Captain Kenneth C. Hyams, an infectious disease specialist and Desert Storm vet, wondered whether anything like Gulf War Syndrome had happened before. So he examined decades of military and medical records and looked at symptoms that appeared in previous wars. Interview conducted September 1997.
				Dr. Stephen Joseph led the DOD's medical investigation of Gulf War Syndrome. He explains the complex epidemiological issues involved in determining what is behind the veterans' illnesses. He also discusses why there is resistance among the public, the media and members of Congress to accept the findings of the scientific panels.
				Dr. Philip Landrigan was a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC), and chaired the American Legion's Scientific Panel. He offers a synopsis of how the scientists pursued their inquiry and why ultimately the major theories about what's causing veterans' symptoms (depleted uranium, oil fires, pesticides, chemical agents, etc.) don't add up.
				Matt Puglisi, the American Legion's spokesman, is a Marine Second Lieutenant who served in the Gulf War. He analyzes how the well the media reported this story, what has fueled the "undercurrent of mistrust" against the government, and what really are the views of the average veteran about Gulf War illnesses.
				Congressman Bernard Sanders (I-Vt) discusses his reasons for being highly critical of the performance of the VA and DOD and explains why he doubts the integrity of some members of the scientific community. Sanders argues the PAC is "dead wrong" in concluding stress was the likely cause of veterans' illnesses and lays out why he believes the PAC too quickly dismissed other causes such as PB and chemical exposures.
				Congressman Christopher Shays (R-Ct.) has spent years investigating Gulf War syndrome and finds stress an unsatisfactory answer for what is behind the veterans' health problems. Shayse explains why he doesn't accept the scientific studies done on Gulf veterans' health and strongly believes low-level chemicals exposures, combined with other Gulf War-related risk factors, are behind the illnesses.

 
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