Now maybe that will help all of you to know this is serious and we
have work to do together and it will only happen if we all pull
together! We need each of you in DC in Sept.....Sign up