Under a new program, Navy SEALs will be tested for brain injury when they first become special operators, then throughout their careers.
Typically secretive, the Naval Special Warfare Group One on Coronado announced that everyone who enters the SEALs or Special Boat Operators will undergo baseline testing of their brain function.
The SEALs are working with the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
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The program is part of the Navy’s overall effort to provide regular cognitive screenings and streamlined treatment. In the past, special operators with a concussion might have to make several appointments with different doctors — a particular problem for SEALs who face demanding training and deployment schedules.
Football and other professional sports have begun looking more seriously at the cumulative effect of traumatic brain injuries. The Veterans Affairs recently started a campaign to get more women to donate their brains to science, specifically so they can track the long-term impact of concussions.
