David

David was in the Marine Corps serving in Okinawa, Japan before being deployed for two years as a Platoon Sergeant on the USS John F Kennedy during the Gulf War. He describes being exposed to the fallout of missiles being exploded over head, possible nerve gas, and being around oil fields burning all day without proper protective equipment. He says they were given poor-quality protective gear that had filters that didn’t work. One experience he described in detail, “when they attacked the oil fields and the oil, the smoke oil filled the sky, and it would be 12 o’clock during the day and it looked like it was midnight outside, because it was just dark. And no matter what you put on your face or a mask or anything, when you went inside and you blew your nose, you were still blowing out black.”

Two years after getting home, his wife at the time noticed that he had changed. He started experiencing symptoms of PTSD, being quick to anger, and severe nerve damage – uncontrolled twitching and shaking. He describes his nerve damage as, “…Almost like a charge. And it’s not a painful charge, but it feels just like a little—you know, like a charge you get when you touch something…like an electrical charge.” Although he has not been diagnosed with Gulf War Illness, he is still researching to understand if his health problems are connected to the Gulf War.

David has had issues in the past with filing claims and getting answers for his health problems from the VA. He still has lots of unanswered questions about health problems being connected to exposures in Gulf War. He says that sometimes he feels like feels he is the only one with these symptoms. To manage his symptoms, he has made lifestyle changes to exercise more and eat healthy. His wife is one of his biggest supports throughout this journey.

David works with Veterans and organizes Veteran Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Appreciation Day programs in the community where he lives. He says he does this work because “I want them to know that none of them are forgotten.” David hopes that more people will recognize the exposures they had in the Gulf War and start asking more questions. He believes the military should do more to document exposures and symptoms during the separation physicals when transitioning home. He hopes that more Gulf War Veterans will share their stories, so they are not forgotten.