The 2.8-million member American Legion said today it applauds the way the Department of Veterans Affairs is treating the benefits claims of Gulf War veterans suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
But the nation's largest veterans organization seeks provisions to protect the rights of those who will be stricken with the disease in the future.
Based on a study that showed a higher rate of ALS among veterans who deployed to the Persian Gulf region, VA is expeditiously "service-connecting" Gulf War veterans currently diagnosed with ALS.
This action makes them eligible for free-of-charge VA health care and VA disability compensation. But VA will not necessarily extend this treatment to future Gulf War ALS cases. This leaves those veterans to prove that their ALS is related to their military service.
"I commend VA for promptly providing compensation and health care to Gulf War veterans with ALS. However, if current ALS cases are worthy of health care and disability compensation, then future ALS cases should be presumed to be service-connected and processed for benefits accordingly," American Legion National Commander Richard J. Santos said. "The science is strong enough to support the presumption of service-connection for present and future ALS cases. Either by a VA regulation or specific congressional legislation, the rights of Gulf War veterans who will contract ALS in the future must be protected."
ALS is a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease. The cause of it is unknown. ALS occurs most often in adults, 50 to 70 years of age.
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For more information:
* CONTACT: Steve Thomas, 202-263-2982 or Pager 800-759-8888, (pound)115-8679; Joe March, 317-630-1253 or Pager 317-382-7745 both of the American Legion