Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Weapons Training Alone Is Enough To Leave Troops With Lasting Brain Trauma, Study Finds
The Wall Street Journal: Weapons Training Likely Causes Brain Injury In Troops, Study Says
Thousands of U.S. troops are likely suffering traumatic brain injury not just from battlefield explosions but from repeated exposure to trauma while training on their own weapons, according to a new study. Service members, even those who may not have seen combat but specialize in using high explosives or weapons such as rocket launchers, could have lasting brain damage from the pounding on their necks and heads, researchers at the Center for a New American Security said in a report released Monday. The defense think tank is a nonprofit organization funded by the federal government and public- and private-sector donors. (Kesling, 4/30)
NPR: Shoulder-Fired Weapons May Pose Concussion Risk To The Shooter, Army Finds
"When you fire it, the pressure wave feels like getting hit in the face," says Paul Scharre, a former Army Ranger who directs the technology and national security program at the Center. Scharre is a co-author of the center's report: Protecting Warfighters from Blast Injury. The report looks at a range of injuries caused by blast waves — pulses of high pressure air that emanate from an explosion and travel faster than the speed of sound. (Hamilton, 4/30)
