DoD Worldwide Numbers for TBI

DVBIC is the DoD’s Office of Responsibility for tracking TBI data in the U.S. military. Our website provides numbers for service members diagnosed with TBI since 2000, listed in total and identified by service and injury severity. The numbers are updated each quarter.

The numbers represent medical diagnoses of TBI that occurred anywhere U.S. forces are located, including the continental U.S. The diagnosis and severity of injury were determined using ICD-9 codes. Importantly, these numbers are not all deployment-related; 84% of TBIs occur in a non-deployed setting. Common causes of TBI include crashes in privately owned and military vehicles, falls, sports and recreation activities, and military training.  

Statistics

Dakota 38

Published on Jul 19, 2012 by SmoothFeather

In the spring of 2005, Jim Miller, a Native spiritual leader and Vietnam veteran, found himself in a dream riding on horseback across the great plains of South Dakota. Just before he awoke, he arrived at a riverbank in Minnesota and saw 38 of his Dakota ancestors hanged. At the time, Jim knew nothing of the largest mass execution in United States history, ordered by Abraham Lincoln on December 26, 1862. "When you have dreams, you know when they come from the creator... As any recovered alcoholic, I made believe that I didn't get it. I tried to put it out of my mind, yet it's one of those dreams that bothers you night and day."

Now, four years later, embracing the message of the dream, Jim and a group of riders retrace the 330-mile route of his dream on horseback from Lower Brule, South Dakota to Mankato, Minnesota to arrive at the hanging site on the anniversary of the execution. "We can't blame the wasichus anymore. We're doing it to ourselves. We're selling drugs. We're killing our own people. That's what this ride is about, is healing." This is the story of their journey- the blizzards they endure, the Native and Non-Native communities that house and feed them along the way, and the dark history they are beginning to wipe away.

 

Blast TBI effects

Mother to Mother #6

Mavis McDowell

The kind of  traumatic brain injury TBI our troops are experiencing from the multiple blasts they are exposed to on deployments cause a variety of problems.  Some are very serious  like CTE,  chronic traumatic encephalopathy which I will write about in a coming blog. Others are more manageable as eating disorders and PBA  pseudobar affect.

                This information is from an article by Debra S. Gordon M.S. published in the February /March issue of Neurology Now.  Pseudobular affect isn’t a disease but  can result from  traumatic brain injury or other diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimers,  multiple  sclerosis and other brain conditions.

                 Pseudobular affect  can cause inappropriate crying , laughing or anger.  Researchers think PBA is caused by some disconnect between the brain stem  the oldest part of the brain , where emotions originate and the front temporal lobes, the  part of the brain that determines how we express emotions. Neurologist  Robert Miller M.D.  has theorized  the neurotransmitter  glutamate is also involved.

                What it means for the veteran and his family is  crying occurs unexpectedly   not related to any cause. This could be misdiagnosed as depression.  PBA takes an emotional toll on the  veteran and his family.  It’s socially disturbing and isolating in a major way. A soldier does not want to be seen crying or laughing inappropriately. The fear of losing control of their emotions puts another strain on  returning to a normal life.  PBA can mean shame and isolation.

 The right diagnosis is important for treatment. They used to prescribe anti-depressants. Now the FDA has approved a combination of  two drugs that significantly reduce  unwelcome outbursts. Relieving the apprehension of  PBA sufferers in social situations.  I don’t want to sound like I’m prescribing anything. I’m a mom just like you. You can find the article I’m referencing on line at www.neurologynow.com. Look for the February/March issue and the article is;   A Flood of Emotions  by Debra Gordon M.S.

I hope this information helps.

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I thought I was leading a normal life

Ray came home from Vietnam and had a tough time dealing with the way he and other Veterans were treated. He tried to forget his experiences, but memories would resurface. For decades, he drank and used drugs. After starting AA, Ray realized he needed to change. Treatment at VA and support from fellow Veterans have helped turn his life around.