Frank Larkin

Government bureaucracies don’t move fast until they get hit in the face by overwhelming evidence and public pressure from those actively suffering or injured by a health condition or occupational threat. Today, we are witnessing something similar play out with the Departments of Defense, Veteran’s Affairs and Health and Human Services in relation to brain injuries, a signature injury the last two decades of persistent conflict.

A far-reaching study by Navy researchers has found that exposure to munitions blast waves from combat and training may be causing brain injuries the aggregation of which is resulting serious and often deadly ailments such as depression, PTSD and suicide.

Members of Congress should focus on all forms of brain injuries sustained by service members, but especially on what are known as mild traumatic brains injuries.