(CBS)- Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have left hundreds of thousands of U.S. service members struggling with traumatic brain injury. Even mild cases can have lasting effects.
In one month, Sgt. Maj. Rodney Rhoades will retire from the Army, where he’s spent 32 years, serving in places like Somalia and Iraq. Those years of service took a toll. His memory began to fail. So did his ability to focus and retain information. Rhodes was diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
“I wanted to fix it right now, today, what the problem was. That’s what soldiers do,” Rhoades said.
Most people recover from mild TBI. But about 15% continue to experience symptoms, which include mental health problems like depression and cognitive changes, including problems with memory and attention. Since 2000, nearly 400,000 service members have been diagnosed with TBI. CONTINUE