The report said that the department's program was a thorough and compassionate program to handle medical complaints among gulf veterans.

The institute's report said there was currently no clinical evidence in the evaluation program for a previously unknown, serious illness among gulf veterans.

The report noted that 37 percent of the gulf veterans treated under the program received diagnoses of psychiatric conditions.

She was assigned to interview the gulf veterans who were calling the committee.

The program, which is continuing, is open to gulf veterans, of which there are over 500,000, and family members.

"Subsequently," he said, "I've been told by the experts" that the vaccine was not responsible for gulf veterans' health problems.

The department is conducting its own examinations of gulf veterans who have left the armed forces.

The announcement was a startling turnabout for the military, and it is quite likely to renew focus on gulf veterans' health problems.

But experts say there is no evidence that gulf veterans are more likely to become political extremists or violent criminals.

It found that more than 30 percent of the gulf veterans report three or more such symptoms.