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New measures are being implemented by the Pentagon to safeguard the cognitive well-being of troops, such as requiring initial cognitive assessments for all new recruits starting next year to facilitate the later diagnosis of traumatic brain injuries in their careers.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks issued a directive on Friday, instructing the services to enhance the distance between personnel and explosive blasts during training exercises to minimize exposure.

Protective gear should also be supplied to individuals operating specific weapons, including instructors, she stated.

The initiative follows nine months after Robert Card, a U.S. Army Reservist, carried out a shooting spree at a local bar and bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, resulting in the deaths of 18 individuals and the injury of 13 others.

An examination of Card’s brain postmortem by a Boston University center, shared by his family, indicated it was “probable” that he had experienced traumatic brain injury.

Card, a former U.S. Army Reservist and long-serving instructor at an Army hand grenade training facility, was believed to have been exposed to numerous minor explosions, according to experts at Boston University’s Concussion Legacy Foundation.

“Explosive overpressure is one of several factors that could have adverse effects on the cognitive health of military personnel,” Hicks stated in a declaration, noting that her directive “expands on current initiatives” within the military to “alleviate the repercussions of explosive overpressure.”

The impact of “blast overpressure” on brain health is still not fully comprehended by researchers, as acknowledged by Hicks in her memo. However, experts concur that frequent exposure could have an impact on an individual’s brain well-being and cognitive function, leading to issues like migraines, lack of focus, and amnesia.

Brain assessments at the baseline level are designed to facilitate the identification of brain injuries by comparing pre-explosion brain scans.

At present, the military only administers cognitive tests at the baseline stage to troops prior to deployment. Nonetheless, this method would fail to identify injuries resulting from training sessions.

A recent Pentagon regulation now necessitates baseline testing for all new recruits after December 31. Existing active-duty personnel will also undergo baseline assessments by the end of 2025, in addition to new guidelines aimed at minimizing exposure to blast waves during training.

“This directive does not aim to prevent or unreasonably limit commanders from conducting essential weapon training,” Hicks stated in the memorandum. “Rather, it establishes protocols for practical risk management measures to reduce and monitor blast overpressure exposures across the Department of Defense.”