TBI research neglects special operations forces, report says
By Michael Peck
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025
A Ranger assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment fires a rocket at his targets during a live fire training exercise at Ft. Johnson, Louisiana, in 2023. (Sgt. Paul Won)
Research into traumatic brain injuries has neglected the effect of TBI on special operations forces, according to a new study by a U.S. think tank.
“There is limited research focused on TBI among SOF, although this population faces a higher risk of blast exposure and TBI,” according to a report published by the Rand Corporation earlier this month. Special operations personnel “experience higher rates of blast exposure and repetitive neurological stress in both combat and training compared with other service members,” the report’s authors wrote.
The report reviewed TBI studies from 2015 to 2025, with a focus on the SOF community. Out of 480 research papers on TBI that Rand reviewed, Army and Marine Corps personnel were the most frequently studied populations, according to the report, and “only seven papers focused solely on SOF, and 14 included SOF in mixed samples.”
In addition to special operations forces, there has been little research into identifying and treating TBI among airmen, sailors, National Guard troops and reservists, “even though these groups face high risks,” the report notes.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/11/27/tbi-research-neglects-special-operations-forces-report-says/
