Subject: Va Staff Manipulation Of Institute Of Medicine Reports

[allan]

Below is only a small reprint from the web site. All Gulf war veterans, VSOs, NSO’s and Advocates need to read it, and article below by Denise Nichols

http://www.veteranstoday.com/downloads/09binnsmemo.pdf

FROM: James Binns, Chairman, Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans

Illnesses

SUBJECT: VA staff manipulation of Institute of Medicine reports

DATE: February 9, 2009

In its 452-page report released in November the Congressionally-mandated Research Advisory

Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses concluded that scientific research consistently

indicates that Gulf War illness is real, the result of toxic exposures during the 1991 war, and

affects at least 175,000 veterans -- one in four of those who served. The report is available from

the Committee scientific staff office at the Boston University School of Public Health at

rac@bu.edu and online at www.va.gov/rac-gwvi.

The report observes that these health problems have been “denied and trivialized” for seventeen

years. This process has included VA staff manipulation of Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports

relied upon by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in determining ill veterans’ benefits. [Report,

pp. 53-55] Because of the stature of the IOM, these reports have also misled researchers,

lawmakers, physicians, and the public regarding the health problems of Gulf War veterans.

VA subsequently announced that it was referring the Research Advisory Committee report to the

IOM. This new IOM report was requested before the new Administration took office, and VA

staff gave the IOM committee its charge on January 28.

The Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, is universally

respected as the high court of American medical science. Government compromise of its

processes is a breach of public trust that would have been unthinkable under traditional ethical

standards. It is of great importance that this matter be thoroughly investigated and reformed, on

both the government and Institute sides. The IOM Gulf War reports should then be re-done in

accordance with the law, as recommended by the Research Advisory Committee [Report, p. 57].

This memorandum will consider VA staff’s interaction with the Institute of Medicine in the

preparation of the Gulf War reports. It will demonstrate:

http://www.veteranstoday.com/article5994.html

AN OPEN LETTER TO All Desert Storm Veterans, Gulf War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans, Family Members, Veteran Supporters

by Denise Nichols

Read this VA Staff Manipulation of Institute of Medicine Report closely! It has been 18 years and Desert Storm veterans ill from their service in the gulf war 90-91 wonder why the VA has not been more proactive, well I believe these are very hard and documented facts!

Delay, Denial, Avoidance.

It will only stop when we all raise our voices!

This means take this document and write a brief letter to your Elected Representative, Senators, House VA Committee, Senate VA Committee and

ASK CLEARLY FOR A SENATE AND HOUSE VA COMMITTEES JOINT HEARING NOW!

Panel 1: Should be the RAC GWI Committee

Panel 2: Should be each and everyone of the Gulf War Veteran Organizations that have fought for you since day1

NGWRC--Jim Bunker

AGWVA- Gail Reed

DSJF-Paul Lyons

Veterans for Common Sense- Paul Sullivan

National Vietnam and Gulf War Veterans Coalition- Denise Nichols

Veterans of Modern Warfare- Don Overton

Wisconsin Veterans State Deptartment of Veterans- Anthony Hardy

Panel 3 Individual Gulf War Veterans ie Desert Storm Veterans or their Family Member if Desert Storm Veteran is now dead. and

Panel 4

most important the Army Preventative Medical Team that was there in theater! To finally lay out what happenned in theater!

It has been 18 years and the VA is still not taking care of the Desert Storm Veterans!

They ship you off and give you psychological drugs to keep you quiet. Does that help your body's response to all the exposures in theater?

You need the best diagnostic testing, regular screening for cancers, neuromuscular diseases, cardiac screening, checked for Autoimmune Disorders, etc.

You need detoxification, supplementation programs that Integrative Medicine and ACAM Physicians and Environmental Medicine Doctors on Civilian side know about!

You need to be tested for all the viral reactivation and that needs to be treated!

AS an officer nurse I was there to care for each of you and we did the best we could but we were not told the truth either as your medical officers! I have been involved since 1992 digging for the truth, going door to door on the hill in DC giving briefings, getting cosponsors on legistation, and testifying. WE have been into every rat maze of denial in DC and we can not wait any longer! So please write your letters!

IT is time for Joint hearings on the Hill in DC for Desert Storm Veterans!

"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/

[Pete53]

Trying to organize Veterans is like herding cats.

[Berta]

Pete -you said that at Prodigy in the 1980s and I have never forgotten it-

so true so true

We tried to start a Vet link program modem to modem here in NY in about 1991.

About 5 vets -out pts from the locale VAMC (Bath) got together here with me and Rod to develop our plan of action.

Vet link was great but it was costing vets mega bucks because it was modem to modem.

When the guys got here they were all hungry-

luckily I anticipated that and had plenty of food ready.

Then they all BSed about Vietnam -my favorite subject and then about the VA- my other favorite subject. They all were on PCS all the time.

But the clock was ticking and I had my lifestock chores so I told them to come up with some sort of brief plan while I was in the barn.

About a 1 1/2 hours later I returned and they all wanted coffee and luckily I had made a cake that AM.Rural New Yorkers try to feed everyone who shows up- regardless of reason.

After I washed the first bunch of dishes and they ate the cake they proudly presented me a list of plan of action they had typed up on Rods PC.

We decided to divide the list up as to who would write to our assemblyman , who would contact local media for some publicity as to our attempt-to get more vets involved and maybe a sponsor,

who would do the actual on line claims help, who would do the downloads and printouts for follow up claims help, etc etc -it was just great

As I ended up in the kitchen again as dinner time was growing close they handed me the list of allocated duties.

My name was on every one of their ideas.No one elses name was there.

I found the PC expert could not download files.

One could download but didnt know how to retrieve and read.

None of them wanted to do the on line claims work and no one wanted to contact anybody else whatsoever.

After we all had a very nice dinner and more coffee and cake,I had to return to my livestock chores and they all went home quite late.

I am friends with all these vets to this day and I dearly love them all.

But Thank God Prodigy cam along and then the real internet.

Vet LInk in NY? I might as well have been herding cats.

[john999]

I remember suggesting to my local chapter of VVA that we might do some kind of informational picket at the local VARO. The Prez acted as if I has suggested we all try and bugger Miss America. He said all the vets in the chapter liked the VA just fine and were scared anyway to protest. I gave up and cancelled my membership. I suggested a little parade at my local AL post on Veteran's day and they looked at me like I was insane. Scandals and dead vets is about the only thing I think moves vet issues.