US Special Operations Command is stepping up its game to protect soldiers brains. Theyʼre using cool new stuff to make blasts less harmful and keep an eye on troops health.
At a recent training exercise‚ soldiers blew open a door. The first boom was big‚ but the second one was way smaller. This shows off one of the new tricks theyre using to cut down on brain problems.
F Bowling‚ an ex-special ops medic said‚ “We have guys lining up to volunteer for these studies. This is extremely important to the community; theyʼre very concerned about it“
The military doesnʼt have great info on how many troops have blast problems. These are trickier to spot than traumatic brain injuries. Last year‚ more than 20‚000 service members got diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries. Since 2000‚ its been over 500‚000.
Bryan Fenton‚ who runs US Special Operations Command‚ said theyre working hard to figure out how blasts mess with brain health. Theyʼre teaming up with smart people to find ways to make things better.
At Fort Liberty‚ North Carolina‚ commandos used a special blast charge called Muchete. It makes the explosion go where they want and doesnt hurt the soldiers as much. Chris Wilson‚ who works on this stuff‚ said it can cut down the blast effect by 40-60%.
Theyʼre also trying out small sensors that soldiers wear. These help show how much blast each person gets hit with. They want to give these to everyone in the next couple years.
The military is also doing more brain tests. They check soldiers every three years and want to do more if someone gets hurt. New recruits will have to take these tests too.
Amanda Robbins‚ the commands psychologist‚ said its easier to get new soldiers and old pros to take the tests. The tricky part is the mid-career guys who might worry about how it looks.
The Defense Department put out new rules in August 2024 to keep troops safer from blasts. They have to use more safety gear‚ stand further back‚ and have fewer people near explosions