DATE: Saturday, March 8, 1997               TAG: 9703080309

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 

DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:   42 lines

GULF VETS CAN FILE CLAIMS UNTIL 2001, CLINTON SAYS VETERANS AFFAIRS WILL REASSESS THE APPLICATIONS THAT MISSED EARLIER CUTOFF.

Persian Gulf War veterans can claim disability benefits for illnesses emerging as late as 2001 under new rules announced by President Clinton on Friday.

Previously, gulf veterans were eligible only if they developed symptoms within two years after the 1991 war ended.

In extending the eligibility period to 10 years, through Dec. 31, 2001, the president noted that many veterans had their claims denied because they fell outside that two-year time frame.

``Gulf war veterans who became ill as a result of their service should receive the compensation they deserve, even if science cannot yet pinpoint the cause of their illnesses,'' Clinton said.

The extension will not become effective until later this year, after a formal public-comment period. At that time, the Department of Veterans Affairs will reassess the approximately 5,000 claims that were denied because they did not meet the two-year time limit.

About 84,000 veterans have claimed disabilities related to their service in the Persian Gulf.

The president also gave the secretaries of defense, veterans affairs and health and human services a green light for improving their handling of issues surrounding gulf war illnesses. Among those plans to be implemented are:

Better coordination of research by the three Cabinet agencies.

More efficient communication to veterans and active-duty personnel and their families about health risks as they become known.

An interagency initiative to ensure that lessons learned from the experience with gulf war illnesses are used to safeguard troops in future deployments.

``We need to focus on better communication, better data and better service,'' Clinton said. KEYWORDS: GULF WAR SYNDROME DISABILITY VETERANS AFFAIRS

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