Brown Mark A, Murphy Frances M, Mather Susan H
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, Washington, DC 20420, USA.
Mil Med. 2002 Mar;167(3):191-5.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has responded to significant challenges in treating and compensating Persian Gulf War veterans by adapting existing programs and developing new ones. The VA established a Gulf War health examination registry and expanded existing "Vet Centers" to provide assistance to Gulf War veterans. Health care eligibility income limitations were eliminated. Outreach efforts included a national newsletter, veterans' organization briefings, and other products. The VA is developing targeted training programs and continuing medical education for health care providers. Numerous major research initiatives have begun. Innovations include the establishment of environmental hazards research centers, clinical demonstration projects, and centers for the study of war-related illness. These efforts required increased coordination among federal agencies and collaboration with other countries. In a precedent-setting development, Congress gave the VA authority to compensate certain veterans with undiagnosed illnesses. Veterans from future conflicts and peacekeeping missions can expect improved services from the VA as a result of these initiatives.
美国退伍军人事务部（VA）通过调整现有项目和开发新项目，应对了在治疗和补偿海湾战争退伍军人方面的重大挑战。退伍军人事务部建立了海湾战争健康检查登记处，并扩大了现有的“退伍军人中心”，以向海湾战争退伍军人提供援助。取消了医疗保健资格收入限制。宣传工作包括一份全国性时事通讯、退伍军人组织简报及其他产品。退伍军人事务部正在为医疗保健提供者制定有针对性的培训项目和继续医学教育。众多重大研究项目已经启动。创新举措包括设立环境危害研究中心、临床示范项目以及战争相关疾病研究中心。这些努力需要联邦机构之间加强协调并与其他国家开展合作。在一项开创先例的进展中，国会赋予退伍军人事务部向某些患有未确诊疾病的退伍军人提供补偿的权力。由于这些举措，未来冲突和维和任务中的退伍军人有望从退伍军人事务部获得更好的服务。
