Army Medical Command released a video Tuesday describing traumatic brain injuries and how they impact unit readiness, days after President Donald Trump was criticized for downplaying their seriousness.
TBI has gotten more focus after at 50 least troops were diagnosed with it following an Iranian airstrike on Al Asad Air Base in Iraq earlier this month. In response to reporters' questions last week, Trump said the troops had "headaches."
The video appears to be meant for the Army's Facebook cover during Brain Injury Awareness Month, held in March.
The 43-second video explains through on-screen text over music that a concussion is a mild TBI and can cause anxiety, mood changes, difficulty sleeping, vision changes and dizziness, among other symptoms.
Related: Pentagon: More TBI Diagnoses Expected Following Attack on US Troops in Iraq
TBI "impacts unit readiness through decreased: situational awareness, marksmanship, work performance," it states, linking to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center's website for more information.
More than 400,000 service members have been diagnosed with TBI since 2000, according to the center. It defines TBI as a "significant health issue" that can also cause temporary gaps in memory, irritability and depression.
Despite initial reports that no Americans were harmed during the attack on Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, officials now say that at least 50 service members have been diagnosed with TBI. The type and severity have not been revealed.
On Thursday, officials said they expect the number of troops affected by the Al Asad airstrike to rise.
-- Dorothy Mills-Gregg can be reached at dorothy.mills-gregg@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DMillsGregg.
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