NGWRC Leadership

President

James Bunker

Jim served in the Gulf War with the Fourth Battalion - Fifth Field Artillery Regiment, stationed at Fort Riley Kansas.  Jim became ill after an ammo storage area near his locatin in Iraq was blown up; he was treated for nerve agent poisoning and medically evacuated, and he has lived with Gulf War Illness since that time.

Jim organized Kansas’ 'Project Honor' at the state capitol in February, 2001.  He has long served as founder and president of the Veterans Information Network in Kansas. This organization promoted the legislation which created Kansas Persian Gulf War Health Initiative, leading to a research study of Gulf War Illness by Dr. Lea Steele known as 'The Kansas Study.'  The Kansas study was the first to identify clear links between Gulf
veterans' health problems and the time and places in which they served. Study results were published in the November 15, 2000, issue of The American Journal of Epidemiology.

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Vice President

John Schwertfager

During the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War John served with the 1st Marine Division in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Like many Persian Gulf War Veterans, John experienced countless chemical alarms going off in addition to orders coming down from HQ to go to MOPP 4.   Despite alarms still blaring within his positions, they were given the order “All Clear” to remove their gas masks.  Many Marines that John has served with are seriously ill, and many have made their own family members ill.

John decided to join the NGWRC to help promote, and make known that Gulf War Veterans are still ill and need proper medical research and treatment options to deal with often deadly diseases. 

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Secretary 

Tod Ensign

Tod Ensign, an attorney, is director of Citizen Soldier, a non profit GI and veterans rights advocacy group established during the Vietnam war.  Citizen Soldier has been involved in a wide range of cases where GIs or veterans have been denied their fundamental civil rights and liberties.  Currently, the group is providing legal advice to GIs who are considering options to serving in Gulf War II. 

Treasurer

Board Members

Cheyne Worley

Cheyne Worley is a Gulf War veteran and served as the unit supply sergeant with C Company 5th Battalion 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.Cheyne is service connected for symptoms associated with Gulf War Illness after battling the Department of Veterans Affairs for nearly 12 years. Cheyne currently serves as the senior constituent services aide for military and veterans' affairs in the Overland Park, KS office of Congressman Dennis Moore.

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Rich Teele

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Robert White

Robert White works with the Wounded Warrior Program at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center.  Some of Mr. White’s responsibilities include
discharge planning, case management, and community outreach to veterans’
organizations in the Washington DC Metro Area.

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Robert Walsh

Robert Walsh is a Vietnam Veteran who practices Social Security and Veterans Benefits Law in Battle Creek, Michigan.

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Carl Musgrove

Carl Musgrove is a British disable Gulf War veteran and a teacher in Wiltshire, UK.

Denise Nichols

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