Gulf War Syndrome is a collection of potentially debilitating symptoms that may be present in many veterans of the 1990’s Gulf War. The Department of Veteran Affairs doesn’t like the term Gulf War Syndrome, preferring to categorize the condition as "chronic multi-symptom illness," or sometimes simply as "undiagnosed illnesses." Gulf War Syndrome (GWS), also known as ‘Desert Storm Diseases’ or simply ‘Gulf War Illness’, share symptoms that have been reported by veterans and civilians (like press and government employees), of the first Gulf War (as early as August 1990).

Veterans from every country that made up the Coalition forces have been affected. In the US alone, more than 110,000 cases had been reported by 1999, according to official government sources. It is estimated that it may affect as many as thirty percent of the men and women who served during the conflict. While the exact cause remains unknown, the same study found that veterans who experience these symptoms also experienced a loss of Brain Matter. 

There is even a report relating to military personnel in Kansas developing flu-like symptoms and chemical sensitivities after handling archived documents returned from the Gulf War.