60 Minutes Segment Exploring Blast Injuries Highlights Urgent Need for Awareness and Research on a National Level

On Sunday, March 23, CBS’ 60 Minutes program spotlighted traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) sustained by military service members as a result of blast injuries in a segment titled “Larkin’s War.”

Blast injuries, a type of physical trauma resulting from direct or indirect exposure to an explosion, encompass a wide range of types of injuries, including brain injuries. The 60 Minutes segment featured an interview with Frank Larkin, father of former Navy SEAL Ryan Larkin, who took his own life in 2017 following four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and a post-deployment career as a training instructor for Navy recruits, during which he endured low-level, repeated shocks from his own weapons. Those repeated shocks left scarring on his brain, unseen by Navy doctors who scanned his brain while Ryan suffered from depression and alcoholism, but discovered after his death by Dr. Daniel Perl at the Uniformed Services University.

According to published research, more than two-thirds (67 percent) of American service members like Ryan have experienced at least one TBI, and since 2000, more than half a million service members have been diagnosed with a TBI. Recent reporting on the effects of low-level blast injury shows that this epidemic is far more widespread than previously understood.

“Stories like Ryan’s underscore how much we still need to learn about the physical and mental toll of active duty and reserve training,” said Rick Willis, President and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA). “Brain injuries are invisible to the eye, but their impacts are profound and lasting. BIAA is committed to advocating for resources and research to help the medical community better understand these injuries as well as improve prevention, treatment, and support for those who sacrifice so much for our country.”

TBIs affect a substantial portion of the military community, yet their long-term effects on veterans and service members are often overlooked. Recent media coverage like the 60 Minutes “Larkin’s War” segment underscores the urgent need for awareness and research to address the challenges associated with these injuries.

“The long-term effects of brain injuries on military service members and veterans remain an area ripe for exploration,” said Brent Masel, MD, BIAA’s National Medical Director and clinical professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “The bottom line is clear: we have much to learn, and progress depends on asking the right questions and pursuing the research needed to find answers. By committing to this effort, we can improve care, recovery, and quality of life for those who have served.”

The invisible epidemic of brain injury affects millions of Americans—veterans and civilians alike—who are often left to navigate complex, underfunded systems with little support. In 2024, Congress took an important step forward by including several brain injury provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act. These measures established safety thresholds for blast exposure, created a national repository for blast-related data, and included enforcement mechanisms to ensure military training adheres to newly adopted safety protocols. Additional provisions called for the standardization of TBI protocols and new guidelines to reduce exposure.

While these efforts are laudable, they fall short of what is needed. Prevention alone cannot serve the millions already living with the long-term effects of brain injury, including the mental health consequences that so often follow. Depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and even increased risk of suicide are common among brain injury survivors. Yet access to timely, comprehensive care is still woefully inadequate. Survivors often struggle to access post-acute services, encounter gaps in care, and face a fragmented healthcare landscape that doesn’t fully recognize the chronic nature of their condition.

In 2025, Congress will have the opportunity to make transformative change by supporting two critical bills: the Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025 and the National Brain Injury Action Plan. The former focuses specifically on veterans and the growing evidence linking exposure to low-level repetitive blasts—what Ryan Larkin sustained—with long-term brain damage. The bill will invest in research and care solutions that reflect the unique challenges faced by our service members.

The National Brain Injury Action Plan takes a broader approach, and focuses on both civilian and military survivors. It would mandate a federal interagency analysis of existing programs, services, and research related to brain injury. The result will be a coordinated, national framework that streamlines services, prioritizes targeted research, and improves diagnosis and treatment protocols across the board. The ultimate goal is to give our nation the tools it needs to understand brain injury comprehensively, and to ensure that every survivor receives timely, effective, appropriate care.

This is not only a matter of public health; it is a matter of national responsibility. We must ensure that those who serve our country are not returning home with an untreated, misunderstood chronic condition. We must ensure that civilians—children, athletes, workers, accident victims—receive the care they need to live full and meaningful lives after injury. And we must ensure that the mental health needs of brain injury survivors are not sidelined in policy debates or health systems planning.