Pentagon unveils new policy to address troop exposure to blasts

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks on Friday unveiled a new policy aimed at addressing U.S. troop exposure to blasts as evidence mounts that mortar firing, including during training missions, creates increased risk of brain damage.

In a memorandum to senior defense officials and military commanders, Hicks said the new policy would establish requirements to reduce the risk of blast overpressure that comes from firing heavy weapons.

She said evidence indicates "possible adverse effects on brain health and cognitive performance" from breaching charges, shoulder-fired weapons such as launchers, .50 caliber rifles and other indirect fire.

In a separate statement, Hicks said the new Warfighter Brain Health (WBH) initiative would focus on "identifying and implementing best practices to promote overall brain health and countering traumatic brain injury."

"Blast overpressure is one of many factors that can negatively affect warfighter brain health," she said. "We owe it to our Service members, civilian personnel, and their families who defend our nation and entrust us with their care to ensure we are using every available resource to advance research to better understand the effects of blast exposure and to provide the best care possible.

"This is what it means to take care of our people, and we will continue to make it a top priority."

Blast exposure has become an increasing concern on Capitol Hill, where a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House this year to address the issue with a range of solutions.

The Pentagon, however, has until now largely failed to address the concerns. The New York Times reported earlier this year that interviews with more than two dozen soldiers showed they had symptoms of brain damage related to blast exposure, but the Defense Department has only identified a few circumstances that carry risk, such as firing powerful antitank weapons.

Under the WBH initiative, an initial exposure rate of blast overpressure of 4 pounds per square inch would be a threshold for risk management, Hicks said, although the exact details of the problem remains largely unstudied.

The memo to top defense and military officials also directs them to conduct cognitive assessments of all active and reserve service members, to offer more training on blast exposure and to more thoroughly document and track the issue to study it.

It additionally orders new standards for training and operations to account for blast exposure mitigation, including stand-off distances from heavy weapons and wearing personal protective gear.

And Hicks asked officials to minimize the number of troops around blast exposure weapons and to limit the use of any technology that may be over the 4 PSI threshold.