Following a disturbing report showing that service members are sustaining crippling traumatic brain injuries as a result of firing their own weapons, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited Veterans Outreach Center to announce legislation to address traumatic brain injuries among service members and veterans.
Service members who regularly fire heavy weapons are at increased risk of brain injury as a result of repeated exposure to explosions or blasts from their own weapons and explosives – otherwise known as blast overpressure. These brain injuries can cause depression, anxiety, cognitive problems, hallucinations, panic attacks, violent outbursts, suicidal tendencies, psychiatric disorders, dementia, and a variety of other serious health problems. At least a dozen Navy SEALs who have died by suicide over the past decade were later found to have suffered blast injuries, and many more service members have complained of health issues after blast exposure. Despite this, the Pentagon has struggled to properly investigate the impact of blast overpressure, effectively track the prevalence of blast overpressure-related injuries, or offer appropriate care to service members and veterans. Gillibrand is calling for more research and better treatment for those affected.
“After repeatedly being exposed to blasts from their own weapons during both training and combat, our service members are sustaining severe and crippling brain trauma,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This bill will require the DoD to investigate the prevalence and causes of these brain injuries; to track each service member’s exposure to blasts; and to help service members access care. This is a critical bill and I look forward to getting it passed in the NDAA.”
“At Veterans Outreach Center, we know many of our warriors come home from war with wounds– visible and not. We see it, and we help with our groups and services. Traumatic brain injury is the ‘signature impairment’ of the Global War on Terror; it can be something that has an impact immediately– or years later— in a service member. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her concerns on our troops continuing to use firearms with unsafe blast levels, which can lead to TBI,” said VOC Executive Director – and U.S. Army veteran – Laura Heltz.
“The men and women who volunteer for military service make immense sacrifices to defend our country and uphold our freedoms. In return, we have a duty to safeguard their well-being and prevent injuries, both during and after their service,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “As a leading voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Gillibrand joined 11 colleagues introducing the bipartisan Blast Overpressure Safety Act. If passed, this legislation would enact a variety of measures to prevent and reduce exposure to blast overpressure, commit to ongoing screenings for veterans, and provide comprehensive brain health treatment to those impacted. On behalf of all Monroe County residents, I deeply appreciate Senator Gillibrand’s tireless advocacy for our service members and veterans and her continued efforts to ensure our veterans receive the care and support they have earned when they return home.”
New York State Senator Samra Brouk (SD-55) said “As a member of the New York Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs, I am proud to lend my support to the Blast Overpressure Safety Act that offers protection and support to service members. We know that traumatic brain injuries can have profound and lasting impacts on those affected and lead to a range of physical, cognitive and emotional issues, often leaving families with the emotional and financial burden of caring for loved ones. We will continue to prioritize health and safety for our service members in appreciation for their sacrifice.”
Gillibrand was joined by Executive Director of Veterans Outreach Center Laura Heltz and Veterans Service Officer at the Monroe County Veterans Service Agency Matt Murray.
Specifically, the Blast Overpressure Safety Act would:
- Mandate regular neurocognitive assessments over a service member’s career, including a baseline neurocognitive assessment before training.
- Create blast overpressure exposure and TBI logs for all service members.
- Increase transparency regarding blast overpressure safety in the weapons acquisition process. DoD must consider the minimization of blast overpressure during the acquisition process, require contracting entities to provide blast overpressure safety data, and publish blast overpressure safety data for weapons systems and its plans to better protect service members from in-use weapons systems.
- Improve data on concussive and subconcussive brain injuries service members sustain. This includes information on discharges related to and medical providers trained in these injuries, as well as efforts with allies and partners to better address these injuries.
- Enhance efforts to mitigate exposure and help service members access care. This includes retaliation protections for those who seek care; modifying existing weapons system to reduce blast exposure; updating and making publicly available blast overpressure thresholds and creating a waiver system for exceeding these thresholds; training high-risk service members to help them recognize exposure symptoms and creating strategies to mitigate their risk; and expanding the types of technologies in the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative pilot blast monitoring program.
- Support service member treatment by establishing a Special Operations Comprehensive Brain Health and Trauma program, making the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) a program of record and requiring DoD to provide child care services to those seeking treatment there, and mandating training for medical and training personnel on blast overpressure and exposure and TBI.