--- title: "Military veterans are twice as likely to get ALS, and no one knows why" description: "ALS, often called Lou Gehrig's disease, causes death of spinal cord and muscular motor neurons, leading to increased weakness in the muscles." date: "2021-05-17" modified: "2021-05-18" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/veterans/military-veterans-are-twice-as-likely-to-get-als-and-no-one-knows-why/" categories: - "Benefits" - "Mental Health" - "Veterans" --- # Military veterans are twice as likely to get ALS, and no one knows why ![A healthcare professional wearing a white coat is using a stethoscope to listen to the chest of a patient dressed in a light-colored shirt. The healthcare professional has pens in the coat pocket and is focused on the examination. The setting appears to be an office with a desk, keyboard, and window blinds in the background.]() Lou Gehrig's Disease – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – causes the death of motor neurons in the spinal cord and muscles. As a result, the body experiences an eventual weakening of the muscles, respiratory failure, and death. --- While the cause of the disease is not known in most cases. [It affects military veterans twice as much](), and no one knows why. ![Sagittal MRI scan of the brain showing detailed structures including the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem. The image highlights the gray and white matter differentiation and the ventricular system.]() *MRI of a brain potentially at risk for ALS ([Wikimedia Commons]())* It doesn't matter which era the veterans served. From World War II through the [Gulf War]() and even in peacetime, multiple studies show that the rate at which vets develop the condition is still twice as high as non-vets. In fact the evidence is so convincing, the [Department of Veterans Affairs has assumed since 2008]() that a veterans' ALS is automatically service-connected. Harvard University, The National Institute of Health, DoD, the VA, and the University of Texas have all done studies that show the condition is twice as likely to occur in veterans. None of those studies show why. Anecdotes [compiled by CNN]() tell the stories vets from different eras and different branches. David Masters, an airman serving in Kuwait in 2004, was training to be a bodybuilder. Six years later, he had full-blown ALS and was in a wheelchair. Carlo Russo, a Marine photojournalist in the Vietnam era was stationed in Hawaii. By age 55, he was diagnosed with ALS. Tim Hoyt, another Vietnam era veteran, spent two years in Germany and he was diagnosed at age 65. ![ALS]() *ALS is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, after the great Yankees' first baseman who played 2,130 straight games from 1923-1939 ([Wikimedia Commons]())* The prognosis for someone diagnosed with ALS is to survive two-to five-years after their diagnosis, depending on the spread of the condition. No known cure exists and what doctors and researchers do know about the disease is very little. Risk factors include smoking, and being a white male over age 60. The [Harvard study shows a 60 percent increased risk]() of ALS for military veterans. The ALS Association also noted that the condition is rare, occurring in 2 of every 100,00 people. Even though veterans are twice as likely to develop the condition, ALS still strikes a small minority, even among veterans. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()