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symptoms of TBI

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By Jennifer Bucholtz
Criminal Justice Faculty at American Military University

Recently, Americans have witnessed a drastic increase in publicity regarding the long-reaching effects of concussions, particularly in professional football players. This increased awareness has, no doubt, provided support for multiple neurological studies, with the goal of pinpointing physical damage to players’ brains and identifying the long-term physical and emotional effects of this damage. Though these brain injuries are serious no matter the patient’s profession, they affect an even larger sub-section of our society: our military members.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are considered the “invisible injury” of our men and women engaged in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Though the physical damage that results from a TBI is not always apparent, the manifestation of other side effects is quite obvious. Unfortunately, countless military members who suffer one or more TBIs, while in combat, return stateside a distant variation of their former selves. Some, having been previously law-abiding citizens, turn to criminal behavior upon their return.