Alaska Base Expands for Brain Injured

[unhappycamper]

Alaska Base Expands for Brain Injured
March 19, 2009
Associated Press

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - Behind Dan DeRosa's smiling face lurks a dull headache that never goes away. He suffers from memory lapses and hears a shrill ringing in his ears akin to the lingering squeal of a heavy metal concert.

These are some of the unseen scars left by a roadside bomb in Iraq. But at the Air Force's only traumatic brain injury clinic, the 26-year-old Soldier is learning new skills to deal with the aftermath of the blast.

"I wouldn't say my memory really is getting any better, but my ability to adapt to the fact that my memory's really not getting any better has gotten a lot better," said DeRosa, a sergeant assigned to Fort Richardson in Anchorage.

He is among 1,500 patients screened since the TBI Clinic opened at neighboring Elmendorf Air Force Base and one of 75 currently monitored on a regular basis.

The clinic was established in early 2007 at the Elmendorf hospital. Base medics and officials anticipated that some of the 3,500 paratroopers with the 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq from Fort Richardson would return with the war's signature wound.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/alaska-base-expands-for-brain-injured.html?col=1186032320397

[geckosfeet]

1. Squirreled away up in Alaska. Nice.

[unhappycamper]

3. I thought that was a nice touch also. n/t

[Olney Blue]

2. Thank you for this post. I hope our injured troops will get the

best care possible.

[pinto]

4. "the war's signature wound"

A lot said in those few words.