For the past eight years of living with the two letters that now mean multiple sclerosis, I have come to appreciate the time in my life when I was able to endure the heat, run drills, climb ropes, and, well…just feel my limbs and coordinate them. I no longer take for granted the health of my youth or the ability to conquer the hardest task put in front of me. Those two little letters ? MS ? have changed my life forever. Last week I began to wonder, when I put on my USMC cap and headed to the gym to coordinate myself through another workout, how many Marines and other military men and women suffer from MS. How many war veterans who have served our country with honor and bravery now deal with the numbness of MS and its multitude of symptoms? How many military careers have been cut short by this debilitating disease? So, I began to do my research and found some disturbing facts.
MS and the Military: ‘Service-Connected’ Evidence
Information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that more than 28,000 veterans are receiving care annually for MS in the VA system. That is just the number that is being reported to the VA. I am sure that many thousands of MS diagnoses in the military are unreported. I found, through information at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, that a February 2008 Congressional briefing examined MS among veterans. Two U.S. veterans living with MS and a neurologist with the VA’s MS Centers of Excellence testified on Capitol Hill. Legislators and staff came together and examined the increased risk and prevalence of the disease among U.S. veterans and explored the need for increased federal funding in MS research. New evidence at the time showed a potential link between the incidence of MS and combat service. A study published in the Annals of Neurology in 2004 identified 5,345 cases of MS among U.S. veterans that were deemed “service-connected.” One of the veterans who testified, Dr. David Gustavison, a U.S. Army Medical Corps veteran who served in the Gulf War and lives with MS, shared his views as a medical doctor with complete knowledge of the disease. “I believe there is a relationship between military service and MS,” Dr. Gustavison said. “Myself and three other physicians in the same command were diagnosed with MS in approximately a two-year time period. Two of us were deployed to the Gulf. All three had the same pre-deployment vaccinations. And all three worked with the same command and visited the same installations. I have had symptoms of MS since 1994.” Bob Wolz, another U.S. Army veteran who served in the Gulf War, also testified by sharing his story of life with MS. He considers MS a wound that does not heal from his first tour of duty. The stories go on and on about veterans who suffer from MS and I wanted to speak to one of these MS warriors.
U.S. Army Veteran With MS: ‘Never Stop…Never Quit’
Kevin reflects that, “I was overseas with the Army Cavalry when I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. Although my Army career ended in a flash, my physical recovery has taken much longer. I have been able to fight back, though. Through the amazing medical treatment that I receive from my doctors at the VA Hospital, my health is ‘stable.’ Through the constant love and guidance from my friends and family, I have been able to maintain my daily life.” As a West Point graduate, Kevin entered military service strong minded and physically fit with the dream that anything is possible. He served as a captain in Army aviation, flying helicopters. His life changed in 1999, when he started experiencing vision problems and numbness in his arms. Kevin says, “I like to think of myself as a strong person. I’m the one who stands straight when dealing with adversity, there to support the ones who ‘really need the help.’ My MS proves that’s not true. It reminds me how much I lean on others and how much others carry me, support me, and give me the strength to keep moving forward.” I had the pleasure of asking Kevin a few questions: Kevin Byrne: In 2011, I climbed Mt. Rainier [pictured, right]. Now, it is harder [SPMS diagnosis], but I am fighting every day. DL: What is your daily exercise routine like? KB: Gym 4 to 5 times per week; recumbent bike; last week, I climbed Multnomah Falls, which is only 2.6 miles and 700 feet, but tough! DL: What type of nutritional program do you follow to help battle the MS? KB: No specific program: Healthy, natural diet that I carefully monitor daily. DL: Why did you get involved in supporting the MS Fitness Challenge [MSFC]? KB: My goal is to spread awareness and a need for a cure/treatment. DL: What are you doing to help others with MS? KB: I blog with the VA and raise funds through biking and other events. DL: What are your future goals in fitness to fight your MS? KB: My goals this year are my health. I’m trying to regain it to climb again. DL: What would you tell others with MS to help them reach their fitness goals? KB: My constant message is “Never Stop…Never Quit…” [Here is one of Kevin’s great Army stories from 1993.]
U.S. Navy Veteran and Hip-Hop Artist Lends His Voice of Support
One former serviceman who does not have MS, but supports my MS Fitness Challenge cause and has a heart to help people with MS, is hip-hop artist B. Taylor (pictured, below), who served in the U.S. Navy. B is not only a music celebrity, but he also is such a positive force in our community that the military holds the highest regard for him. When B heard I was doing an article on MS and the military, he wanted to chime in: I am supported by so many great people and companies, such as the U.S. Navy; U.S. Military; Caterpillar Inc.; AQUAhydrate; CAMMO [Center for American Military Music Opportunities]; Armed Forces Motorsports Foundation; BK Racing; Victory Baptist Church; Friendship Baptist Church; the Broadcasters Associations of Nevada, Illinois, and New Jersey; along with others. We are all dedicated to do what we can to make this world a better place. I am truly inspired by David and will continue to help him, civilians, and military personnel who are all battling MS. Through the power of my song “1 Life,” its movement, and my new reality show that Bishop-Lyons Entertainment is bringing to the world, we will make a difference in millions of lives through positivity and good deeds!" - B. Taylor
MS Doesn’t Care About Your Military Status
I am continuing to study this topic and will dig further to find more recent statistics. I want to know what damage MS has done to our servicemen since the last military briefing was held more than six years ago. And in support of our veterans with MS and my own personal combat with this disease, I leave you with my Marine battle cry…OORAH!!
