TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury
BY Herschel Smith
17 years, 9 months ago
In my article Brain Injury: Signature Would of the War in Iraq (written before Woodwards’s show), I discussed repeat concussion as a cause of brain injury to American warriors who have been deployed to Iraq. My efforts seem rather pitiful when contrasted with the exposé done by Bob Woodruff entitled To Iraq and Back. His entire presentation can be watched again, and I highly recommend that you do so. It isn’t for the weak of heart. It might be the most heart-wrenching thing you will ever witness – these young warriors coming home with permanent brain damage. To Woodruff’s huge credit, he didn’t spend much of the time focusing on his experience, except as it helped him to understand the plight of our boys coming home with this injury. He used his time to tell their story, and show the unpreparedness of the Defense Department to handle their care. For the present and future, there has been a change in the helmet sling suspension system to a padding suspension system, under Marine Administrative Order 480/06. But this can only go so far in the protection of the troops.
Woodruff has shown himself to be a first-rate reporter, and my respect goes to him. Again, this is must-see television. There isn’t much more that can be said after watching his show. More here at NPR, and at IraqSlogger in what is correctly called a “Phenomenal, Moving TV Documentary.”
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