Question

Consider the following scenario:

You are working at a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital and meet with Allison. Allison is in the US Army and has just returned home from a deployment. During her deployment, a bomb was thrown into a vehicle in which she was riding. She was not severely injured but was told that she sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

How do you think the army should deal with these injuries? For example, if Allison is not obviously physically impaired, should she be discharged and receive disability pay? Should she be redeployed? If Allison stays in the army, what kinds of jobs do you think she should not perform?   

Answer 1

Answer.

mild traumatic brain injury has been shown to be one of the most common wounds during war. In Allison’s case, Shock waves from roadside bombs could have rippled through her brain, causing damage that although left no visible scars but may cause lasting mental and physical harm. Allison could be said to be a victim of war trauma.

While the US military has continued to remain passive and indifferent to addressing the severity of brain injuries in their soldiers as a pressing concern, it is argued that the higher leadership in the army needs to make great strides in improving attitudes towards the detection and treatment of traumatic brain injury in soldiers like Allison. While Allison may have incurred the injury after being deported, it is nonetheless the army’s responsibility to ensure that she is discharged from her duties and offered disability benefits such as public financial assistance in order to empower her in her recovery and her ability to secure another job. To this end, a review or assessment of her cognitively functioning could be carried out to determine the extent of damage caused to her normal mental functioning such as speech, attention and memory and accordingly assign her a role which would help her work at her present level of mental functioning.

Moreover, a centralised programme on medical facilities for brain and psychological injuries in war personnel is yet another provision which can ensure a gretaer social support to the soldiers as employees who incurred work related injuries.