Daniel

Daniel served in the Army until his retirement in 2015. He was deployed to the Middle East for 6 months as an Army aviator, flying helicopters in a cavalry unit in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He flew missions through the “big black clouds that were billowing” from the burning oil fields. While Daniel’s own health was not affected by his time in the Gulf, he recalls several instances of his fellow service members being “high as a kite” after taking pyridostigmine bromide pills, and a few being diagnosed with Gulf War Illness in the decades after the war.

Daniel does not receive care through the VA but had annual physicals with a military doctor for 25 years. He recommends, however, that Veterans who “…have any issues that may be service connected or they even suspect it in the first place, they should go to the VA, do their C&P exam, apply for benefits, because a lot of times, like this, I think researchers or even our providers can identify trends maybe to help others as well down the line.”

Daniel is married with two children and has a fulfilling career with the VA. He bikes to and from work daily, enjoys skiing and hiking, and eats healthily- factors he credits to his continued good physical and mental health. He engages with other Veterans through social media, has occasional reunions with his unit, and plays in a few bands to “escape the day-to-day mundane things that you might find in life.”