U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) this week asked the Pentagon to explain the recent spike in the number of U.S. military service members who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
“While TBI is often nearly invisible, the physical trauma is real, severe and has long-term effects,” Sen. Ernst wrote in a Jan. 28 letter sent to Matthew Donovan, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). “These serious injuries have become prevalent among hundreds of thousands of our service members.”
Specifically, Sen. Ernst “seeks information on the security situation of our deployed forces who may be exposed to blast injuries in Iraq, and the plan of care to treat the injured service members,” according to her letter.
The lawmaker also expressed concern about the reports of more than 30 U.S. servicemembers who suffered TBIs as a result of the Jan. 8 Iranian-led strike on the Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq.
At the same time, Sen. Ernst pointed out that it’s vital for the DOD to accurately track TBIs and the impacted servicemembers, as well as improve prevention and effective treatments for TBI.
“It is our duty to ensure the safety and health of our men and women in uniform as they defend our country,” she wrote.
Sen. Ernst also requested that Donovan provide a briefing on the Jan. 8 attacks in Iraq that includes any associated issues related to the recent TBIs within 30 days of receiving her letter.