Brain Injuries in Iraq Put Attention on Unseen War Wounds

 

Americans have been hearing more about brain injuries after an Iranian missile attack on United States forces in Iraq.

The missiles targeted an air base were U.S. and coalition¹ troops were deployed². The U.S. Defense³ Department reports that 50 service members were found to have suffered a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, after the attack last month.

TBIs are not wounds like burns or cuts. They result from being near an explosion or a forceful strike to the body. TBIs appear to take a long time for doctors to diagnose.

William Schmitz is a national commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He told The Associated Press, "TBI is a serious injury and one that cannot be taken lightly."

Schmitz added that, "TBI is known to cause depression, memory loss, severe headaches," and loss of balance. It can also make the person feel very tired. Sometimes there are long-term effects.

U.S. President Donald Trump⁴ was recently criticized after he dismissed news of the injuries. The veterans' group called on Trump to apologize for what it called his "misguided remarks."

Missile attack caused injuries

The missile attack took place on January eighth. Because the injuries take so long to appear, the Defense Department did not announce the first cases until one week after the attack. At the time, it said 11 people were affected⁵.

Military officials now say 50 service members have been diagnosed and the number could increase. By January 28, 31 of the 50 had returned to active duty.

Details of the U.S. injuries have not been reported and the severity of the cases has not been made public.

No one was killed in the attack. It took place after a drone strike in Baghdad killed a top Iranian general who commanded the paramilitary Quds Force.

The recent history of TBI

TBI began to gain more attention after the U.S. military invaded Iraq in 2003 to oust⁶ President Saddam Hussein. After his defeat, resistance forces continued to use roadside bombs to fight U.S. and coalition forces. Survivors⁷ of such attacks not only suffered physical injuries, but experienced head injuries like concussions⁹ that have been linked to mental health problems.

"For generations, battlefield traumatic brain injuries were not understood and often dismissed," notes U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Research has shown that the issue of TBIs remains¹⁰ poorly understood. The Defense Department has been studying brain injuries since the early 1990s. It established a head injury program that developed into the Defense and Veteran's Brain Injury Center. The center studies research findings related to TBI, such as possible links to behavioral issues, including alcohol abuse and suicide.

In January, one study suggested that military members with serious TBI were more likely than others to experience mental health problems. The study was a project of University of Massachusetts Amherst health services researchers.

Some experts are linking long-term health effects to smaller explosions that take place, for example, in artillery¹¹ training and from small, hand-held rockets.

Riyi Shi is a professor of biomedical engineering at Purdue University in Indiana. He says researchers are "finding that even a mild blast can cause long-term, life-changing health issues."

A 2018 study by the federally-supported RAND Corporation found little research on the subject. There also appeared to be little understanding of the possible damage to the nervous system from repeatedly experiencing low-level blasts.

The same year, a research group called the Center for a New American Security also released a study. It urged the Defense Department to keep records of "any soldier, in training or combat, who is likely to be in a position where he or she may be exposed to blasts." The group called for brain imaging tests of soldiers to better understand how explosions affect the brain.

Words in This Story

traumatic – adj. a severe injury to body tissue

diagnose – v. to recognize a disease or condition by examining someone

drone – n. an unmanned aircraft or missile

concussion⁸ – n. an injury to the brain caused by sudden force

blast – n. a powerful explosion

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

7 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

8 concussion   

n.脑震荡；震动

参考例句：

• He was carried off the field with slight concussion.他因轻微脑震荡给抬离了现场。
• She suffers from brain concussion.她得了脑震荡。

9 concussions   

n.震荡( concussion的名词复数 )；脑震荡；冲击；震动

参考例句：

• People who have concussions often trouble thinking or remembering. 患脑震荡的人通常存在思考和记忆障碍。 来自互联网
• Concussions also make a person feel very tired or angry. 脑震荡也会使人感觉疲倦或愤怒。 来自互联网

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。