Long-dismissed ‘Gulf War Illness’ finally recognized with international medical code

Veterans who have long sought recognition for a medical condition linked to their service in the Gulf War earned a major victory last week.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently approved a diagnostic code for “Gulf War Illness,” which went into effect on Oct. 1. The code represents a long-sought breakthrough that will allow doctors across the country to diagnose and treat the condition – formal medical validation that has eluded these veterans for more than 30 years.

Gulf War Illness, or GWI, is a chronic, often debilitating condition with several symptoms, including constant fatigue, cognitive issues, chronic pain, respiratory difficulties, skin problems and gastrointestinal distress. Researchers estimate that up to one-third of the roughly 700,000 troops deployed to t