The committee held three meetings, the first of which included an information gathering workshop (Appendix A); reviewed and discussed published research and information about war-related illnesses and postdeployment health issues; examined various approaches to evaluate and fund national centers; identified key elements necessary for development and implementation of such centers; and developed its recommendations.

Chapter 2 summarizes information analyzed by the committee. Chapter 3 presents the committee's findings. Chapter 4 describes the committee's recommendations for development of a National Center for Military Deployment Health Research. In addition, this chapter assesses the VA's plans for proposed centers to study war-related illness and postdeployment health, develops an overview of the purpose and Scope of a National Center, analyzes options for organizational structure and placement, and discusses the need for adequate funding and support. The final chapter summarizes the report and provides the committee's conclusions.