The total number of U.S. service members injured as a result of the Jan. 8 Iranian missile strike has increased by 14 over the past two days bringing the total number of injuries to 64.
First reported by CNN's Barbara Starr, 64 U.S. service members have now been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injuries. Of those 64, 39 have returned to duty in Iraq.
Military officials have received criticism following repeated news of increases in the number of service members injured in the strike. Originally, statements from President Donald Trump and officials claimed there were no injuries. During the weeks since, the number of reported injuries has increased five times.
US injuries from Iranian missile strike increases to 50
However, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a Pentagon briefing that these periodic increases are to be expected as screening procedures are still in progress.
“In this particular case —TBI, that takes some time to manifest itself. It’s not an immediate thing necessarily," Milley said.
So far, approximately 250 service members have been medically screened.
When the president was asked why he did not initially report the TBIs as injuries sustained in the retaliatory Iranian strike, he said he did not believe the TBIs were "serious injuries." While he has since received backlash for that statement from veteran organizations and members of Congress, Milley confirmed that, using the scale on which wounded in action is assessed in the military, mild TBIs are not "serious."
The VFW wants Trump to apologize for what he said about TBI injuries
The three categories of wounded in action, “very serious injuries,” “serious injuries,” and “not-serious injuries” help military medical personnel decide what type of care is necessary. Currently, the TBIs suffered by those in Iraq, are labeled as a “not-serious injury," Milley explained.
“That doesn’t mean they’re not injured … that’s not to minimize or dismiss,” Milley said. “That might change. These things are cumulative too so if you get multiple concussions that could manifest down the road, that could be a year or two years.”
Defense Secretary says TBI 'is an injury we need to keep educating everybody about.'
But both Milley and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper also reiterated that brain injuries are, in fact, of large importance to the military.
“This is an injury we need to keep educating everybody about – the Hill, all of you, the American people and even myself. It’s a learning process for many of us,” Esper said.
Connecting Vets reporters Kaylah Jackson and Abbie Bennett contributed to this report.
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