{"id":78848,"date":"2024-01-19T18:02:27","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T18:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/19\/senators-demand-dod-answers-on-troops-self-inflicted-brain-injuries\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:42:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:42:10","slug":"senators-demand-dod-answers-on-troops-self-inflicted-brain-injuries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2024\/01\/19\/senators-demand-dod-answers-on-troops-self-inflicted-brain-injuries\/","title":{"rendered":"Senators demand DOD answers on troops\u2019 self-inflicted brain injuries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A trio of senators want the Defense Department to speed up monitoring military brain injuries<\/a> caused by concussive blasts from service members\u2019 own weapons and outline efforts to protect the force from future trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a Jan. 18 letter sent to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin<\/a>, the group \u2014 Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C. \u2014 said recent research has shown disturbing damage to troops\u2019 health from their own equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One department study found cognitive deficits and memory problems among personnel who repeatedly fired heavy weaponry, even within allowable safety limits. The senators said another report noted that 75% of blast exposure issues in one unit researchers followed were tied to troops\u2019 own weapons, rather than outside forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\t