Wow. 20 Years later and we are FINALLY coming together on these issues? Sh*t We Gulf War Vets pioneered PTSD.
At that time (1991) we were the 3% DEFENDING the other 97%!
After I saw several Roads of Death and how they treated Kuwaiti civilians and whole families when they invaded I was glad to do my part by continuing to kick their asses (Iraq). Now my cost to the tax payers was to become a non homeless Veteran with a job and that's a problem?
WTF, over?
I have ALL of the above i.e. Memory and concentration issues, rashes/acne, IBS, coughing every morning even though I do not smoke, arthritis in my neck and hips, trouble sleeping each night, PTSD like issues at work and hyper sensitive (REDCON 1) all the time. Certain noises freak me out and get my adrenaline pumping.
I drove an M1A1 tank made from and firing Depleted Uranium, drove through lakes of oil, breathed oil soot and the fine mist of it for 4 months as it rained down and clouded our camps every day. The air NBC tested positive for Nerve and Mustard but we were told not to worry about it. Drove over cluster bombs like it was my job (it was) walked over a buried 500lb unexploded bomb for 2 weeks to get some hot chow. Dragged burned out T-55's and T-62's to a range near Camp Monterey for target practice and demolition.
(Some may have had remains in them judging by the thumb sized flies buzzing around, we never popped the hatches but you could clearly see where the sabot went in and came out)
Now I get a 20% disability rating? I know I am still whole (unlike the 50,000 plus Vets coming from Iraq & Afghanistan now) but 20%? There should be an automatic 20% for just being there !
(Unlike concientious objectors who copped out at the last minute-)
You all (Fed. Govt.) need to get this right for us so you can take care the of new batch of Vets coming your way right now.
We did our part, now do yours.