Congress is considering a new bill that would require the Pentagon to take action to safeguard soldiers from the harmful effects of repeated exposure to explosive shock waves. Lawmakers from both political parties are set to introduce a comprehensive bill on Wednesday, mandating the military to monitor and limit troops’ exposure to damaging shock waves caused by firing their own weapons.
For a long time, routine exposure to blasts during training and combat was thought to be harmless. However, recent research suggests that repeated exposure can result in microscopic brain injuries, leading to severe mental health issues such as mood swings, insomnia, substance abuse, panic attacks, and even suicide.
Dubbed the Blast Overpressure Safety Act, the proposed law would compel the military to start recording individual blast exposures of troops during training. Additionally, it would require exposed troops to undergo regular neurocognitive tests to detect potential injuries. Furthermore, military medical personnel would receive training to recognize blast-related injuries, which are often misdiagnosed or overlooked.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Joni Ernst plan to introduce the bill in the Senate, while Representative Ro Khanna will introduce a similar version in the House. Senator Warren emphasized the urgency of addressing traumatic brain injuries resulting from blasts and criticized the Department of Defense for not acting swiftly enough.
The proposed legislation also calls for changes in weapon design to minimize blast waves. Many current heavy weapons produce shock waves that exceed safe levels. The bill would mandate modifications to existing weapons and consider blast wave mitigation when acquiring new ones.
The military’s current blast safety guidelines are acknowledged to be flawed, leading to injuries among troops exposed to supposedly safe weapons. The bill aims to update these guidelines and make weapon blast intensity data publicly available.
This isn’t the first time Senators Warren and Ernst have pressed the military on blast exposure. Previous laws required the military to measure blast intensity and document service members’ exposure, but implementation has been slow. Soldiers and Marines working with heavy weapons report seeing few changes in the field.
Exposure to blast waves can devastate soldiers, particularly career personnel who may suffer severe consequences late in their service. Erratic behavior resulting from brain injuries may be misunderstood as misconduct, leading to punishment and denial of medical benefits. The proposed law seeks to address these issues and prioritize the health and well-being of service members.