Gulf War Syndrome

The Persian Gulf War, also called the Gulf War or Gulf War I, began on August 2, 1990, when Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait. On January 17, 1991, multinational forces led by the United States acted to circumvent Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait, largely through air strikes. The ground war began on February 23, 1991, and ultimately ended on February 28, 1991.

In the months following their return to the United States, Gulf War veterans began to report various ailments. Ill veterans and the news media were at the forefront of the often controversial notion that there was a Gulf War syndrome that was linked to service in the Persian Gulf. While some viewed the syndrome as a new disease, others insisted the symptoms experienced by ...