• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Alliance icon

A program of the National Alliance for Care at Home

Visit the Alliance
We Honor Veterans

We Honor Veterans

Caring Professionals on a Mission to Serve

Partner Login
MenuMenu
  • Home
  • Partner Portal
  • About
    • About Overview
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • Earn Your Stars
    • Reports from We Honor Veterans
  • Working for Veterans
        • Working for Veterans Overview
        • By Conflict
          • WWII
          • Korea
          • Vietnam
          • Peacekeeping (Cold War)
          • Gulf War
          • Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF & OIF)
        • By Population
          • American Indians and Alaska Natives
          • Former POWs
          • Homeless Veterans
          • Rural Veterans
          • Women Veterans
        • Specific Needs
          • PTSD
          • Sexual Trauma
          • Substance Use Disorder
          • Trauma-Informed Care
        • Veteran Benefits
          • Burial Benefits
          • Healthcare Benefits
          • Survivor Benefits
        • Working with Veterans Organizations
        • Volunteering
        • Honoring Veterans
  • Partners
        • Partners Overview
        • Partner Directory
        • Search our network of over 3000 hospices and community organizations partners.
        • Hospice-Veteran Partnerships
        • Community Nursing Homes
        • Veteran Community Partnerships
  • Resources
        • Resources Overview
        • Resource Library
        • Our resource library holds links, pdfs, and toolkits to help you provide excellent veteran-centric care.
        • VA's Whole Health Resources
        • Intake and Admission
        • Grief & Bereavement
        • Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
        • Veteran Specific Questions
        • Partner Networking Calls
        • WHV Outreach Materials
  • Blog
    • All Blog Posts
    • Stories from Our Partners
    • Share Your Stories
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Submit an Upcoming Event
Section Menu

By Conflict

  • WWII
  • Korea
  • Vietnam
  • Peacekeeping (Cold War)
  • Gulf War
  • Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF & OIF)

Gulf War

The 1991 Gulf War was considered a brief and successful military operation with few injuries and deaths of U.S. troops. The war began in August 1990, and the last U.S. ground troops returned home by June 1991.

“A line has been drawn in the sand…Withdraw from Kuwait unconditionally and immediately, or face the terrible consequences.”

-President George H.W. Bush

Statistics

  • August 2, 1990-February 28, 1991
  • Total who served in all Armed Forces: 1, 606, 600
  • Battle Deaths: 20,682
  • Wounded: 75,200
  • Civilian Losses: 1,000

Unique Health Risks

Exposure to Chemical or Biological Agents

Although most Gulf War Veterans resumed their normal activities, many soon began reporting a variety of unexplained health problems that they attributed to their participation in the Gulf War, including chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain, loss of concentration, forgetfulness, headache, and rash.

It’s important to understand that there were and continue to be many concerns about the association between the illnesses and symptoms Veterans report and their exposure to toxic agents, environmental and wartime hazard, and preventive medicines and vaccines they received.

Exposure to Smoke

Among studies that examined pulmonary outcomes in associations with specific exposures in the Gulf War Theater, exacerbation of asthma associated with oil-well fire smoke has been indicated.

Depleted Uranium (DU)

Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process that makes nuclear fuel. The U.S. military uses tank armor and some bullets made with depleted uranium (DU) to penetrate enemy armored vehicles. Depleted uranium has approximately 60 percent of the radioactivity and the same chemical toxicity as natural uranium. The U.S. military began using DU on a large scale during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis(ALS)

On December 10, 2001, Veterans’ Affairs Secretary, Anthony Principi, announced that a VA study revealed that Persian Gulf War Veterans are more than twice as likely as other Veterans to develop ALS.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Deployment places Veterans at increased risk for symptoms of psychiatric illnesses, particularly post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

Recommended Resources

Get more resources

Intake

Military Health History Pocket Card for for Health Professions Trainees and Clinicians

Health

Hepatitis C Virus Research and Education

Health

Veterans Health Initiative

Footer

We Honor Veterans logo

A program of the National Alliance for Care at Home

Contact Us

  • Email Us
  • Read Our Newsletter
  • Share Your Stories With Us

Earn Your Stars

  • About the Program
  • Partner Portal
  • Hospice Partners
  • Community Partners
  • Sign Up
  • WHV Partner Logo Agreement

Support Us

  • Donate
  • Marketplace
  • Become a Sponsor

Find a WHV Partner Near You

Our network of over 3,000 partners  means that you can find a partner near you that is able to recognize the unique needs of America’s Veterans and their families.

Search our directory

Logo for the National Alliance for Care at Home© 2025 National Alliance for Care at Home | Privacy

This website collects and uses cookies to ensure you have the best user experience. Please click on the “Accept and Close” button to affirm your consent and continue to use our website.Accept and ClosePrivacy Statement