Excellent article on brain cell destrution in SOF personnel

[Eagle5US]

Scarring of the brain now evident in SOF personnel on autopsy
I would ask for a few moments and have you all read this. We are finally getting some answers to long asked questions regarding the all too frequent losses, physical and functional, of our friends.

[PRB]

Always thought one had to be in an IED event...perhaps not....

[MR2]

Originally Posted by PRB

Always thought one had to be in an IED event...perhaps not....

Walt Shumate was my company SGM - I have TBI

[mojaveman]

If this proves to be true, then it would include any Veteran who spent a lot of time firing weapons regardless of whether or not they served in special operations?

Maybe a new understanding of PTSD causes for everyone?

And I've wondered why so many people are diagnosed with it.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by MR2

Walt Shumate was my company SGM - I have TBI

You have some Peter-san DNA.

Originally Posted by mojaveman

If this proves to be true, then it would include any Veteran who spent a lot of time firing weapons regardless of whether or not they served in special operations?

Maybe a new understanding of PTSD causes for everyone?

And I've wondered why so many people are diagnosed with it.

Good point. I don't know, so I'll ask anyone who might: How extensively are those formally diagnosed with PTSD screened physiologically?

[JimP]

I DO know that this has Congress's attention (for what that's worth in an election year). Ryan Larkin (SEAL breacher) hung himself after a long battle with the Navy, employers, his demons, and basically life in general. His Dad, Frank, was the House SGT of Arms during all the unpleasantries of the last administration and was himself an old school SEAL. Frank is also one of the best, smartest, and honorable guys I've ever met. One of my closest buddies worked with Frank and Ryan for several years in trying to assist Ryan in his issues with the Navy's mentality to just use you up and toss you. Unfortunately, the leadership in the SEAL community (in my opinion) is FAR behind the healing mentality needed to get beyond the last twenty years of war(s). Frank was able to get the results of his son's autopsy to the attention of Congress as his brain analysis clearly showed the CTE (?) of repeated blast injuries.

It's not so much the "firing of weapons," it is a major wake-up call as to breaching, frags, HME, etc. and the frequency and size of the charge that is being studied.

The best recitation of this I found in a book written by a physicist who wrote the definitive book a few years back as to the reason the men in the Confederate Sub Hunley were all killed and found at their stations as if they had just fallen asleep. A really good book for history buffs and some good science in there as to blast dynamics upon the human body.

[Razor]

Probably should roll 11Cs and 12Bs into this as well.

[PRB]

..and to what extent does good hearing protection eliminate this issue?

[bubba]

Originally Posted by PRB

..and to what extent does good hearing protection eliminate this issue?

The simple answer is, it doesn’t.

The blast waves scramble the egg and the concussion bounces the yoke off the shell.

[Eagle5US]

Originally Posted by bubba

The simple answer is, it doesn’t.

The blast waves scramble the egg and the concussion bounces the yoke off the shell.

Spot on....

[Joker]

I had a concussion well after AD retirement. The SOCOM doc became concerned when it did not get better. At the 6-month mark he sent me to a specialist in Tampa. After a few short tests he stated that I have a TBI. He then scheduled a specialist to come in and they hooked up the machines. He mapped it back to hard parachute openings and landings as well as 10-years of eating flashbangs and breaching charges. I was the #1 or 2 man in the stack when we were doing the breaching with no shields and only 1-meter stand-off. I ate a bang when the #3 man’s bang bounced off the door jam and went between the #1 man and me and exploded on my chest.

The VA Poly Trauma Clinic looked at all of the documents and did more tests. They determined that I have TBI related vision, hearing, vertigo, speech, and memory issues. They prescribe me special glasses and hearing aids that help greatly. The mental health folk got involved they did their stuff and diagnosed me with PTSD on top of the TBI. The test they gave me cannot be faked and were very extensive, some lasted for 4 hours.

[PRB]

Sorry to hear that Joker, but glad you are getting the proper care. I guess this same thing has been going on for quite some time and would explain some of the homeless and other issues that seemed to be unexplainable....some of it...combat arms types.

[FlagDayNCO]

I’m on this journey myself. Started as a 12B in the real Army, then 11B and finally started the journey in National Guard SF.

As the doctors that have been evaluating me put it, the several hundred demolition missions, explosions, blasts, IEDs, whatever… are each a significant concussive event. Throw in the uncounted weapons firing, parachute landings, physical abuse of using your body as a battering ram…


We’re well on the way to significant damage.

Don’t be shy. Don’t be ashamed. Afford yourself the opportunity to be tested and continue to be evaluated. It’s definitely cumulative and before you even realize it, you are already suffering from it.

First thing I noticed was my speech and balance. Memory is close behind.

Interesting about cognitive decline. I tested within normal range. When I explained I used to have a near perfect recall ability and could do demolition calculations in seconds in my head, they realized I had already started losing my memory.

Thanks for posting this and sharing your stories.

[7624U]

Good post Eagle. I ate two IED's in IRAQ on two separate deployments. more breaching charges then I can count, same with RPG's and recoilless rifles as a 18B for years. Only thing I have noticed is slight short term memory loss. but no PTSD guess all the resiliency training did something to my brain. or I have a real hard head and some of the blast waves never reached critical area's. (going to start logging when I don't remember something and see how prevalent it is.)

[P36]

There are now several facilities that focus specifically on TBI, this one is in NC, works closely with folks at Bragg and is no cost to the Vet or 1st Responder. A former 3rd Gp medic is their liaison to the military/veteran community.

https://tbicenter.unc.edu/thrive/