Pentagon Report On ‘Real Toll’ Of Iraq War: 1 In 5 Vets Are Affected By ‘Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries’
Pentagon Report On ‘Real Toll’ Of Iraq War: 1 In 5 Vets Are Affected By ‘Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries’
On the Chris Matthews Show this morning, Time magazine Managing Editor Richard Stengel discussed a new Pentagon report that says “1 in 5 American servicemen and women who have been in Iraq are coming back with brain injuries.” Stengel called it the “real toll” of the war, adding that “the legacy of that will last all of our lifetimes and it’s incalculable.”
In total, according to Stengel, “more than 250,000 people” are affected by “mild traumatic brain injuries” sustained in Iraq. Watch it:
According to the Pentagon, some of the soldiers who sustained concussions “do not realize they need treatment.” Additionally, they may be sent back to the war zone:
The task force praised work done at Fort Carson, Colo., where soldiers going back to war are screened for brain injury. Surveys there found that about 17 percent of the soldiers returning to war could have a traumatic brain injury.
As recently as 2006, the Pentagon was “refusing to release data on how many soldiers have suffered brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan,” arguing that “disclosing the results would put the lives of those fighting at risk.”
At that time, it was estimated that just 10 percent of combat troops suffered concussions during their tours of duty. Now, in 2008, it’s estimated closer to 20 percent.
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65 Responses to “Pentagon Report On ‘Real Toll’ Of Iraq War: 1 In 5 Vets Are Affected By ‘Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries’”
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5 in 5 rightwing trolls are affected by traumatic brain injury.
instead of sending those poor bastards back to the war, they should run for office as Republicans.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:22 amAnd no troll even here yet. Getting in the first shot, Lefty?
It is a well-known axiom of street fighting that he, or she, who gets the first punch in usually wins. Nothing like a swift boot to the groin on a quiet Sunday morning, I always say.
Carry on!
January 20th, 2008 at 11:27 amLefty, they are overqualified.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:29 amHow can this be? O’Liely says their are only a few homeless vets? Mental illness and drug problems don’t count.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:36 amIsn’t “mild traumatic” an oxymoron?
January 20th, 2008 at 11:37 amNothing like a swift boot to the groin on a quiet Sunday morning, I always say.
Carry on!
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — January 20, 2008 @ 11:27 am
I like the sound of that…..Swift booters for truth. More of the lies are coming to light.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:40 amI’ve got a feeling this will be nothing compared to the long-term damage caused by depleted uranium.
I wonder how the Mercs fare on these issues?
January 20th, 2008 at 11:55 amThe Bush cultists will he here soon to tell us that, since “only” 1 in 5 veterans suffer brain injuries, the “surge” is, indeed, working. Or something equally asinine…
January 20th, 2008 at 12:13 pmI wonder how the Mercs fare on these issues?
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — January 20, 2008 @ 11:55 am
Well, they start out crazy, so it’s not pretty, I bet.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:13 pmMental illness and drug problems don’t count.
Comment by wisedup — January 20, 2008 @ 11:36 am
Those are the ones that become rightard radio hosts. Except for the serving their country part.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:14 pmOff topic:
But even as the Bush regime idiocy continues in the ME they are saber-rattling and probably testing the waters for a little going away victory(Noriega stlye) for Bush the Dumber. Unreal. Who do they think they are? Columbia is producing the drugs that are being sent through Venezuela but since Columbia is acting like a good little puppet its Chavez that is the bad guy…..crazy logic.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:18 pmWhat is a mild trauma?
January 20th, 2008 at 12:19 pmSounds like someone playing with semantics.
“Mild trauma” is when the Taco Bell guy puts only Mild sauce packets in you bag when you really wanted the Fire.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:22 pm“disclosing the results would put the lives of those fighting at risk.â€
Yes, the ‘enemy’ has no idea how effective their explosives are.
right.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:23 pmI wonder what the toll is on everyday Americans as a result of the Bush presidenty? I’m guessing a lot more than 20% of the population is suffering in one way or another, jobs loss, homes lost, spouses and children killed, etc.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:25 pmThe world is a better place after he’s been deposed.
Comment by Frank M
We’ll look forward to his deposition.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:26 pmWill it be in the Hague?
I’m sure he knows all about Negrapointy and the right wing death squads in Central and South America.
And creation of a moronic class that we call trools!
January 20th, 2008 at 12:27 pmSomebody get this thing off of me…..anyone have any salt?
January 20th, 2008 at 12:27 pmAh, Frankie the Fascist once again esposing the overthrow of another troublesome leader of a sovereign nation. I detect the smell of roast troll in the morning!
January 20th, 2008 at 12:27 pmespousing?
January 20th, 2008 at 12:28 pmThis actually is extremely serious. Many High School football players who received concussion injuries show the effects of it when they hit their mid 40’s.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:28 pm#11: Chavez is a leftist nutcase. The world is a better place after he’s been deposed.
Comment by Frank M — January 20, 2008 @ 12:24 pm
Good point, let’s just declare him an impending threat and go traumatize some more service personel as well as the citizens of another soverieign nation while we are at it
January 20th, 2008 at 12:29 pmI detect the smell of roast troll in the morning!
Comment by RUCerious — January 20, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Ah the smell of burning dickhead in the morning… Smells like victory
January 20th, 2008 at 12:30 pmMake that a sub-moronic class of trolls, like Frankie M, as in Moron.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:30 pmi never understood why this never gotas far as it should have…
evidently…
http://www.operation-helmet.org/
Thanks to you: 37,749 helmet upgrades sent - Helping Prevent Traumatic Brain Injuries
January 20th, 2008 at 12:33 pmwho received concussion injuries show the effects of it when they hit their mid 40’s.
Comment by WaltTheMan — January 20, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
I sometimes wonder if the rocket attacks we experienced in DaNang in 68 are somehow responsible for my memory lapses.
Nah, just old age!
January 20th, 2008 at 12:34 pmIf the Bush cabal had not stolen the election there would have been no 9-11, oil would be under 50 dollars a barrel, cars would be getting at least 20% better gas mileage, people would not be losing their homes…..
January 20th, 2008 at 12:34 pmThe fact is that if we had had a weak, undecisive president like Gore instead of Bush, we’d be much worse off.
Comment by Frank M — January 20, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
I think I have made this point before but it seems to sink in super slowly with some. By definition one can not define either future events or hypothetical events as “facts”.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:35 pmthat’s how little the troolls think of the USA to even IMAGINE that
ridiculous scario actualy happening…
whooo! who tells them that kinda crap?
January 20th, 2008 at 12:37 pmwhy ever would they believe it???
Even if the war stops now,and every American now in Iraq comes home…the cost of this war and taking care of the thousands of young Americans affected by this war will never end.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:38 pmSo, when someone next time calls for a war….let’s not forget this…
well, dbadass, there’s no doubt in my mind that had gore been the sitting president since jan01, there would have been NO tragedy on sept11…
we all know that…
January 20th, 2008 at 12:41 pmYou libs are still trying even though 75% of Baghdad has been made safe!
UNBELIEVABLE!
PS Hate to keep telling you this but…the great George Bush is NOT (that’s N-O-T) running for President this year! Sorry about that! Oh, and I must also let you know that IRAQ is NOT a major issue anymore! Sorry about that!!
So just keep trying to convince yourself that reporting on deaths (no matter how small!) in Iraq will help you regain power! (Ready for the news libs! It’s NOT going to happen!!)
January 20th, 2008 at 12:43 pmSo, when someone next time calls for a war….let’s not forget this…
Comment by tarazan — January 20, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
Like drumming up bombs for Iran?
January 20th, 2008 at 12:47 pmRepublican solution: Dispense more aspirin.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:49 pmJack Kass,
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 14-17, 2008. N=1,393 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
“How important will each of the following be to your vote for president? Will it be extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important? . . .”
Extremely Important / Very Important / Moderately Important / Not That
Important
The economy 45 / 41 / 12 / 2
The situation in Iraq 43 / 41 / 14 / 2
Terrorism 42 / 34 / 19 / 5
Health care 41 / 36 / 19 / 4
I’d say that Iraq is right up there, now wouldn’t you~!!~
January 20th, 2008 at 12:51 pm75% of Baghdad has been made safe!
UNBELIEVABLE
Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
You got that right….
Residents aren’t safe from freezing. It’s the coldest winter on record. Freezing temps, no electricity, unaffordable kerosine on the black market.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:53 pmNotice how Bush skipped the safety of Baghdad, on his recent Middle East Trip??
PS Hate to keep telling you this but…the great George Bush is NOT (that’s N-O-T) running for President this year!
But he’s president now. Once this war criminal is out of the White House we’ll simmer down.
Sorry about that! Oh, and I must also let you know that IRAQ is NOT a major issue anymore! Sorry about that!!
It kind of sad. An unnecessary war that has claimed the lives and limbs of so many Americans and Iraqis has been placed on the back burner.
So just keep trying to convince yourself that reporting on deaths (no matter how small!) in Iraq will help you regain power! (Ready for the news libs! It’s NOT going to happen!!)
Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
I actually agree with this.
January 20th, 2008 at 12:54 pm“CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll”!!
Hmm! Says it all!!!
I would never dispute anything coming from a “CNN” poll!!
January 20th, 2008 at 12:54 pmThe fact is that if we had had a weak, undecisive president like Gore instead of Bush, we’d be much worse off. We’d have socialized health care (want to queue for months for a simple operation?), we’d be lickning islamofascist boots and begging them not to attack us again, our economy would be ruined because of environmentalism and our military would have been run to the ground.
Comment by Frank M — January 20, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
I suppose you can back up your ridiculous words with a few facts? Nothing from your ass, please…
January 20th, 2008 at 1:02 pm“I don’t spend that much time thinking about him . . . I’m just not that concerned about him.”, says the dubya, the great decider guy who wants to forget about the supposed mastermind of an ugly, historical tragedy…
January 20th, 2008 at 1:02 pmHELMETS! why aren’t each and every person in any kind of combat situation supplied with those helmet liners???
huh??? !
January 20th, 2008 at 1:04 pmThis reinforces the notion that this administration cannot claim that it “supports the troops”, probably one of the most dishonest slogans that one can think of in recent times. By sending those troops into that abattoir, the U.S. government is ensuring that more troops will be returning to this country in coffins and more of them will be returning maimed and crippled, disfigured and dismembered, all for no justifiable reason whatsoever. Keeping U.S. service members in Iraq is not supporting them; on the contrary, it is aiding in their death and destruction. None of the Democratic contenders is calling for the immediate withdrawal of the troops from that slaughterhouse in Iraq, which certainly indicates that there is little difference between the two war-making parties that are in power in the United States.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:04 pmWhat gives? I am allowed to say “burning dickhead” but not allowed to point out that thye number of beheaded US citizens is so small as to equal zero under JK version of importance of stats
January 20th, 2008 at 1:06 pmHELMETS! why aren’t each and every person in any kind of combat situation supplied with those helmet liners???
huh??? !
Comment by katy
They’re on backorder, Blackwater greased a few palms and gets preference.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm“We’d have socialized health care (want to queue for months for a simple operation? [blah, blah, blah…]”
Comment by Frank M
I had a blown knee, and my american insurance company waited to grant me an operation for three months. That’s three months, hobbling around at work on crutches, before they decided I wasn’t faking.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:11 pmWe’d have socialized health care (want to queue for months for a simple operation? [blah, blah, blah…]â€
Comment by Frank M
You mean that elective surgery right? Show me any citizen of any socilaized system who has been denied timely urgent care
January 20th, 2008 at 1:12 pmNo. 37
Hey now, let’s not get into socialized medicine. That’s up to the soldiers and their doctors, personal responsibility and freedom. Besides, how could the government afford to give out aspirin?
But they will dispense more spin… ass-spin.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:13 pmKaty I remember seeing Cher on c-span over a year ago, using her celebrity status to get donations for Operation Helmet. I can’t believe that everyone over there doesn’t have them by now. Well …I guess I can believe it…but it is disgracefull incompetence in my opinion.
Save a few bucks on helmet liners…..lose a fortune in future medical costs….not to mention the cost in people’s lives and health.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:27 pmWell, America will be number 1!
Number 1!
Number 1!
Number 1!
Number 1!
Number 1!
…in the homeless population in the ‘Western’ world…
January 20th, 2008 at 1:30 pmIf you’re not too busy later today I recommend that you listen to Fed Up Americans blog talk radio show at 4pm CST. (click on my name and then on radio show on right side)
I’m calling in with a report from Iraq. (about 5pm CST) I’m not in Iraq but my friend who is a trauma nurse with the U.S. Airforce is.
You’ll be shocked by what I’ve learned about recent events in Iraq’s hospitals. My report comes directly from my friend and you will be shocked and appauled.
You want the truth? I’ve got it and its shocking.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:50 pmMaybe I’ve become too cynical, but does anyone else see the big pharma companies flooding the airwaves with the “new” miracle drug for this?
Anyway it is a shame people don’t realize that casualties are not just dead bodies or amputees. I shudder at the true number of casualties on our side and especially the Iraqi side.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pmThe fact is that if we had had a weak, undecisive president like Gore instead of Bush, we’d be much worse off. Comment by Frank M — January 20, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
By WEAK and INDECISIVE (learn to spell junior, or don’t use the big words - great advice for your DEAR LEADER as well), you mean like sitting and reading “My Pet Goat” while terrorists are attacking our cities? Or do you mean the sort of indecisiveness that would cause someone to INVADE THE WRONG COUNTRY in the call to protect us? ROTFL!! It’s HYSTERICAL how you PATHETIC LITTLE TARDS can ONLY PROJECT! You do know that the reason you’re drawn to an AUTHORITARIAN LEADER (not the same as a strong, decisive leader) is because of your OWN PERSONAL INSECURITY - RIGHT? ROTFL, you TARDS are SO TRANSPARENT!!!
We’d have socialized health care (want to queue for months for a simple operation?), Comment by Frank M — January 20, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
Yeah, because NOTHING SAYS STRONG like DENYING PEOPLE HEALTHCARE while PAYING MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE, including all of those INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES THAT SPEND LESS and have BETTER CARE!! ROTFL!!
we’d be lickning islamofascist boots and begging them not to attack us again, our economy would be ruined because of environmentalism and our military would have been run to the ground.
Comment by Frank M — January 20, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
You mean like HOLDING HANDS with the Saudi and Pakistani leaders (the OFFICIAL heads of the TWO Islamofascist states)? ROTFL, you’re DUMB!
January 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pmHmm! Says it all!!!
I would never dispute anything coming from a “CNN†poll!!
Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
Why, because you KNOW it’s probably not RIGGED, like a FOX ONE? ROTFL, you’re DUMB!
January 20th, 2008 at 2:57 pmYou libs are still trying even though 75% of Baghdad has been made safe! Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
It HAS? You’re SO SURE? Why don’t you GO LIVE in that 75% TODAY and LET US KNOW HOW IT IS? ROTFL!
UNBELIEVABLE! Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
Well TO BE FAIR, you’re UNBELIEVABLE because you’re MENTALLY ILL!! ROTFL!!
PS Hate to keep telling you this but…the great George Bush is NOT (that’s N-O-T) running for President this year! Sorry about that! Oh, and I must also let you know that IRAQ is NOT a major issue anymore! Sorry about that!! Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
LAST TIME we ALL CHECKED, he not only REPRESENTS YOUR PARTY, but they STILL VOTE HIS VIEWS IN CONGRESS. And if you DON’T THINK IRAQ IS A BIG ISSUE, we ALL HOPE the rest of you NERDS KEEP THINKING THAT in NOVEMBER! ROTFL!!
Wo just keep trying to convince yourself that reporting on deaths (no matter how small!) in Iraq will help you regain power! (Ready for the news libs! It’s NOT going to happen!!)
Comment by John Kerry — January 20, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
ROTFL!! Who’s trying to CONVINCE THEMSELVES that PEOPLE DYING - DON’T MATTER? ROTFL! You’re a SICK LITTLE PERV!
January 20th, 2008 at 2:59 pmJK would like everybody to forget the disaster-in-chief, but if the Dems are smart enough to run against him, they’ll win every race in a landslide.
January 20th, 2008 at 3:37 pmI see that Frank has been puking on this thread. Frank is one of the stupidest trolls ever. I have labored mightily to explain the facts about single-payer health care systems to it, but it just doesn’t get it. One thing is for sure, though: it can’t or won’t read a dictionary, as evidenced by its repeated misuse of the term socialism.
As for JK, I find its comments comforting. It gives me succor to know that the koolaid drinkers have no idea whatsoever what is going to befall their party in November.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:01 pmTo argue with the NeoCons, this has to be translated into dollars. Wonder how many folks this translates into and what the average cost will be to support them. As a rough figure, I don’t have the number of troops, but 1 million each for support, lost wages, etc is a nice line item for Traumatic brain injury.
Of course, other line items include PTSD, mental disorders, drug use, domestic violence, etc All things that make America the great country that it is.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:34 pmWell, medically speaking all head injuries are serious. I’ve never heard of a mild traumatic head injury.
January 20th, 2008 at 6:12 pmLike any American really cares about the number of injured soldiers are coming home with. Look after Americans saw how badly the soldiers were treated at Walter Reed Hospital nothing has improved. Soldiers are still being killed in Iraq not a word of a complaint by Americans. Iraq is giving 2 Billion dollars a day not a word from Americans. We have 200,000 soldiers homeless right now in the USA not a word from the American people just the lip service of stay the course and support our troops. If Americans care about our troops in any way they would stand up and stop this mess. Now the Bush Administration is giving jobs and medical help to Iraq, because that’s more important.
January 20th, 2008 at 7:35 pmWell, medically speaking all head injuries are serious. I’ve never heard of a mild traumatic head injury.
Comment by dietrich — January 20, 2008 @ 6:12 pm
Oh Yeah? Then where do our trolls come from?
January 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pmThen where do our trolls come from?
Entry level volunteers at the College of Proctology.
January 20th, 2008 at 8:05 pmas someone who has suffered with a mild traumatic brain injury for 9 years, i need to chime in here.
it’s no joke.
the term “mild” refers to the original trauma, and has no bearing on the severity of the symptoms. a person can be totally disabled with terrible symptoms from a mild injury.
there is a huge range of possible symptoms, many which may be relatively mild individually but taken together make life a living hell. i recently went to a new neurologist after giving up treatment out of frustration. i spent 2 hours with him and we still didn’t cover all my symptoms. it’s insane how complicated it gets. in addition, often there are no tests sensitive enough to measure the symptoms and mri’s will be normal. very little is still known about these injuries and there is little to no effective treatment.
i actually had a hope that these injuries might be taken seriously once this news about the soldiers started coming out. but i don’t hold out hope for that anymore. they’ll just be drugged up and told to get over it instead of real research and treatment being offered. maybe the only treatment available would be support and therapy for the anxiety that comes with a brain that doesn’t work like it used to, but it’s better than nothing.
the suicides will continue to climb long after the troops come home for from this alone.
January 20th, 2008 at 8:24 pmBecause of the Cheney-Bush administration-long “starve the beast” attack on the US Treasury to destroy Social Security and other entitlement programs, there will never be money to help these victims of their war of vengeance and their gross incompetence! A cowardly draft-dodger and a protected-AWOL have ruined so many lives!
January 21st, 2008 at 9:38 amThe Modern Bush Republicanâ„¢ thinks “mild brain trauma” proves that the surge is working…
The Modern Bush Republicanâ„¢ supports the troops by marginalizing their injuries and abandoning their care as soon as they are no longer useful in the “surge”.
http://www.FEARandSMEAR.com
January 21st, 2008 at 11:35 am#29 As someone who has suffered from blasts of naval cannon fire from the bridge in ‘68 I would like to say:
#29 As someone who has suffered from blasts of naval cannon fire from the bridge in ‘68 I would like to say, dane bramage is possilble.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:36 pm