Senator in Suffolk Seeking Support for Brain Injury Bill
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Suffolk Friday, meeting with veterans and local officials to rally support for her bill to address traumatic brain injuries caused by soldiers firing their own weapons, the “Signature Wound of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Service members who regularly fire heavy weapons are at increased risk of brain injury as a result of repeated exposure to explosions or blasts from armaments and explosives, according to the Senator. These brain injuries can cause depression, anxiety, cognitive problems, hallucinations, panic attacks, violent outbursts, suicidal tendencies, psychiatric disorders, dementia, and a variety of other serious health problems.
Speaking at the Veterans of Foreign War Post 5350 in Westhampton Beach, Gillibrand reported that at least a dozen Navy SEALs who have died by suicide over the past decade were later found to have suffered blast injuries, and many more service members have complained of health issues after blast exposure. Despite this, the Pentagon has struggled to properly investigate the impact of blast overpressure, effectively track the prevalence of blast-related injuries, or offer appropriate care to service members and veterans, according to the Senator, who is calling for more research and better treatment for those affected.
Hosted by Post Commander William Hughes, Gillibrand was joined by County Executive Ed Romaine and Legislator Ann Welker. “I appreciate the Senator showing her concern for veterans because we have the most of any county in the state of New York,” Romaine said. “We must do everything possible to assist those who serve our country.”
“After repeatedly being exposed to blasts from their own weapons during both training and combat, our service members are sustaining severe and crippling brain trauma,” Gillibrand said. “This is a critical bill, and I look forward to getting it passed in the National Defense Authorization Act.”
During just three months in 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) provided treatment to service members nearly 50,000 times for traumatic brain injuries (TBI), Gillibrand noted. “TBI is considered the ‘signature wound’ of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Researchers measuring blast pressure from roadside bombs in Afghanistan found that 75% of the troops' blast exposure was coming from their weapons. Despite this, service members continue to train with weapons with unsafe blast levels,” the Senator stated.