Brain injuries take toll on US soldiers.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

"According to military officials, roughly 20 percent of the wounds suffered by the troops in Iraq have been severe brain injuries. And Major General Kevin C. Kiley, commanding general of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command, said that figure does not even take into account milder neural injuries. He estimated that as many as 70 percent of the wounds suffered by US forces in Iraq had the potential for resulting in brain injury."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/10/16/brain_injuries_take_toll_on_us_soldiers/

...This underscores the seriousness of the high numbers of injured soldiers who aren't death statistics. I've never been as sympathetic to our country's service people as I am now. They are just as much victims of this horrible illegal war as the Iraqis.

>Sorry,mods. I notice this story is two days old. But it parallels the latest stories of military people denied adequate medical care.

[4dsc]

1. not corporate media stuff here

this is not what the corporate owned media and AWOLbush wants the American people to hear about...

[TomNickell]

2. Body armor and emergency medicine?

The article implies that the number of head injuries is high because of better diagnosis.

But, is some of the increase in serious wounds relative to deaths due to body armor and better emergency medicine? Body armor protects vital organs, but not limbs or eyes. Or brain from impact injuries. And, modern emergency care can keep people alive who previously would not have survived.

[htuttle]

3. There have been several thousand wounded

That makes several hundred severe brain injuries.

I wonder if there aren't a lot of wounded on life support who would have died in previous wars?

It could also be that since the Iraqi's know many of our troops are wearing body armor, they are aiming for the faces (and legs). Hard to believe there's that many head shot wounds, however.

[Warpy]

4. This isn't surprising.

Even the Moonie news service is reporting on these guys at http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20031017-024617-1418r .

For anyone who doesn't get it yet, we're useful to these arrogant schmucks only as either serfs or targets. Only the ruling class deserves adequate medical care, and if we get hurt doing their bidding, well, too bad for us.

[lcordero]

5. of course soldiers are going to have brain injuries

If the kevlar helmet takes a hit, it is heavy enough to break somebody's neck or maybe severe the brain stem.

[Bandit]

6. You people seem to think it's all shooting bullets

Most casualties are from explosive devices including our own artillery. Concussion is a HUGE factor in warfare. Explosions are everywhere. Think of a soldier standing anywhere in front of a tank firing it's main weapon. The concussion from that blast is quite severe. Hell even if you are near proximity of a rifle being fired there is noise percussion. It is no wonder there are a lot of brain injuries. I would imagine hearing problems are quite common also.

[reprobate]

7. There is one glaring fact the wasn't mentioned.

The helmet was and is the first piece of body armor and it's purpose was always to protect the head from rifle bullets. Yes, also from explosive shrapnel, but primarily rifle bullets.

In this story, a rifle bullet penetrated the kevlar helmet and caused severe injury. Why? Could it be that the kevlar helmet was designed to protect from the .223 calibre, which is what we use? Remember that the Kalishnikov uses a 7 mm or 30 calible slug, and is propelled by a larger powder charge, so the penetration power will be much greater.

Isn't it time someone asked the questions of why our troops are out there with equipment that doesn't live up to standards. Or is this just another case of "Supplied By The Lowest Bidder"?

[underpants]

8. Ingenious plan to expand the Republican voting base

Sorry that was uncalled for but I couldn't resist.

This is very shocking and disturbing news, 20%?

[JohnOneillsMemory]

9. and 70% with lesser brain traumas, too. Hope the VA hospitals can deal.

[nostamj]

10. "Hope the VA hospitals can deal" ???

you're joking, right?

Sick, wounded U.S. troops held in squalor
By MARK BENJAMIN, UPI Investigations Editor

FORT STEWART, Ga., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Hundreds of sick and wounded U.S. soldiers including many who served in the Iraq war are languishing in hot cement barracks here while they wait -- sometimes for months -- to see doctors.

The National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers' living conditions are so substandard, and the medical care so poor, that many of them believe the Army is trying push them out with reduced benefits for their ailments. One document shown to UPI states that no more doctor appointments are available from Oct. 14 through Nov. 11 -- Veterans Day.

<snip>
Most soldiers in medical hold at Fort Stewart stay in rows of rectangular, gray, single-story cinder block barracks without bathrooms or air conditioning. They are dark and sweltering in the southern Georgia heat and humidity. Around 60 soldiers cram in the bunk beds in each barrack.

Soldiers make their way by walking or using crutches through the sandy dirt to a communal bathroom, where they have propped office partitions between otherwise open toilets for privacy. A row of leaky sinks sits on an opposite wall. The latrine smells of urine and is full of bugs, because many windows have no screens. Showering is in a communal, cinder block room. Soldiers say they have to buy their own toilet paper.

on edit: the LINK!

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20031017-024617-1418r

[underpants]

11. That's sounds horrible

I guess part of the LACK of planning was not planning IF there were casualties. Rummy,W,Dick, all of them should be ashamed.

Do you have a link to the actual article?

[Karenina]

13. This is a BLARING, GLARING indicator

Of America's "support" for this troops. It is DISGUSTING. And NO, the VA can in NO WAY, SHAPE of FORM handle it. Every VFW member needs to see pictures of this horror. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE???

[Media_Lies_Daily]

16. And that is JUST ONE LOCATION IN THE STATES...

...are all of the other major military bases having similar issues?

And what about all of the troops STILL IN U. S. HOSPITALS IN GERMANY who are so seriously injured that they can't be sent back to the States?

And what about the Afghanistan situation? How many dead and wounded are coming out of that place?

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. __ Does anyone really believe that this war made America safer ??

. . Me for one think thats it made the World more dangerous

NOW, the terrarist have MORE justification in attacking the "west"

Just My Humble Canuck Opinion

and thanks to Juniour

[pfitz59]

14. Brain injuries are convenient.....

Helps soldiers 'forget' little details, like the truth! Just ask Jessica Lynch.

[TahitiNut]

15. Yes, story is two days old. Moving to GDF.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
TahitiNut - DU moderator