Gulf War Veteran goes “fishing with America’s finest”

Bill Watts focuses on helping fellow Gulf War Veterans

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 Posted onWednesday, August 19, 2020 10:00 am Posted in Health by VAntage Point Contributor  768 views

William “Bill” Watts, Sr., earned numerous awards during his service, which included tours in Egypt and Korea and service as a Gulf War combat Veteran. But the reward he values most today is the one he receives as an advocate helping his fellow Gulf War Veterans with their individual challenges.

“I am in favor of Veterans helping Veterans. Quality of life begins with quality of health care,” said Watts. Watts’ work with Veterans has earned him the Congressional Veterans Commendation Award. His work includes volunteering with Veterans in his community and meeting with researchers and health professionals to make sure that the health concerns of Gulf War Veterans are recognized and addressed.

Watts (photo above) and others are now marking the 30th anniversary of their Gulf War service. Watts served in the U.S. Army from 1989 to 1996. He was in the 4/5 ADA 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 24th Infantry Division and 3rd Infantry Division.

Fishing the Everglades to reduce stress

One of Watts’ passions is helping Veterans manage their health problems by finding non-drug alternatives. As a resident of the South Florida city of Doral, he volunteers with the non-profit Fishing with America’s Finest and also serves as the group’s director of operations. Fishing with America’s Finest takes combat Veterans bass fishing in the Florida Everglades to help reduce the stress and anxiety from PTSD.Long Description

Gulf War Veteran William “Bill” Watts, Sr.

“We try to teach them to the point that they can go on fishing tournaments if they want to.” He is also a team member of Dive4Vets, a group that takes Veterans who suffer from physical and mental health issues scuba diving to help to heal. Watts is eligible for the Gulf War Registry and Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pits Registry and enrolled many years ago.

Researching the health of Gulf War Veterans

Watts understands that some Gulf War Veterans are older. They may not be comfortable with completing an online-only registry like the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. A local Environmental Health Coordinator can help with this process.

Watts also is a member of VA’s Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses. He participates in research on the health of Gulf War Veterans at the Miami VA Hospital. He also volunteers to coordinate and recruit local Veterans for research.

GULF WAR ILLNESS PERSPECTIVES

William A. “Bill” Watts, Sr.

GOOD MORNING – I would like to thank all the Organizers, Veterans, Ranking Dignitaries and Researchers for participating in this meeting.  My name is William A. Watts Sr., but everyone knows me as Bill Watts.  I live in Doral, Florida.  I am a Desert Storm Veteran from the 1990-91 Gulf War.  I served with the 7^th Corps, 1^st Cavalry Division, 4/5 Air Defense Artillery Battalion – C Battery. 

I suffer from most of the major symptoms related to Gulf War Illness for males. Some of my symptoms started within 3 days of arriving the in the Gulf. I cleared bunkers, vehicles that were shot with depleted uranium rounds, and was exposed to vehicles damaged in combat covered in the blood of my friends.  I experienced many of the toxic exposures that today we know contributed to Gulf War Illness.

Research is Vital in the role of Treatment for Gulf War Illness and has helped me immensely. A great example is my results from the Integrative Modeling or Miff-a-priston/Embrel study. For months after, everyone noticed my mental and physical well-being had improved.

I am a Strong Veteran Advocate for Veteran Healthcare and Quality of life.  Currently I am the Director of Operations for Fishing with America’s Finest, a 501-C3 non-profit which uses Fishing to help Veterans who suffer from PTSD by giving them a Quality of Life instead of becoming a suicide Statistic. My love for my fellow veterans runs deep, which is why I serve on Local and National Research projects and committees, including as a Peer Reviewer for the Gulf War Illness CDMRP, and as a member of VA’s Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses and one of its Subcommittees.  I have been recognized for my support with numerous awards Such as the Congressional Commendation and Florida Senate Veterans Champion Award.

I would like to give you my brief perspectives as a Gulf War Veteran with Gulf War Illness:

• First, I believe that Quality of Life begins with Quality of Care
  • This means that Fundamental Needs must be met first, meaning Health Care.  This Gulf War Research is Vital in the role of Treatment and appropriate healthcare.
  • This also means that National Environmental Health Clinics should be strategically place throughout the US.
  • And from my experience working with Numerous Gulf War Veterans in my fishing non-profit, they have made it clear they believe VA’s compensation and pension rating Exams are rigged against them because most of the time they are denied.  
  • Research and educating clinical providers could make a difference in all of these areas of clinical care and quality of life.
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• Second, for Gulf War veterans, our Trust must be earned (We are not lab rats and from my experience participating in Gulf War research, researchers must explain this to us as study participants.)
  • This means Being truthful and using clear communication as all veterans are not versed in medical terms. You may have to take the time to break it down to everyday terms.  I only trust a handful of health care personnel with my life. Those include my PCP and Researcher Dr. Nancy Klimas and her team, who have earned my trust.
  • Earning our trust also means Providing information to us Gulf War veteran study participants about the results of the research study we are participating in and, whenever possible, providing us with the test results so they may be added to our medical records
  • Earning out trust also means that Clinicians must explain the importance of this research. What may not work for one of us veterans may work for someone else.

• Third and finally, I believe that Doctors and Researchers must also consider the impact of Gulf War Illness on us Gulf War veterans. 
• Today, I would like for you to think about being really sick.  Most of the time you can run to the drug store and symptoms are gone within hours if not a day or two.  Image what it is like being sick for 30 years like us Gulf War veterans and the 1^st thing you do when you walk into a new location is check to see where the bathrooms are located or not eating for hours so you won’t get sick because with IBS you never know.   So – your research is critically important to helping us.
  • The impact is also clear in the fact that studies have consistently shown that as many as one-third of the 700,000 of us 1990-91 Gulf War Veterans suffer from Gulf War Illness, so this is a big issue in our relatively small community.
  • Finally, and I don’t know who needs to still hear this, but Gulf War Illness is not ALL in our heads as the research has continually shown.   Doctors need to be better informed about all the ongoing research about Gulf War Illness so they don’t treat Gulf War veterans like one did with one of my fishing program participants earlier this month, who just recently was told GWI is all in his head and referred to Mental health even though he has mirror image symptoms as myself.
• We need to act as if GWI is Covid 19 and get a move on as it has been 30 years!  So thank you for your efforts to help us as soon as possible.