stickers on uniforms and helmets, may provide an objective measurement of blast exposure. Despite the array of promising strategies, for the time being diagnosis still depends, as it did in WWI, on clinical assessment, which may now involve computer-administered examinations such as the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics: you experience any of “Did the following: Dazed, confused, saw stars? How much does this word describe how you feel? ‘Shaky.’ ” a blast event can be created for very little COMPLEX AS IT MAY BE, money and with minimal expertise. Explosively formed penetrators, a type of IED used to pierce armored vehicles, can be assembled for a few dollars. Disks that become bullet-shaped and molten hot as they fly through the air, these explosive projectiles can, in the words of one ordnance expert, cut through an armored car a hot butter knife.” “like In this way 25 dollars’ worth of technology can take out a armored vehicle and kill or inflict grievous injury on the soldiers in it. The cost of their medical care—possibly over decades—will add significantly to the economic disparity. Given this cost-effectiveness, explosive force is likely to remain a signature weapon of modern warfare. Today, while researchers strive to figure out what goes on when blast force encounters the human brain, untold numbers of soldiers are struggling with the aftermath of their own encounters. BOOM. On patrol in Iraq in 2009, Robert Anetz felt the immense pressure against his body. Then everything went numb. “Everybody started shouting, you good? Are you good?’ You check for blood,” ‘Are Anetz said. There was no blood, so he thought he was good. But seven
stickers on uniforms and helmets, may provide an objective measurement of blast exposure. Despite the array of promising strategies, for the time being diagnosis still depends, as it did in WWI, on clinical assessment, which may now involve computer-administered examinations such as the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics: “Did you experience any of the following: Dazed, confused, saw stars? How much does this word describe how you feel? ‘Shaky.’ ” COMPLEX AS IT MAY BE, a blast event can be created for very little money and with minimal expertise. Explosively formed penetrators, a type of IED used to pierce armored vehicles, can be assembled for a few dollars. Disks that become bullet-shaped and molten hot as they fly through the air, these explosive projectiles can, in the words of one ordnance expert, cut through an armored car “like a hot butter knife.” In this way 25 dollars’ worth of technology can take out a armored vehicle and kill or inflict grievous injury on the soldiers in it. The cost of their medical care—possibly over decades—will add significantly to the economic disparity. Given this cost-effectiveness, explosive force is likely to remain a signature weapon of modern warfare. Today, while researchers strive to figure out what goes on when blast force encounters the human brain, untold numbers of soldiers are struggling with the aftermath of their own encounters. BOOM. On patrol in Iraq in 2009, Robert Anetz felt the immense pressure against his body. Then everything went numb. “Everybody started shouting, ‘Are you good? Are you good?’ You check for blood,” Anetz said. There was no blood, so he thought he was good. But seven
Blast-Force-National-Geographic.docx