Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 31, 1994 TAG: 9401310040
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BOSTON LENGTH: Short
On Saturday, 88 men and women who served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait answered the call at a Boston-area VA hospital, some to get treatment, others to register for future monitoring.
"They're trying. They don't want another Agent Orange," said Larry Hennessy, diagnosed with vocal-cord cancer two years after his return. After radiation, the cancer went into remission.
Hennessy, 42, is convinced his service overseas caused it. "I think it was related to the oil fires and the smoke from all the vehicles and the space heaters we had in the tents."
He praised the VA for seeking out veterans and looking at ailment patterns.
Most of those who came Saturday were combat veterans. Few had been treated since returning home. They were given electrocardiograms, counseling, blood tests and other treatment, and referred to specialists, as needed. There were Post Traumatic Stress Disorder counselors, social workers and VA representatives to help them apply for benefits.
Over the past two years, thousands of the veterans have complained of a range of maladies that have defied diagnosis. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has identified 11,000 veterans whose health problems may be related to exposure to toxic substances in the Persian Gulf.
The medical information will be forwarded to the Persian Gulf Registry, a national data bank set up to track health problems.
by CNB