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    DMVA Assists Operation Desert Storm Veterans With Claims, 34 Years After Wars

    Jan. 17, 2025 marks the 34th anniversary of the start of Operation Desert Storm, which began with an aerial bombing campaign against Iraq in 1991 and ended with the liberation of Kuwait one month later. This is considered the second key phase of the Gulf War, with the first phase being Operation Desert Shield, which involved the build-up of military forces from August 1990 to January 1991. 

    In Pennsylvania, the total Gulf War veteran population is 220,770, according to PA Veteran Population and Wartime Service data from 2023, released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs projected for September 2024. That’s out of a total statewide veteran population of nearly 700,000.  

    One ongoing takeaway of the Gulf War was the potential health impact of exposure to toxic substances. Since enactment of the PACT Act, which expanded VA health care benefits for Gulf War veterans and other veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, the DMVA has assisted Gulf War veterans, and other veterans from across the Commonwealth who were exposed to toxic substances during service in Vietnam, the Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras. 

    The VA provides more information about the PACT Act and VA benefits. If you have questions about filing a claim, please contact a DMVA veterans services officer at 717-861-8910 or 800-547-2838 (toll free).