The New York Times (5/2, Philipps) reports that a “120-millimeter heavy mortar…unleashes enough explosive force to hurl a 31-pound bomb four miles,” and “the heads of the soldiers who fire it are just inches from the blast.” Yet, “the military says that those blasts are not powerful enough to cause brain injuries.” Meanwhile, “soldiers say that the Army is not seeing the evidence sitting in its own hospital waiting rooms.” In more than two dozen interviews, the Times found that “soldiers who served at different bases and in different eras said that over the course of firing thousands of mortar rounds in training, they developed symptoms that match those of traumatic brain injury, including headaches, insomnia, confusion, frayed memory, bad balance, racing hearts, paranoia, depression and random eruptions of rage or tears.” However, nothing was reported.
Related Links:
— “The New York Times (requires login and subscription)