Shared by Beckie Cann:  If you have a service-connected disability of 0% or more, you
may "expand" your claim if you suffer the symptoms listed in Public
Law 107-103 to VA where your claim was initially filed.

Highly communicable! You can make your family and co-workers sick.
Don't get pregnant.

PUBLIC LAW 107-103, MARCH 1, 2002
AMENDMENT TO PREVIOUS AMENDMENTS OF U.S. CODE 38
SEC. 202. PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION FOR PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS WITH
CERTAIN CHRONIC DISABILITIES.
(a) ILLNESSES THAT CANNOT BE CLEARLY DEFINED- (1) Subsection (a) of
section 1117 is amended to read as follows:
(a)(1) The Secretary may pay compensation under this subchapter to a
Persian Gulf veteran with a qualifying chronic disability that
became manifest--
(A) during service on active duty in the Armed Forces in the
Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War; or
(B) to a degree of 10 percent or more during the presumptive period
prescribed under subsection (b).
(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term `qualifying chronic
disability' means a chronic disability resulting from any of the
following (or any combination of any of the following):
(A) An undiagnosed illness.
(B) A medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (such as
chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel
syndrome) that is defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms.
(C) Any diagnosed illness that the Secretary determines in
regulations prescribed under subsection (d) warrants a presumption
of service-connection.'.
(2) Subsection (c)(1) of such section is amended--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking `for an
undiagnosed illness (or combination of undiagnosed illnesses)'; and
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking `for such illness (or
combination of illnesses)'.
(b) SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS THAT MAY INDICATE UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESSES- (1)
Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
(g) For purposes of this section, signs or symptoms that may be a
manifestation of an undiagnosed illness or a chronic multisymptom
illness include the following:
(1) Fatigue.
(2) Unexplained rashes or other dermatological signs or symptoms.
(3) Headache.
(4) Muscle pain.
(5) Joint pain.
(6) Neurological signs and symptoms.
(7) Neuropsychological signs or symptoms.
(8) Signs or symptoms involving the upper or lower respiratory
system.
(9) Sleep disturbances.
(10) Gastrointestinal signs or symptoms.
(11) Cardiovascular signs or symptoms.
(12) Abnormal weight loss.
(13) Menstrual disorders.'.
(2) Section 1118(a) is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
(4) For purposes of this section, signs or symptoms that may be a
manifestation of an undiagnosed illness include the signs and
symptoms listed in section 1117(g) of this title.'.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b)
shall take effect on March 1, 2002.
(d) CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO PRESUME SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR
ADDITIONAL DISEASES- (1) Sections 1117(c)(2) and 1118(e) are each
amended by striking `10 years' and all that follows through `of
1998' and inserting `on September 30, 2011'.
(2) Section 1603(j) of the Persian Gulf War Veterans Act of 1998 (38
U.S.C. 1117 note) is amended by striking `10 years' and all that
follows and inserting `on October 1, 2010.'.

____________________________

Margaret,

Aren't the above the 'short list' put forward by the American Legion for 'gulf war syndrome?'

... at least strikingly similar?

• Chronic Fatigue
• Signs and symptoms involving skin (including skin rashes and unusual hair loss)
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Neurological signs or symptoms (nervous system disorders which could manifest themselves in numbness in one's arms or legs, for instance)
• Neuropsychological signs or symptoms (including memory loss)
• Signs or symptoms involving upper or lower respiratory system
• Sleep disturbances
• Gastrointestinal signs or symptoms (including recurrent diarrhea and constipation)
• Cardiovascular signs or symptoms
• Menstrual disorders 
• & a lot more ... like depression; suicidal tendencies

A good veterans info site:  http://veteransinfo.org/index.html