The VA Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses will hold committee meetings Aug. 20 and 21. Meeting times are Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET and Aug. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET.
These meetings can be attended in person or virtually and will focus on:
- Diversity, equity, inclusion and women’s health research.
- Research project updates.
- Updates on committee membership and recommendations.
- A report from the Veteran Engagement Subcommittee.
Each day, the final 30 minutes of the meeting will be allocated for public comments.
Submitting public comments
The public comment portion of each meeting is important and gives attendees the opportunity to share their voice with the committee. To hear from as many people as possible, all public comments will be limited to five minutes. All comments, to include speaker names, will be included in the official meeting minutes.
Those unable to attend or speak within the time frame are encouraged to submit their comments, two pages or less, via email to VARACGWVI@va.gov for the record.
Veterans can attend in person. The meetings will be held at the Benson Hotel & Faculty Club, 13025 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, Colorado 80045.
Join the committee meeting Aug. 20:
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Join online: Aug. 20 online website, password: GWVET1991! (case sensitive)
Join by phone (toll-free): 1-833-558-0712, meeting number (access code): 2828 129 4501.
Join the committee meeting Aug. 21:
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET
Join online: Aug. 21 online website, meeting password: GWVETS1991! (Case sensitive)
Join by phone (toll-free): 1-833-558-0712, meeting number (access code): 2824 038 6205.
For more information about these meetings and other related items visit the RACGWVI website.
The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses is a Congressionally mandated committee under the VA Federal Advisory Committee Act. It meets several times each year to provide advice and make recommendations to the VA Secretary on proposed research studies, plans and strategies related to understanding and treating the health consequences of military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the 1990-91 Gulf War.
All meetings are open to Veterans and their family members, physicians, scientists and members of the general public.
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Dear RAC committee
With the VA RAC kind of resetting, and restructuring – maybe its time to take a fresh look at the deep past. Go back to those key moments that defined decisions in Gulf war records systems. I dont think I can get people from the 1995 declass teams, but we can get people that made final decisions on that in 1999-2002. When it rapped up.
Two specific sets matter right now. the George Bush library which has 3,497 folders of unprocessed information about the Gulf war. The second being 1.7 million classified medically relevant documents held by OSAGWI at DOD. Both tied up by a Obama executive order over WMD to be kept for 50 years. I think this is a illegal order to conceal records that should be released.
There are two people right now that were in the middle of all that. They know what is in those records, Roger Kaplan of PSOB, MHVCB and Bernard Rostker of OSAGWI. Both are available on LinkedIn for inquiry.
By the same token, there is a 3rd option. James Tuitte III who was part of the 1994 Senator Reigle hearing. He is a sign off authority at the senate repository which is only subject to 30 years – this year. He worked closely with Reigle and once agreed years ago to release those records.
Call these people to one of your committee meetings. Kick start a fresh approach to Gulf war by giving the soldiers those classified records that might process claims or service connect to events. The bulk that created these records are now long dead.
That would be a impressive meeting to redress the long forgotten beginnings of all this because these people have spoken to the RAC in the beginning. Even if it was side bar or hearings. Presidential Special Oversight Board, Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf war Illness, Military Health Veterans coordinating Board, and senate Reigle report 1994. In fact, read this:
Riegle’s former senate aide, James Tuite, said the Defense Department never gave the veterans the sophisticated toxicological, biological and neurological tests needed to discover their exposure to chemicals. “What the defense department is saying is: We didn’t look and we didn’t see it and therefore it doesn’t exist,” Tuite said.
You want the committee to have some teeth, go back to the sources, and ask these people while they are still alive. Have them speak at your next meeting. That would impress the hell out of me.
Thank you for your time and patience.
Sincerely
Kirt P. Love
Director, DSBR
former member VA ACGWV
I think Ive proven several points now. The committee has fully regressed
publicly. Marsha Turner wont answer the phone, Karen Block changed
her phone number. The RACs answer to problems is, ignore the veterans
and go on without us. Anyone trying to push for progress is a enemy of the
state with this crowd. Which I find highly boring. Not diplomatic.
If they had any real progress then I wouldnt be so adamant. They cant and
wont rally the veteran community as advocates. VA wants it that way. For
them to be lost in policy enough that Sec of VA and staff can ignore what
the committee suggested or asked. The committee members fear for there
positions. They wont challenge or unite. So its beyond stale mate.
Its time to restructure, and not the way VA wants to. PL 105-368 set all this
in motion. Defined it. Then lost control early on. It fixates on the defunct
National Academy which groveled at its employers feet. It counted on
Sec of VA implementing suggestions, none do. It funds a secret research
program called the WRIISC which openly turns vets away. It was 1998 gone
wrong over 2 decades. Now completely dysfunctional.
When you are caught in a circular argument, you look for the parts that
keep diverting you and fix them. Specific clinical diagnosis leading to
genuine benefits as well as unique clinical care. Not this misguided use
of public funds for limited generic medical care about 15 minute twice
a year. Intent on missing huge obvious elements like tumors, clusters.
Systemic corruption in VA, the executive branch, and across DC have
proven that on there own – these folks cant be trusted to govern them
selves. Only thing left is to fix the laws that created these issues. In this
case its asking a committee to be bigger than its charter. To see the
greater picture. To be creative rather than stagnant. That is not the case
of the RAC in so many ways.
The goal here is to villainize me, and go back to status quo. This one
last loud dissenting voice they cant control. Then go back to using the
very few vets attending to shore up there meager support. Keep this
issue obscure and out of the media. Media certainly wont touch them.
Where is this going? Silent obscurity. It is already. Enough that these
people feel threatened by everything. Criticism is not tolerated. They
see through a very narrow tunnel with members trying to grand stand
that have no clue any more. A purge is in order, vote of no confidence.
If they drove me off, what did they win? No critics. That is how America
works now, no scrutiny. Let us decide for you. It hasnt worked for a
long time now. Enough. Call it and restructure.
8 day later after the meeting and everyone has run to hide. No one
answering phones or email.
Im truly stranded, having to work in the summer heat to rebuild my
car engine. Im almost done no thanks to anyone. Put the back heads
on today, torquing them down. Start up on the manifolds today and
hope I did all this right. As I did not have the $2,400 this would have
cost me to have someone else do it. Its all on me, as is every other rescue
all these years. Pull myself out of the fire. Right now, I cant get to anything
if I had to. The car repair is a must, committed.
So get a phone call from Temple VAMC. VA does not pay for 2nd opinions.
If a doctor misses something, its your problem. In my case, no multiphasic
MRI to verify the tumor type. The chance still exist of low grade Liposarcoma.
So they are going back to the surgeon to ask him. Its in the CT report, and
we didnt do any biopsy or heavy imaging. Havent ruled this out.
The WRIISC made it clear, Im on my own. They dont care or want any part
of this. Of course not, tumors – this is what VA pays them to avoid. This is
not what PL 105-368 was supposed to be like. They are really proving my
point right now that they are not here for GWI vets. GWI public law paying
for this program.
Most people in my situation would be panic stricken by now. Like the world
is closing in on them. This is business as usual for me. People thumbing
there noses at me as if morally superior, and on a payroll as public servants
that forgot what that title actually is. To them, Im no worthy, and why do I
keep showing up? Its all backwards. Not that Congress cares, or the media.
How do vets survive with there hands tied behind there backs, 40% inflation,
and people adding to the problems rather than help with them? Its because
the wealthy have declared a class war on America. Suck us dry.
All I have right now, are my skill sets and time. In the face of people who
find all this amusing. Spectators. Until its there turn. That is coming real soon.
All that misguided apathy or contempt is coming back on the people who
give it so freely. People live for revenge. Ask the arabs.
Too bad, so sad – that is NOT what VA is supposed to be about. What is
going on in these peoples heads? Good thing I dont rely on them. Im
not expecting sympathy, I know better. The people Im dealing with do
not deal in sympathy. Its more like in your face – worlds smallest violin.
Then some attitude to finish it off. How dare I throw that back.
Im just here to amuse people with my plight. Watch things reach even
greater lows than before. Its a self reinforcing circular argument that
feeds on itself. No one else is wrong, only me for trying. Why post all
this here? Because it MUST be worse for other GWI vets if VA can get
away with this over me. The ones the media turn there nose up at.
You know what is disgusting, PL 105-368 created the WRIISC program
to help Gulf war vets. The intention was for it to be specialty clinic for
us to go to. Rather than standard primary care. Primary care is a band
aid at best. See you for minor things every 6 months for 15 minutes.
Peter Rumm just told me the WRIISC cant and wont help with my lung
tumor issue. That I have to go local within VISN 17 to get help. I cant
get any help in Waco, or Temple VAMC – so I have to seek out Dallas,
Houston, or San Antonio. 100 miles or more because locally Im screwed.
These people here just want cuts and scrapes. Proving I dont have a
Liposarcoma is too much work.
Only, right at this moment – I have no working vehicles. My van has a bad
PCM, on hold. My car has bad manifold leaks Im trying to repair. So I tore
it down to the heads and hoping I can put her back together without too
many issues. Not 100% certain the rings are still good after being hot. So
I cant even get to town to buy food, pay bills, or anything. Stranded. Was
rebuilding the motor during this RAC meeting. Multi tasking.
Oh, Im talking to Stars and Stripes right now. As usual, they cant grasp what
a story is. Hung upon weird details. This is nothing like the writers I dealt
with long ago. There are all kinds of things happening behind the scenes
right now including Senate. So far, all bad. They only want to write about
happy things or anyone but 1991 Gulf war vets. Which the recent chemical
weapon articles hint at but exclude.
I think the WRIISC has gone on long enough. It serves no purpose but VA.
Time to change PL 105-368 and create the specialty clinic Gulf war vets
deserved long ago. Not this vile abuse of public funds VA twisted into
one of its anti veteran tools. Its not what we asked for in 1998.
Its all on me to survive all this. With a totally defunct Congress unable to
grasp true veteran hardships. Snide sarcastic committees that do not even
know what there true nature and history was. As I said to Peter, veteran
healthcare right now is a keyhole to look through rather than a open door.
Only person that can save me is me, and right now its not going well.
Its my understanding that Paul Sullivan was submitted to the RAC
6 months ago for approval. If this is true, a huge injustice has taken
place. Because the committee desperately needs him more than
it ever needed any other member. This is the creator of PL 105-368
and the grandfather of the RAC.
Ive been pounding the committee for the need to bring back the 2002-
2012 crowd. Because those people understood what it took to get all
this in place. They put that need on the table, and in print. Fought the
damn Omnibus bill all year long resubmitting to get this passed. 1998
was a brutal year and it lead to a really wild 1999 that had 33 groups
meeting with the Pentagon, CDC, and VA. Hundreds of us.
DOD and VA conspired to black ball grass roots groups from attending
DOD and VA meetings in 2002. Made it harder for us to meet in DC. In
2003 OIF launched and we opposed it. Only to be silenced in 2004 as
things went under ground. By 2007 we were having a harder time
talking to DOD – VA. 2009 VA started a shut out after it disbanded my
committee. 2010 it set out to get rid of Jim Binns and others on the RAC.
2013 it was a shut out. Since then VA did not publish reports like
the GWVIS, pre post 911 report, shut down the Gulf war newsletter,
got rid of the Spouse and child GWI registry, and other forms of
statistical public reporting. Ones Paul Sullivan helped create and work
on.
If anything, the meeting this week gives all the signs of going backwards
to the 2016 Steinman days. I can tell you right now, ORD would love that
but vets outside the committee hated him. VA and the committee are loyal
to him for all the wrong reasons.
When the committee finally met with Jim Binns in 2024, he did not want
any part of it by then. It was me that brought him to this, and I literally
had to part ways with him to guilt him to go. They found out they liked
him and he had much to offer. Asked him back. The committee reached
out to him after I hounded them to do so. Nothing was easy about this.
Right now, the RAC is lost and desperately needs direction. Having Paul
Sullivan on board is just what they need. No one in the Gulf war crowd
would oppose him. Paul knows the history and reasoning. If VA and
the committee rejected him, you did more harm than good.
Im still trying to get more details from Paul. But, I trust him enough
that if he said this then others dropped the ball. The RAC needs him
far more than any Legacy Steinman members right now.
Turns out VA contacted Paul Sullivans boss asking about him.
So this means the name was submitted and they reviewed it.
They turned him down and said nothing to him about it.
Paul has never been on the RAC the last 22 years. But, he did work
for VA publishing the GWVIS reports that used to do statistical
reporting. VA knows who he is. There is absolutely no reason to
reject Paul.
I find all this highly offensive because Paul is a advocate, subject
matter expert. and tremendous amount of experience in this
arena. No one even close to being like him is on the committee
now. If anything, Bill Watts was the last advocate for the old crowd
that the committee seemed pretty determined to run off.
The pattern here is continued deception, stalling, and keep the RAC
in a spinning limbo. Its done this far too long. Sec of VA Eric Shinseki
did the Gulf war vets a on going injustice to keep the RAC unable to
publish or take any stand. It was his personal bias and bad decision
making that VA has not corrected. Directed at Jim Binns and the
out spoken members of the RAC. It was personal.
Paul Sullivan should be a consultant to the committee at a minmum.
Vice Chairman if they were bold. Instead, they dont reach out to him
at all hoping no one catches on. 22 years of this, enough – put Paul
on and give him a damn chance.
This is directed at the committee:
When you leave soon, no one will remember you. Why, because you didnt
change anything. From 2013 on the membership is very forgettable. I can
tell you no GWI veteran in America is saying “I miss Larry Feinman”. Much
less the people around him.
So you ran around claiming to listen to others, pat yourselves on the back
like your really humanitarian. Lip service. None of those people talking to
you made it into any report. Public comments means nothing. That reached
its height in September 2023 when you reduced us in the room to Male /
Female veterans in public comments. Devalued all but yourselves.
You want people to play nice with you, but you really dont know the history
that lead to your current position. Indifference to the creators, the first
members. You think your position itself is enough. Wait 3 years after your
left and see if you like it then. Only people welcomed back are the worst ones
VA is using to drive the rest off. Like Dr Stephen Hunt who has no place being
here – Dr. Somatoform. Steinmans right hand man. You dont know him the
way I do. I got to see him in action in his office, and opposed him in my committees
final report for his methods. Why bring him today to comment on benefits?
I predate every person in that room at the meeting, came in long before all of them.
So that means like the past RAC members then I have no value. Could not
possibly be a subject matter expert. You know what I dont see, any of the old
crowd from the 90’s that kicked all this off. I know them, and several are still
around. They have some stories because they were the first. People that
fought VA, DOD and didnt cow down for favors. The last one was Anthony
Hardie that left the RAC and helped create the CDMRP. They havent out
shown him for effort.
You become advocates, include people, seek change, thats one thing. What
your doing now is so cowardly that the Sec of VAs goodbye video to you
was insulting and devoid of content. He doesnt even know your names.
Hey, I have a picture of me with him – more than you got. Im still asking
for his resignation. This is a yes man cheating us all. You should have
stormed his office like the old crowds did long ago. I bet none of you have
been in his office over looking the White house, I did long ago.
Change comes with effort, not deception. You folks cant even change your
minds. As individuals, you will all fade away. I will be here long after
your all gone. Because this is real for me.
This is a disgusting meeting. Its reached a new levels of incompetence
in that VA execs blew them off, and they dont really get what happened.
The Chairman is not a advocate and no desire to stir the water. She relies
on supposed ignorance of the system to trick the others.
Youve got grand standing members totally ignorant of the past or others
committee members work that do not seek advice. This committee
really has no concept on the 2002- 2012 RAC and how it worked. Why
those people were driven away by VA. Way too much arrogance and
hubris when they are NOT subject matter experts. Which is why there
final recommendations are a pitiful censored load of tripe. One member
went off on them during the meeting realizing how bad this looks.
There is no urgency, and VA is fine with that. Dont publish, and try
to speak up. That maybe the members now, that not how we worked
long ago. These are not true advocates. Just self serving glory hounds
falling short of there self images. They look more and more like the
2016 crowd under Steinman. Boy was that bad.
These folks are spitting on those of us that came before them, and
back then we got results of some kind. These people could not even
get the Sec of VA to acknowledge they exist. ICD 10 code will do
nothing to help is – that is NOT where the attention should be.
If you cant get results, get out of the way. If your not a advocate, get
out of the way. This isnt for the timid. These folks had there chances
and keep getting worse. Im a fighter, and people dont like that – the
ones that get nothing done and dont want me to up stage them.
Mediocrity never impressed me, and still does not.
This meeting should have been in DC, and the angry members should
have walked up stairs to complain to the Sec of VA. Instead they hid
in Colorado so they could go skying. That alone says it all.
One of the things Ide like to prove is TCDD and TCDF in body fat. These POP
molecules are forever compounds. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF)
is also passed on by ingestion of high fat content foods in these environments.
If VA studying body fat like this? Not that Im aware of even though Dioxins and
Furans are part of the PACT act. More focus was put on TCDD though.
Without a Toxic Exposure Pathology Center to take physical body samples
its ZERO chance of proving this. As this is very specific, only turn up in a
autopsy. But, wouldnt be listed as cause of death so it would be ignored.
I think these fatty deposits turn into lipoma over time, reacting to the substances
and then misbehaving. Eventually leading to liposarcoma. Which would explain
the last 10 years of my life. TCDF cause havoc on metabolism.
Forever compounds in body fat, a point VA wants to avoid at all cost. I would know.
Ive tried for 10 years to get a body fat resection for full chem analysis. While VA
isnt even looking at body fat or soft body masses.
Keep in mind this person suggest a MRI to verify. The surgeon and
my doctor say nothing of this.
—————————————————————————————-
Lobulated pleural lipomatosis narrows left lower lobe posteriorly
measuring 6.4 x 1.6 x 4.5 cm it is larger than on previous study.
( only there was no previous study – that 2018 CT exam gives no
mention of this mass which is similar at that time )
Impression:
1. Multiple small pulmonary nodules. Fleischner Society
guidelines for solid nodules < 6 mm: No routine follow up for low
risk patients and optional CT at 12 months for high risk
patients.
2. Lobulated lipomatous pleural mass in the posterior left lower
lobe measuring 6.4 x 1.6 x 4.5 cm it is increased in size and may
represent lipoma or low-grade liposarcoma. Evaluation with
targeted multiphasic MRI is recommended.
3. Hepatic and pancreatic steatosis. Small hepatic hypodense
lesions which are too small to characterize, one of which has
developed in the interval.
Signed by Jose Watson on 7/26/2024 12:38 PM CDT
Update on the tumor:
I got to see the surgeon on August 14th at 9am. Dr. O had found a CT scan from 2018
that had the tumor in it. So he showed them side by side. It was about the same
size back then. About 4cm and similar shape. This was a slow growing Lipoma
rather than some more aggressive cousin.
As Im heading home Im telling others about it. Each point out my doctor missed this
in my records for 6 years. That sunk home. Because it also meant the Gulf war registry,
the WRIISC exam, the burn pit registry, the Toxic exposure exam, and the PACT act
claim exam all missed it to. I had been writing Sec of VA Denis McDonough during
all these events stating how sloppy they were. Not even taking my vital signs during
the Gulf war registry exam.
For now, its not worth the damage to remove it. The location and way its attached to
the lung walls would cost me lung tissue. Only, later it will spread between my ribs
and push them apart like a wedge which will be very painful.
Ive had so many of these soft body masses these last 10 years. Under my foot was a
2 inch tumor they took out. The 1cm polyp in my colon. The tumor on my thumb.
The masses in my liver. Large cyst in my kidneys. The calcium plagues in my brain.
Not to mention the numerous ones Ive burned off myself as well as damn skin tags.
Since I can only get seen 15 minutes ever 6 months and walkins are not allowed –
I cant get in time to have these removed. Changed color, shape, and size on me.
Turned black, angry looking. When I used a soldering gun to remove these skin
tags I went after these skin tumors. You tap them till the nerves die, then lean in
to make sure all blood vessels to it are burnt. hurts like hell.
Ive had these in bad places as well. The one right on the seam of my nethers was
in the worst place of had swollen up from rubbing when I walk. That one took a
hour to do because it was so tender. No, didnt take pictures. What was the point?
No one cared. So its not in my records. I wanted them gone and it was up to me.
As far as VA is concerned these dont exist.
The programs and registries cant find my tumor for 6 years, then what chance
did others have of early detection? 2 inches is big, but this thing is flat and spread
out along the lung plural wall and ribs. Obvious now, under CT scan. The fact
the WRIISC missed it shows what a sham they are. If this had been any other
kind of tumor Ide be long dead now, by 5cm they have spread every where.
Sec of VA Denis McDonough ignored all my pleas. 21 of them. If this had been
any other tumor it would have killed me within that 6 years. How many others
have these soft body masses like I do? Is this a trend among Gulf war vets now?
330,000 have died over 33 years, how many of those might have had other
signs that were ignored in autopsies? How would we know, there are no public
records or reporting systems.
I get that Im on my own, Ide cut this lung tumor out myself if I could reach it.
Even my foot tumor took 2 years to get removed. By the end they were talking
about taking my foot. 2 long years of a mean doctor who was only worried about
me being drug tested which never turned up hot. He was evil, and now he works
at the Waco center of excellence as a researcher. Appalling manners.
None of this is right, and no one cares. I will present this next week to the VA RAC
who will ignore me. They have lost there way. Then again, Ive made recommendations
to the RAC for 22 years that every Sec of VA has ignored just like the committee. The
goal, go terminal and die veteran – we have bonuses to hand out to VA execs. Like
they did the with PACT act funds. They plan to wait me out, the proof is there now.
When ones of these tumors turns and kills me. Make sure its too late to see it.