Investigation Spurs Coast Guard on Waves Causing Brain Injuries

Long-ignored damage from pounding seas is now on the Coast Guard's official radar. In an all-hands email sent hours after a New York Times investigation ran, the Coast Guard's commandant warned that repeated "wave pounding" on small boats is causing brain injuries that often go unnoticed and pledged decisive action to better prevent, detect, and treat them, the Times reports.

Crews have long reported headaches, memory problems, mood shifts, and other issues typically written off as stress or PTSD. Adm. Kevin Lunday said a new brain health initiative will train personnel to spot symptoms, reduce stigma around reporting, and adopt new monitoring and treatment standards with help from civilian experts and other military branches. The Coast Guard is already collecting impact data via sensors on small boats, and Lunday stressed brain care as key to readiness.