Depleted uranium (DU) was widely used in tank
kinetic energy penetrator and
autocannon rounds for the first time ever during the Gulf War
[24] and has been suggested as a possible cause of Gulf War syndrome.
[25] A 2008 review by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found no association between DU exposure and multisymptom illness, concluding that "exposure to DU munitions is not likely a primary cause of Gulf War illness". However, there are suggestions that long-term exposure to high doses of DU may cause other health problems unrelated to GWI.
[7]
More recent medical literature reviews disagree, stating for example that, "the number of Gulf War veterans who developed the Gulf War syndrome following exposure to high quantities of DU, has risen to about one-third of the 800,000 U.S. forces deployed," with 25,000 of those having suffered premature death.
[26] Since 2011, US combat veterans may claim disability compensation for health problems related to exposure to depleted uranium.
[27] The
Veterans Administration decides these claims on a case-by-case basis.