Gulf War Illnesses

As of September 1997, 14 federal and private groups were investigating the possible exposure of U.S. troops to chemical agents while they were stationed in the Persian Gulf. One federal organization was examining gaps in a military desk log. Specifically, the Defense Department (DOD) can locate only 37 pages out of nearly 200 pages of daily entries in a desk log that monitored the possible use of nuclear, biological, and chemical agents during the Persian Gulf War. Despite the military's claims that this material was destroyed as part of an office clean out, the DOD Inspector General's Criminal Investigative Service has been investigating the log gaps. Five veterans groups have also been tracking this issue as part of their efforts to gather data on Gulf War illnesses.

GAO noted that: (1) as of September 1997, 14 federal and private organizations had efforts under way examining potential exposure of U.S. servicemembers to chemical agents and 1 federal organization was examining gaps in the NBC Desk Log maintained by CENTCOM; (2) relative to potential exposures to chemical agents, 8 federal and 6 nonfederal organizations were involved in this effort; (3) concerning gaps in the NBC Desk Log, officials from DOD's Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses said that about 200 pages of log entries may have been produced during the Gulf War; (4) however, thus far, that office has only been able to locate 37 pages; (5) officials from that office believe the remaining log pages were destroyed as part of an office cleanout; (6) nevertheless, the DOD Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service has an investigation under way to examine these gaps; and (7) five veterans' organizations have also been tracking this log issue as part of their overall efforts to gather data on Gulf War illnesses. GAO summarized the efforts that various organizations have under way to address these issues.