Sunday, April 22, 2012

OEF OIF TBI cases could reach 460,000

Soldiers' brain trauma cases disputed
Thousands of terror war soldiers who are back home struggle with TBI
By Bill Torpy and Mark Davis

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


"A congressional report in February said studies indicate between 15 percent and 23 percent of the 2 million who have served in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced a TBI, which would mean 300,000 to 460,000 cases."
David McRaney always considered himself a quick thinker, a problem solver who threw himself into challenges.

Now, he struggles to find the right words when talking. He starts sentences and stops in the middle. He reads a chapter, then realizes none of it has soaked in. Some days, he goes out to get the mail, then can’t remember if he brought it in. If he remembers he brought it in, he can’t remember where he put it.

The Army captain says his brain acts like an Internet dial-up connection: The information is there, and it’s coming. But ... he ... must ... wait ... for ... it.

Two years ago, McRaney, a reservist, was in Afghanistan when a mortar shell landed on his bunker, killing three civilian contractors who were with him. McRaney survived, but his brain was damaged in the explosion, diminishing his memory, ability to follow directions and process speech.
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