Abstract
In 1990/1991, approximately 697,000 U.S. service members joined coalition forces in the Middle East for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (ODS/S). Following the military action, a number of service men and women reported a variety of signs and symptoms which they attributed to their participation in the operation; the term Gulf War Syndrome was proposed to facilitate evaluation of what was perceived as a possible new entity. Subsequent studies failed to identify a discrete syndrome, and a series of reports have raised questions as to whether or not Gulf War Syndrome exists or if indeed any of the reported disorders can be attributed to participation in ODS/S. This report reviews the history of U.S. participation in the Gulf War, the medical threats and exposures considered by the U.S. Armed Services, and the U.S. Government's approach to investigating the complaints of the returning servicemen. In the context of the reports from non-U.S. veterans with similar complaints, the elusive Gulf War Syndrome is an important unresolved issue that could provide a model for a number of disorders, including chronic fatigue syndrome.