Mullen seeks clarity on concussion standards

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Mullen seeks clarity on concussion standards
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, February 22, 2009

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wants to know if there is a limit to the number of concussions that servicemembers can suffer before they become nondeployable.

“There clearly are situations where individuals are exposed to numerous explosions and numerous potential (concussions), and I think the question is, is there a limit, or should there be a limit,” Adm. Mike Mullen said Friday during his visit to Fort Campbell, Ky.

Of the troops suffering from traumatic brain injury and psychological injuries who are treated at Fort Campbell, about 77 percent improve to the point where they can return to duty, while 23 percent do not, Army medical officials said.

Mullen plans to ask his staff whether limiting the number of concussions servicemembers can receive while deployed can reduce the number of troops whose resulting injuries prevent them from returning to duty.

Earlier in the day, Mullen asked doctors if there was such a limit when he visited the TBI Resilience and Recovery Center at Fort Campbell.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60897