January 17 marks 24 years since the official commencement of the Persian Gulf War. With this important conflict falling in time between the war in Vietnam and those of Iraq and Afghanistan, unfortunately its veterans are sometimes forgotten.
But the VFW remembers, and it takes this opportunity to salute the service and sacrifice of the brave Americans who drove Saddam Hussein’s military forces from Kuwait.
The Gulf War served as a model military operation. America’s service members accomplished their mission on schedule, and without fail. Despite the war’s relatively short duration, each of its veterans played an integral role in shaping a truly historical event.
Approximately 695,000 servicemen and women served in the Kuwait theater leading up to and during the war. It left 467 wounded and claimed the lives of another 374. Though victory was expeditiously achieved, it did not come without great cost.
In addition to the lives lost and visible injuries sustained, many service members returned home with mysterious illnesses later termed “Gulf War Syndrome.” Its lasting effects constitute the war’s enduring legacy.
Like their predecessors, veterans of the Gulf War have left their mark in history and we are all indebted to them for their selfless service. Today, and every day, the VFW salutes all of America’s Gulf War veterans.