ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Seeking to reduce the risk of brain injury, the Army has begun baseline cognitive assessments for soldiers entering basic training.

The Army, which is spearheading the brain health initiative within DoD, will take a multilayered approach to brain health risks, protective measures and care, according to an Army news release.

As part of newly established DoD guidelines to protect service members’ brain health, the military will conduct cognitive assessments for all troops in basic training and cadets prior to commissioning by Dec. 31, according to a memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.

Service members need more protection against low-level blast exposure and its potential impact on the brain, a panel of experts testified before the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on personnel.

“Exposure to blast[s] ... can occur both in combat and in training,” Samantha McBirney, a biomedical engineer with the Rand Corp., testified during the Feb. 28 hearing. “Studies have shown that the cumulative effect of repeated low-level blast exposure can cause symptoms similar to traumatic brain injury.”