USSOCOM Brain Health
1st SOF Truth: "People Are More Important Than Hardware"
USSOCOM is committed to aligning medical and operational resources to ensure the brain health and superior cognitive performance of SOF Service Members. This program proactively sustains and extends the lifecycle of our Forces, ensuring optimal healthcare for warfighters during and after service.
USSOCOM's Commitment to Brain Health
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Intent: Monitor, enhance, and advance the cognitive health and performance of SOF Service Members to meet operational demands now and in the future.
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End State: USSOCOM sets the standard for effectively monitoring, optimizing, and protecting SOF personnel brain health and cognitive performance, connecting Service Members to resources during and after service.
Brain Health Lines of Effort
Monitor
Monitor brain health and cognitive performance to keep warfighters lethal longer.
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Objectives:
- Collect data and document symptoms and exposures to blasts/overpressure, blunt force/impact, projectiles, directed energy, chemical/biological toxins, and other environmental hazards.
- Establish career-long monitoring to define repeated low-level blast exposure thresholds and mitigate injuries.
- Synchronize efforts to implement protection measures for SOF cognitive performance.
Enhance
Optimize cognitive capacity, agility, and resilience.
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Objectives:
- Implement evidence-based enhancement strategies/training.
- Track performance, provide feedback, and develop objective cognitive performance measures for SOF warfighters.
Advance
Leverage innovation in science and technology (S&T) to further cognitive function and protection.
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Objectives:
- Collaborate with DoD, academia, and industry partners to develop solutions for SOF personnel brain health.
- Utilize collected data to reduce risk for blast and impact injuries, identify best practices, and sustain material that protects cognition throughout an operator's career.
Connect
Support USSOCOM SOF wounded, ill, and injured warfighters and their families with lifetime advocacy after life-altering trauma or illness, enhancing their quality of life.
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Objectives:
- Locate appropriate treatment programs (government or private/community-based) to address SOF warfighter needs.
- Develop partnerships with government agencies (e.g., Department of Veterans Affairs) and private organizations specializing in treating TBI and associated comorbidities (e.g., PTSD, chronic migraine, chronic pain, obstructive sleep apnea).
Brain Health Hub
Access tailored resources and information through the documents below:
USSOCOM Brain Health Documents
USSOCOM Brain Health Directive 40-6
Brain Health Information Sheet
Comprehensive Assessment and Symptom History (CASH) Information Sheet
DoW Brain Health Documents
DoW Warfighter Brain Health Initiative Strategy and Action Plan 508c
DoW Requirements for Managing Brain Health Risks from Blast Overpressure Memo 8 August 2024
DoW Anomalous Health Incident Policy 2021
DoW Warfighter Brain Health Research Strategy January 2024
Link to DoW Warfighter Brain Health Page -
https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Warfighter-Brain-Health
Addl. Brain Health Resources