Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Clear Your Cache

Health.mil has undergone a recent update. For the best user experience we recommend clearing your browser cache.

Be a Brain Warrior: Protect. Treat. Optimize.

The Department of Defense leads in the treatment and research of brain-related injuries and is committed to identifying breakthroughs to improve the lives of individuals who have sustained brain injuries. DOD’s efforts address a holistic view at brain health and brain injuries—before, during, and after any blast exposure or other injury.

The DOD considers protectingtreating, and optimizing brain health a top priority.

Evergreen Brain Injury Awareness image

TBI, considered one of the signature wounds of war in the 21st century, presents complex and challenging problems for many of our service members.

More than 509,000 service members have sustained TBI since 2000, according to reports from the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence.

See below for TBI resources for health care providers, leaders, service members, veterans, families, and caregivers.

Protecting Brain Health

DOD promotes and protects the health and well-being of our nation's armed forces, dedicating significant resources to close gaps in knowledge about TBI. The Warfighter Brain Health Initiative, launched in 2022, brings together multiple resources across the department to optimize brain health. The plan combats TBI by addressing multiple concerns such as blast exposures, repetitive head impacts, and TBI’s long-term effects.

Symptoms of a TBI may reappear or worsen if military training and sports or recreational activities are resumed too quickly. If you are in a leadership role, understanding what to expect and what your responsibilities are will help ensure readiness for your service members. Know how to prevent injury, actively understand and encourage the importance of seeking care, and follow proper care guidance for a medically ready force.

Service members, veterans, families, and caregivers can all Be a Brain Warrior by learning how most TBIs are sustained, how to protect themselves, and how to manage symptoms should a TBI occur.

Treating Brain Health

Most people who sustain a mild TBI (also known as concussion) recover completely. Health care providers can Be a Brain Warrior by using the latest clinical tools to treat patients and improve outcomes, keeping up with the latest research, and following the Acute Concussion Care Pathway.

Be a Brain Warrior by seeking treatment for head injuries; most people recover from concussion. Know the signs and symptoms.

Optimizing Brain Health

Staying up-to-date on clinical tools, the latest research, and training and education by TBICoE educators are ways a military health care provider can Be a Brain Warrior.

Patients, their families, and caregivers can optimize brain health and overall health and Be a Brain Warrior by seeking medical care and maintaining stability through recovery with caregiver support. Check out TBICoE’s Patient and Family Resources page for TBI fact sheets, family and caregiver guides, and other patient resources.

TBICoE Activities

View All Events

More Events

Visit the National Museum of Health and Medicine for Brain Awareness Day.

Brain Awareness Day Saturday, March 15, 10 a.m. to noon at the National Museum of Health and Medicine

Download the flyer for details about the National Intrepid Center of Excellence events.

Page one of the downloadable PDF flyer listing the National Intrepid Center of Excellence's 2025 brain injury awareness events.

Join the NMHM and TBICoE for a Virtual Science Cafe.

Join NMHM and subject matter experts from TBICoE as we discuss the latest advances in TBI diagnostic devices and their impact of clinical decision-making. Attendees will be guided through topics such as FDA-cleared diagnostic tools, military-specific considerations, and future innovations in TBI care.

When: Friday, March 28, 2025, 11 a.m.
Where: Virtual @MedicalMuseum on Facebook
Cost: FREE! Open to everyone.

For more information, visit the NMHM event page on their website.

Graphic promoting the virtual science cafe event hosted by the National Museum of Health and Medicine and the Traumatic Brian Injury Center of Excellence. The topic is on Transforming TBI Detection and will occur online on Friday, March 28 at 11 a.m. ET on the museums Facebook page, @MedicalMuseum.

You also may be interested in...

Fact Sheet
Oct 16, 2024

Low-Level Blast: Fact Sheet for Service Members

.PDF | 813.35 KB

TBICoE developed this fact sheet for service members to learn more about blast overpressure, low-level blast, and high-level blast exposures and what possible effects those exposures can have on their brain health. Service members should be aware of the potential effects of blast exposures, which occupations and heavy weapon systems are associated ...

Video
Oct 15, 2024

Talking Blast Exposure Impact With TBICoE

Talking Blast Exposure Impact With TBICoE

Can blast exposure impact the brain? TBICoE's Branch Chief, Dr. Katie Stout, explains. While some service members may experience blast exposure without an immediate diagnosable injury, there may still be effects on the brain. TBICoE is advancing blast exposure research to help assess risk and protect service members. To learn more, visit health.mil ...

Topic
Sep 30, 2024

Vision Center of Excellence

The Vision Center of Excellence leads and advocates for programs and initiatives with the following three inter-related goals: to improve vision health, optimize readiness, and enhance quality of life for service members and Veterans.

Article
Sep 18, 2024

New Intrepid Spirit Center for Fort Bliss, last to be built for NICoE

From left to right, Dr. Nicholas Asobo with William Beaumont Army Medical Center Traumatic Brain Injury Department, Lt. Col. Shannon Ford, Mr. Jason Rainey, Mr. David Winters, Col. Lee Freeman, commander of WBAMC, SSGT Spencer Milo, Dr. Sean Sebesta, director of TBI Department, WBAMC, Mr. Christopher Scott, patient advocate, WBAMC, and Ms. Lisa Yaconiello partake in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly opened Intrepid Spirit Center at Fort Bliss, on September 18, 2024 on the campus of WBAMC hospital. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Lauren Feick)

On September 18, 2024, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at William Beaumont Army Medical Center to celebrate the opening of the newly constructed Intrepid Spirit Center. The ceremony was celebrated with commemorative speeches and guided tours of the new building. The Ft. Bliss Intrepid Spirit Center is the last one to be built for the Defense ...

Article
Sep 5, 2024

Uniformed Services University Professor Dr. Michael Roy Receives $500,000 Grant for Blast Exposure Research

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Adrianna Williams, left, and U.S. Air Force Airman Madalyn Duke, 66th Security Forces Squadron entry controllers, wear female body armor during a training at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, June 29.

Dr. Michael Roy, professor of medicine and deputy director of the military traumatic brain injury initiative at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine to conduct research on the effects of blast exposure among military ...

Video
Aug 30, 2024

New Warfighter Brain Health Provider Toolkit App

New Warfighter Brain Health Provider Toolkit App

Looking for a one-stop shop for TBI-related assessments and resources? Now, on any device, you can find one. Access numerous provider and patient resources with the new Warfighter Brain Health Provider Toolkit app. Developed for MHS providers, the app features a wide array of products from the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, the DOD, the ...

Fact Sheet
Aug 29, 2024

Low-Level Blast: Fact Sheet for DOD Providers

.PDF | 817.46 KB

Low-level blast is defined as blast generated from firing heavy weapon systems or explosives in combat or training environments. Exposure to low-level blast does not typically result in a clinically diagnosable concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury. TBICoE developed this fact sheet for DOD health care providers.

Report
Aug 29, 2024

2000-2023 DOD TBI Worldwide Numbers At-A-Glance

.PDF | 837.04 KB

TBICoE is the Defense Department’s office of responsibility for tracking traumatic brain injury data in the U.S. military. The "DOD TBI Numbers At-A-Glance" provide a high-level overview of TBI's sustained since 2000 and also show the data by severity and service branch.

Skip subpage navigation
Last Updated: March 13, 2025
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery