Army Sgt. 1st Class Victor Medina and his wife Roxana Delgado were recognized for their work to increase awareness of traumatic brain injury and related neurological disorders by having their experience and accomplishments read into the Congressional Record, the government journal that publishes all proceedings of Congress, March 12.
U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas stated, “As we commemorate National Traumatic Brain Injury Month, it is my great honor to share Victor and Roxana’s story for inclusion in the Congressional Record and to recognize their outstanding contributions to the Traumatic Brain Injury warrior community in El Paso, in the State of Texas, and throughout the nation.”
Medina was injured in Iraq in 2009 and suffered a TBI which affected his vision, hearing, balance and speech. He and Delgado blog about TBI and their experiences to raise awareness and understanding of brain injury and empower survivors and caregivers through education and advocacy. The husband and wife team are outspoken advocates to increase the understanding of TBI.
TBI & The Military
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant health issue which affects service members and veterans during times of both peace and war. The high rate of TBI and blast-related concussion events resulting from current combat operations directly impacts the health and safety of individual service members and subsequently the level of unit readiness and troop retention. The impacts of TBI are felt within each branch of the service and throughout both the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care systems.
In the VA, TBI has become a major focus secondary to recognition of the need for increased resources to provide health care and vocational retraining for individuals with a diagnosis of TBI, as they transition to veteran status. Veterans may sustain TBI’s throughout their lifespan, with the largest increase as the veterans' enter into their 70's and 80's; these injuries are often due to falls and result in high levels of disability.
Active duty and reserve service members are at increased risk for sustaining a TBI compared to their civilian peers. This is a result of several factors, including the specific demographics of the military; in general, young men between the ages of 18 to 24 are at greatest risk for TBI. Many operational and training activities which are routine in the military are physically demanding and even potentially dangerous. Military service members are increasingly deployed to areas where they are at risk for experiencing blast exposures from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suicide bombers, land mines, mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades etc. These and other combat related activities put our military service members at increased risk for sustaining a TBI.
Although recent attention has been intensively focused on combat-related TBI, it should be noted that TBI is not uncommon even in garrison and occurs during unusual daily activities; service members enjoy exciting leisure activities; they ride motorcycles, climb mountains and parachute from planes for recreation. In addition, physical training is an integral part of the active duty service members' everyday life. These activities are expected for our service members and contribute to a positive quality of life, but these activities can also increase risk for TBI.
The following sections delve deeper into issues of TBI and the military. Topics aim to increase awareness of the unique issues which contribute to TBI in the military and what is being done to support the care and recovery of combat wounded troops and veterans with TBI.
TBI Awareness
PRIMARY PREVENTION OF TBI
In many cases, TBI can be preventable. The following are tips for minimizing the risk of sustaining a TBI both on the battlefield and at home.
Prevention in a combat setting:
- Wear helmet or other appropriate head gear when on patrol or in other high risk areas
- Wear safety belts when traveling in vehicles
- Check for obstacles and loose debris before climbing/rappelling down buildings or other structures
- Inspect weapons prior to use
- Verify target and consider potential for ricochet prior to firing weapon
- Maintain clean and orderly work environments that are free of foreign object debris
- Be aware of what is on the ground around you at all times when aircraft rotors are turning
- Use care when walking on wet, oily or sandy surfaces
- Employ the buddy system when climbing ladders, working at heights
Prevention at home:
- Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle
- Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Always buckle your child into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (depending on the child's height, weight, and age) in the car
- Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets when:
- Riding a bike, motorcycle, snow mobile, or all-terrain vehicle
- Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, or boxing
- Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard
- Batting and running bases in baseball or softball
- Riding a horse
- Skiing or snowboarding
- Avoid falls in the home by:
- Using a step stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high shelves
- Installing handrails on stairways
- Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows
- Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around
- Maintaining a regular exercise program to improve strength, balance, and coordination
- Removing tripping hazards, using non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors, and putting grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower
- Make sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing material (e.g., hardwood mulch, sand)
- Keep firearms stored unloaded in a locked cabinet or safe. Store bullets in a separate secure location.
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