"U.S. Troops Persist in Training with Brain Injury-Prone Weapons"

Despite evidence of the serious and lasting harm caused by repetitive blasts from weapons like shoulder-fired rockets, U.S. troops continue to train with these weapons, exposing themselves to blast waves far above safety limits. Congress has ordered the military to set safety limits and track troops' exposure, leading to the creation of the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative. However, little has changed on the ground, with troops reporting minimal efforts to limit or track blast exposure. The military's failure to take practical steps to ensure safety has raised concerns about the long-term consequences for mental health and brain damage. Efforts to issue blast gauges to service members and monitor blast exposure have been delayed, despite evidence that troops change their behavior to avoid blasts when provided with real-time monitoring.