Wounded-troops tally not even close to reality

November 23, 2007

The bad news is, over 30,000 American troops have been seriously injured during service in Iraq and Afghanistan, including over 4,000 soldiers and Marines with brain injuries. The far worse news is that those numbers aren’t even close to the actual casualty numbers.

At least 20,000 U.S. troops who were not classified as wounded during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have been found with signs of brain injuries, according to military and veterans records compiled by USA TODAY.

The data, provided by the Army, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs, show that about five times as many troops sustained brain trauma as the 4,471 officially listed by the Pentagon through Sept. 30. These cases also are not reflected in the Pentagon’s official tally of wounded, which stands at 30,327.

The number of brain-injury cases were tabulated from records kept by the VA and four military bases that house units that have served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Apparently, the discrepancy comes as a result of time. Troops whose wounds are discovered after they return home are not added to the official tally.

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), founder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, said the total number of Americans who may have suffered head injuries in combat maybe total as many as 150,000 — about 10% of the 1.5 million troops have served in Iraq

“I am wary that the number of brain-injured troops far exceeds the total number reported injured,” he says.

“I am wary that the number of brain-injured troops far exceeds the total number reported injured,” he says.

The Perfumed Princes of Versailles-on-the-Potomac lying? Tell me it ain’t so!!!

You know, this sort of thing doesn’t surprise me at all. When I experienced a slamming-around in a car that was far less than what one could get with an IED going off under the vehicle, I experienced an injury that wasn’t apparent for several months, though its effects began to immediately affect me negatively as I started having trouble thinking and maintaining focus. It resulted in my getting fired off a writing project that had been about half-completed at the time of the accident – that written afterwards was really second-rate, and I didn’t seem to have the ability to fix it.

It was only when I finally got chiropractic treatment that we discovered my neck was impacted to the point it cut off blood flow to my brain by 20% – no wonder I couldn’t think!! I can only imagine what it would be like for a soldier with a similar injury to be declared able to return to service and face being in a combat situtation with this sort of mental decrease. It took me close to a year to regain the ability to keep long-term focus on a project, once the problem was identified.

Oh well, the Right only cares for humans when they’re “pre-born.” After that they’re on their own and when they’re “used up” what’s the point in fixing them? Like Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute” and if you don’t mind having criminals for soldiers, there should be no problem with restocking the supply.

  • I’ve also been wondering all along if all deaths have been reported. Such as those who’ve died later of their wounds in hospitals either in Europe or state-side.

    Anybody know?

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  • Let me guess, just another middle management snafu, and the DoD had no idea this was going on, just like how they didn’t know wounded soldiers were having to pay back their bonuses.

    Yep, didn’t have a clue.

  • Could it possibly be that the most secretive administration in history employing mercenaries, torture, rendition, unprecedented wiretapping on citizens, lies, spin, disembling, mendacity, smear campaigns, signing statements, not to mention enriching their cronies at taxpayer expense, would lie about something like war casualties?? Really?? Now who would have thunk it.

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  • It has taken me 18 years to get a service connection for my epilepsy, that resulted from a closed head injury. My first seizure was WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY, and was called “stress” By a Navy doctor who had no clue what he was doing.
    The VA docs blew me off for years, along with the rest of the VA system. Even now, while my epilepsy has gotten worse with each passing year, and I was able to prove a connection to active duty service,( which they acknowleged) they provide no benefits to me. I have a lawyer now, who is willing to work free unless we win, but I’m looking at at least another 3 to 5 years before a resolve, with only a 50/50 chance of it going my way.
    Keep an eye on the VA for all the troops who are going to need their help with these brain injuries. They will need support to help them get the care and benifits they deserve.

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