Lieutenant Colonel Stephen J. Tanner United States Army

Traumatic Brain Injury Lieutenant Colonel Stephen J. Tanner United States Army

The costs of military service on a nation, a Soldier, and a family are substantial. Some of the costs are readily apparent; others are less apparent but just as important. Unlike the physical wounds of war, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is often invisible to the eye, to other service men, to family members and to society in general. Approximately 20% of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan report experiencing a traumatic brain injury during the deployment. This strategic research project will increase awareness and understanding of TBI and address the challenges associated with identification, diagnosis, and treatment of TBI in the military. It will examine the short and long term post concussive symptoms associated with TBI. It will examine the impact of TBI on military readiness and the socioeconomic impact it has on Soldiers, their families, and the nation. It will also examine the potential lure to abuse the Veterans Administration (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) disability system for financial gain. Finally, it will recommend the creation of a DoD policy to redeploy or relocate from the battlefield service members who sustained multiple concussive events during their deployment.