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Gulf veterans urged to join registry |
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By Vincent Z. Whaley
Johnson
City Press Staff Writer
(Published Sunday, Oct. 1, 2000)
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Not all of the more
than 67,000 veterans listed on the Department
of Veterans Affairs' Persian Gulf Veterans Health
Registry are ill or have experienced symptoms
associated with Gulf War Syndrome.
But Phyllis Deel, a nurse practitioner and Gulf
War coordinator at the Veterans Affairs Medical
Center, Mountain Home, encourages all Gulf War
veterans to fill out an application to be included
in the registry.
"Even if a Gulf War veteran hasn't experienced
any problems after the war, it's still a good
idea to go ahead and get the free exam and get
listed on the registry," she said. "It's
all a part of helping to keep the veteran healthy.
"The 10-page application and medical exam
results become a permanent part of the veterans'
medical record. So they would have that taken
care of in the event they ever needed any help
from the VA in association with their service
during the Gulf War."
Deel said local Gulf War veterans must first
contact the Compensation and Pension benefits
office at the VAMC at 1-877-573-3529 to schedule
an appointment to complete the registry appliaction.
"Once the veteran fills out the application,
it usually takes about or less than a month
to go through the examinations," she said.
Active duty personnel with questions or concerns
about their service in the Persian Gulf War
can contact their commanding officer or call
the Department of Defense Gulf War Veterans
Hotline at 1-800-796-9699 for an examination.
Gulf War veterans seeking disability compensation
for illnesses incurred in or aggravated by military
service can contact a veterans benefits counselor
at the nearest VA regional office or call the
VA Gulf War Information Helpline at 1-800-749-8387.
For more information, consult the Department
of Veterans Affairs Web site at www.va.gov
or the American Legion's Web site at www.legion.org.
All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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