Brain-injured troops may reach 360,000

[unhappycamper]

Source: Boston Globe

Brain-injured troops may reach 360,000
Associated Press / March 5, 2009

WASHINGTON - The number of US troops who have suffered wartime brain injuries may be as high as 360,000 and could cast more attention on such injuries among civilians, Defense Department doctors said yesterday.

The estimate of the number injured - the vast majority of them suffering concussions - represents 20 percent of the roughly 1.8 million men and women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where blast injuries are common from roadside bombs and other explosives, the doctors said.

The estimate came during a Pentagon news conference on activities planned this month to bring attention to brain injuries. The doctors said the number could be as low as 180,000, based on estimates that between 10 percent and 20 percent of troops might have such injuries.

The previous high estimate offered publicly was 320,000 in a study released a year ago by the private Rand Corp. It was based on about 1.6 million who had done tours of duty Iraq or Afghanistan from late 2001.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/03/05/brain_injured_troops_may_reach_360000/

[Syrinx]

1. oh my! Can that be true?

Wow. What a senseless tragedy.

[wilt the stilt]

2. I wish there were 2 more

added to that total- bush and cheney. On second thought all the neocons should be brain damaged.

[Maine-ah]

4. silly me, I thought being a neocon was a result of brain damage.

:)

[Demeter]

3. Just What The Nation Needs

Get out of Iraq, Get out of Afghanistan, stop killing America!

In a nation faced with an epidemic of autistic spectrum disabilities, we need every functioning brain we can raise. We do not need to lose good minds for Poppy Bush's heroin supply, or even greater Kurdistan, noble though that concept may be.

[Bigmack]

5. War...

the gift that keeps on giving.

[Sabriel]

6. Jesus. I had no idea.

How on earth can the VA deal with all of them and their needs?