conflict in general, or the result of factors common to both military and civilian populations.

Special effort must be made to ensure the integrity of the study process and public acceptance of findings because of the many questions and concerns voiced by both members of Congress and the public about the openness and completeness of federal efforts to investigate the health problems of Gulf War veterans. To this end, the committee believes it essential to establish an independent advisory board composed of scientists and members of the public to oversee the GWVHS process and to report findings.