Medal Presentation
On September 13, 1998, Dr. James I. Moss was awarded the Florida Distinguished Service Medal by the Governer of the State of Florida for Meritorious Service to Florida National Guard Persian Gulf War veterans.

Press Release - Florida Distinguished Service Medal

The following is a press release from the presenter of the award, Dr. Bruce Pettyjohn, to a local news station.

 From: "Dr. Robert Pettyjohn" <*>
To: <tv20news@wcjb.com>
Cc: "James Irdell Moss" <afn02569@afn.org>
Subject: Gulf War Researcher James Moss, PhD (Gainesville)
Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 17:03:10 -0400

" It is my honor to present the Florida Distinguished Service Medal to James Moss, Phd, a Gainesville research scientist. He originated some of the concepts linking pyridodstigmine bromide (the anti-nerve agent pill used in the Gulf War) to a mixture of other chemicals also used during the war, which together may be one of the causes of the often debillitating Gulf War Syndrome.

At great personal sacrifice (it cost him his job with the Department of Agriculture) Dr. Moss persisted in his research efforts, communicating with the Presidential Commission on Gulf War Illness as well as testifying before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Recent evidence discussed in a press release by U.S. Senator Rockerfeller, demonstrates that much of the research done by Dr. Moss has proven itself to be correct.

In fact, the Department of Defense may have erred in using pyrdiostigmine in the Gulf War because it is known to ineffective for Sarin nerve agent which the DoD knew was the type of nerve agent the Iraqis might use.

For many years, Dr. Moss has been assisting Colonel Bruce Pettyjohn, Florida Army National Guard Medical Corps, in preparing affected National Guard soldiers for medical reviews for consideration of their illnesses as service connected. The award will be presented by Colonel Pettyjohn."

The presentation of this prestigious award will take place in Gainesville, and I am requesting that, in consideration of the great service that Dr. Moss has donated to our Gulf War soldiers, that your station carry this long-overdue token of our appreciation for his service. I know that Dr. Moss would be overwhelmed by this.

Please call me at (*) (home) or E-mail me. I will arrange this military presentation at a time and place convenient to you any time next month.

Dr.(Colonel) Bruce Pettyjohn


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