The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
2008-11-30

What are the risks and costs of traumatic brain injury (TBI) for military personnel and veterans?

• In prior conflicts, TBI was present in at least 14-20% of surviving combat casualties; preliminary information from the current conflict in the Middle East suggests that this number is now much higher.
• In peacetime, over 7,000 Americans with TBI are admitted to military and veterans hospitals each year.
• TBI is a major cause of life-long disability and death.
• Certain military assignments, such as airborne operations or policing in combat areas, carry above-average risk of TBI.
• Blast injuries are a growing cause of TBI in combat.

The following link contains a 29-minute video, introduced by General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), and offers an introduction to TBI, a health issue affecting at least 1.4 million Americans each year. It features the recovery journeys of several service personnel and their families.

Click this link to learn more about Traumatic Brain Injury.

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