Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are often considered the signature wound of war. On Jan. 24, The Politico headlines read “34 troops diagnosed with brain injuries days after Trump dismissed them as ‘headaches.’”
U.S. troops are suffering from traumatic brain injuries caused by an airstrike by Iran on an Iraqi base housing U.S. troops. Trump calls it “headaches” and “not very serious.”
Trump’s follow-up remark was, “I don’t consider them severe injuries relative to other injuries that I’ve seen.” Is this because you can’t see the brain suffering as you can see the suffering of a torn arm or leg? Perhaps, however, TBI is an injury that you will have for life.
TBI changes the lives of the sufferer and their families. It is associated with psychological distress, suicide attempts, substance abuse and depression. It changes behaviors and personality that impact functioning. TBI can also cause long term, permanent memory loss, dizziness and fatigue. Symptoms can increase in severity over time, TBI must be taken seriously and treatment is needed immediately.
Other causes of TBI include but are not limited to, car accidents, falls and football. The types, symptoms and complications are too numerous to list in this article.
Trump’s comments are thoughtless, disgraceful and disrespectful. I wonder how he would view TBI if it happened to him; surely, it would be a serious injury then. But how can he relate when he had five deferments?
My advice to Trump is, if you don’t know what something is, look it up before you open your mouth. Google it. You might have half a chance to sound intelligent.
A U.S. war veteran group is expecting an apology from Trump for his comments that downplayed traumatic brain injuries. I doubt that will ever happen because Trump is “perfect” and never wrong.
Maureen Humphrey
Charlemont