Skip to main content

Military Health System

DOD Brain Health Initiative is at Work Across the Military

Image of Two hands holding damaged wearable blast mesurement gauges from a study on blast pressure exposure. Two hands holding damaged wearable blast mesurement gauges from a study on blast pressure exposure.

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

The Department of Defense continues its research work to improve brain health across all services and operational environments.

As part of a congressionally directed research effort on brain health and blast exposures, DOD Health Affairs and the Defense Health Agency implemented a pilot study that took place at the U.S. Army's Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with 333 members of the 101st Airborne Division and their trainers. The study ran from March 15 to Nov. 24, 2021.

The study evaluated current monitoring capabilities for brain health and blast overpressure, which is the shock wave that occurs from firing weapons or weapon systems, for example.

Presented at the recent Military Health System Research Symposium, the study looked at soldiers outfitted with small wearable blast gauges. The two-part study reviewed the gauge measurements during a single day of supervised training in heavy munitions including additional contextual metavariables and longitudinally during a three- to four-month training period.

The study then surveyed participants, asking troops' perceptions on blast overpressure and brain health.

One goal of the study was for the results to be included in service member medical records. Study participants who believed damage may have occurred to their brains and bodies from blast exposure would have proper documentation in their medical files.

One participant agreed on the need to address brain health and occupational exposure to blast overpressure, stating: "I hope the blast program is able to gather the impact that blasts are having on our bodies and brains, and hopefully use it to protect and innovate."

The next steps of the study included U.S. Marines at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, and ran from July 6 to Oct. 28, 2022. The study compared their experiences and supported more broadly applicable recommendations.

Steve Jones, assigned to the DOD Health Affairs, and directly involved with determining how best to implement blast-overpressure monitoring across the DOD, said "similar to other operational and environmental exposures, monitoring blast over-pressure is a very important with regard to the health and readiness of the force, and to mitigating such exposures."

Warfighter Brain Health Initiative

The study is part of the DOD Warfighter Brain Health Initiative that follows a service members' brain condition from joining up to retirement. The idea is to gather data on brain health in training, deployment, garrisons, and off-duty sports.

"We want you in for the long haul, and we want you to have a highly functional and productive life when you leave the military," said Kathy Lee, lead for the WBHI for the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, in a recent interview.

The long-term data will help support the maximum number of healthy service members who are ready for deployment.

"A key part of the plan calls for ensuring that we're monitoring, through time, and having a spot check throughout the rest of a service member's career, to ensure that we're maximizing brain health," Lee explained, adding: "It gives us the opportunity to intervene."

"Marching this plan out, we wanted to ensure that cognition was front and center," Lee said. "Many times, when there's been some decrement in your testing of cognitive abilities, evaluating sleep health, mood, and looking at any lingering TBI symptoms ... can help improve and restore cognitive functioning."

'Culture Change in Leadership'

Lee said there's been a "culture change in leadership" in accepting the brain health concept that varies from the typical warfighter mindset. "I think that the environment has really seen that we've come up with a plan that's cogent; it's doable."

There also has been "more buy-in to the initiative" from listening to the concerns of those in the field across all services, Lee suggested. Many brain health actions and research were already well under way at the DOD on brain health prior to the actual plan published in August.

The Warfighter Brain Health Initiative lays out the action plan for the DOD. These are:

  • Enhance health and performance.
  • Optimize cognitive and physical performance.
  • Identify, monitor, and mitigate brain exposures.
  • Prevent, recognize, and minimize the effects of traumatic brain injury.
  • Reduce or eliminate long-term/late effects.
  • Advance warfighter brain health science.

Lee gave a preview of the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative last year at a speech before trauma nurses.

The military's brain health program "is wide and deep," and "rapid," she said, adding that in the next four years, "our goals and our strategies are to get really meaningful outcomes and changes related to the warfighter brain health plan."

You also may be interested in...

2023 NICoE Brain Injury Awareness Month Events

Publication
2/28/2023

Downloadable PDF of the 2023 NICoE Brain Injury Awareness Month events they are hosting or participating in.

Recommended Content:

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence | Arts in Health Program | Brain Injury Awareness | Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence | Be a Brain Warrior: Protect. Treat. Optimize.

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Hearing and Vision 4

Infographic
2/7/2023

DYK? If you sustain a head injury, you could also have vision, balance, and hearing damage problems. See your health care provider right away. https://vce.health.mil https://hearing.health.mil #BIAMonth #TBI

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Hearing and Vision 3

Infographic
2/7/2023

Vision and hearing are vital senses for effective communication and situational awareness. To defend yourself against injury and maintain mission readiness, wear the proper vision and hearing protection while on and off duty. Learn more: • Vision: https://vce.health.mil/Eye-Injury-Prevention-and-Response/Eye-Protection • Hearing: https://hearing.health.mil/Prevention/Evaluated-Hearing-Protection-Devices #BIAMonth #TBI

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Treat

Infographic
2/7/2023

#BeABrainWarrior – learn to recognize #TBI symptoms and don’t delay treatment. Find resources to #ProtectTreatOptimize your brain health. https://health.mil/BIAMonth #BIAMonth

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Protect

Infographic
2/7/2023

#BeABrainWarrior = protect your head. Learn how to #ProtectTreatOptimize your brain health. https://health.mil/BIAMonth #BIAMonth #TBI

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Fact 2

Infographic
2/7/2023

#DYK? Most #TBI happen in garrison, not on the battlefield. Find fact sheets to help you becomes a #BeABrainWarrior and protect your head anytime, anywhere. https://health.mil/BIAMonth. #BIAMonth #ProtectTreatOptimize

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Hearing and Vision 1

Infographic
2/7/2023

Our providers are prepared and ready to treat vision and hearing dysfunctions associated with TBI. Learn more: https://vce.health.mil/Clinicians-and-Researchers/Clinical-Practice-Recommendations, and https://hearing.health.mil/For-Providers. #BIAMonth

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Fact 1

Infographic
2/7/2023

Do you or a loved one have a #TBI? You aren’t alone. Service members have reported more than 460,000 TBIs since 2000. Find tools to protect yourself from further injury, talk to your provider about your treatment, and optimize your recovery. Learn more: https://health.mil/BIAMonth. #BIAMonth #ProtectTreatOptimize #BeABrainWarrior

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Main Graphic

Infographic
2/7/2023

Are you ready to #BeABrainWarrior? Learn how to protect, treat, and optimize brain health during Brain Injury Awareness Month. Visit https://health.mil/BIAMonth. #BIAMonth #TBI #ProtectTreatOptimize

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Infographic

Infographic
2/7/2023

Even a mild traumatic brain injury can impact mission readiness and the ability to deploy. #BeABrainWarrior by understanding the signs and symptoms of TBI and knowing when to seek care. TBI is treatable & recovery is possible. https://health.mil/BIAMonth #BIAMonth

Recommended Content:

Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence | DOD TBI Worldwide Numbers | TBI Patient and Family Resources | Brain Injury Awareness | Be a Brain Warrior: Protect. Treat. Optimize.

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Hearing and Vision 2

Infographic
2/7/2023

Head injuries, especially from a blast, are one of the most common combat-related injuries among deployed service members. Typical symptoms after a head injury are trouble hearing speech in noisy settings, ringing or other sounds in your ears or head, or dizziness when you move your head while walking or bending down. Talk to your provider if you have any of these symptoms. Learn more about #TBI and hearing loss: https://hearing.health.mil/Resources/Education/Conditions-and-Concerns/TBI-and-Hearing-Loss #BIAMonth

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Optimize

Infographic
2/7/2023

#BeABrainWarrior by optimizing your #TBI recovery journey and safely return to duty. Learn how you can #ProtectTreatOptimize your brain health. https://health.mil/BIAMonth #BIAMonth

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness

Blast Overpressure Research Brings NATO Group to DHHQ

Article
12/13/2022
Military personnel fire mortar rounds

DOD and NATO experts recently met to continue their work on warfighter brain health to protect soldiers from the overblast pressure of their weaponry.

Recommended Content:

Research & Innovation | Brain Injury Awareness | Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence

DHA's E Caregiver Directory Puts Resources at Your Fingertips

Article
11/30/2022
Woman on left stretching her husband's left arm and right leg

Caregivers now have needed resources at their fingertips on their mobile phones, tablets, and computers.

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness | Mental Health: Seeking Care with TRICARE | Suicide Prevention | Warrior Care | Mental Health is Health Care

A Retired Navy SEAL Discusses his TBI

Video
3/9/2022
Retired Navy SEAL Edward Rasmussen

Retired Navy SEAL Edward Rasmussen discusses his TBI, and urges others to seek treatment if they have symptoms. If you’re experiencing symptoms of TBI, visit health.mil/TBI to learn about the resources available to you.

Recommended Content:

Brain Injury Awareness | Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence
<< < 1 2 3 4 > >> 
Showing results 1 - 15 Page 1 of 4
Refine your search
Last Updated: November 18, 2022
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery