Letter from James A. Bunker , President , NGWR Center, Inc.

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Letter from James A. Bunker , President , National Gulf War Resource Center, Inc.


This last quarter for the National Gulf War Resource Center (NGWRC) has kept us on our toes. We had our membership meeting in Louisville KY as a joint meeting with the Veterans of Modern Warfare (VMW). While we were led to believe that we were there to find a way to work together, it was apparent they never had that as their plan. Rather, the VMW wanted us to close up shop. This was something that did not go well for our member groups' voting-reps at the meeting. Therefore, we asked them to return all of our property; we hope to see it soon.


On August 12, the VA sent letters went out to many Gulf War veterans, some Vietnam veterans, and some Korean veterans erroneously informing them that they had an ALS diagnosis. The NGWRC became the first on the scene to set the record right. We sent press releases, we posted articles on our website, and we called the VA central office to let them know what was going on. The VA Chief of Staff and I fought together in the same battalion in the Gulf War. He did agree to become our Executive Director. Two months later he was called to do a job a will help even more veterans.

The Resource Center was flooded with requests for interviews over a week and half period on the ALS letters. Denise Nichols and Brent Casey helped the President in fielding some of the reports. FOX and CNN both wanted to do their reports early in the morning, so I had Brent spoke on behalf of the NGWRC and also from the perspective of a veteran who received one of the letters. I did an interview with Katie Couric, AP, AP Wire, CNN radio, MSNBC radio, and CBS radio just to name. There was no one from the American Legion, VFW, DAV or any other veteran organization except the VCS a day later. VMW said it was nothing for them to worry about.

I sent a letter to the Secretary of the VA with recommendations to include reimbursing out-of-pocket expenses incurred by veterans. They did everything we asked. We were on top of the issue. We got our name out into the news again. I would like to thank Denise Nichols and Brent Casey for helping out with the interviews. During that same period, we had thousands of hits to our website and the self help guide. It still is the most hit page on the site.

Before that was cleared up, the VA announced it was cutting funding to the Texas University study and Dr. Haley's research. Denise and I worked together to put out a press release on it, which generated some more interviews with a couple places in Texas and some research magazines. I called the VA central office and sent a letter to the Secretary on how important it was to keep the funding; however, the forces wanting the money to end won.

I spent most of September working the phones and writing letter to Capitol Hill on getting $12 million in funding for research into treatment and diagnostic tests for gulf war illness. The House passed a $8 million funding packet for Gulf War Illness (GWI) as a part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). The Senate lumped all of the money into one pot, meaning we could get none. Once again we took the lead and worked the Senate to amend the Department of Defense (DOD) appropriations bill with the $12 million. The Senate did so and we were able to keep the $12 million in the final bill that will be signed. I would like to thank Denise for her calling over 90% of the Senate.

To those that have not been to the NGWRC website as of late, you do need to come by. It is an article-driven site where members cannot only send in ideas but can help add to the site. We all need to keep in mind that The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses pulled together work of scientific and government investigations and found the evidence "leaves no question that Gulf War illness is a real condition."

James A. Bunker
President
National Gulf War Resource Center, Inc.
2611 SW 17th St Topeka, KS 66604
Cell 785-221-0612
Toll free 866-531-7183
http://www.ngwrc.org/