Protecting the Mind and Powering Mission Success
Clear thinking and rapid decision-making are vital for mission success. In high-stakes environments, split-second decisions protect lives and accomplish the mission.
The Warfighter Brain Health Initiative works to protect service members from preventable injuries, provides guidance for fast and effective care, and helps medical care teams verify every warfighter performs at their best.
What the Brain Health Initiative Does
We work across the Military Health System to monitor, protect, and restore brain health through every stage of military service.
- Prevent and Protect: Identify risks early and reduce exposures to operational hazards, like blast overpressure.
- Monitor Baseline Health: Conduct regular cognitive checkups to catch changes in brain function early.
- Detect and Treat Injuries: Quickly diagnose concussions and traumatic brain injuries to speed recovery.
- Support Long-Term Care: Connect warfighters with specialized rehabilitation that helps address physical and mental complications
- Drive Groundbreaking Research: Study brain health to develop better protective gear, safety guidelines, and clinical treatments
Supporting warfighter brain health and performance helps medical teams catch issues early, keeping service members ready, resilient, and mission capable of maximizing Joint Force superiority and lethality in all operating environments.
Guidance for the Force
You also may be interested in...
Policy
May 2, 2024
.PDF |
100.33 KB
This memorandum distributes the DoD WBH Research Strategy which provides guidance for the DoD research and development activities to coordinate, optimize, and advance warfighter brain health science.
- Identification #: N/A
- Type: Memorandum
Policy
March 31, 2017
Establishes policies, procedures, and responsibilities requiring the implementation of a comprehensive neurocognitive assessment policy in the Military Services.
- Identification #: DODI 6490.13
- Type: Instruction
Policy
Sept. 18, 2012
This instruction establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures on the management of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, in the deployed setting.
- Identification #: DODI 6490.11
- Type: Instruction
You are leaving Health.mil
The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense of non-U.S. Government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the Defense Health Agency may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for Department of Defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.
You are leaving Health.mil
View the external links disclaimer.
Last Updated: November 03, 2026