Brain shock: The new Gulf War syndrome

[Soylent Brice]

ONE look at the effects of a bomb blast suggests that you'd have to be extremely lucky to emerge from one unscathed. If you were not burned by the explosion or blasted by shrapnel, the chances are you'd be hit by the shock wave. Travelling at several hundred metres per second, this causes massive fluctuations in air pressure which can knock you unconscious, rupture air-filled organs such as eardrums, lungs and bowels, and stretch and distort other major organs.

Soldiers serving with coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq know only too well how devastating bombs can be. The effect of shrapnel on bodies - amputated limbs, broken bones, lacerated and burned flesh - is plain enough. Less obvious and harder to understand are the long-term effects of the shock wave on the brain.

Weeks, months, or sometimes years after being concussed in an explosion, thousands of soldiers are reporting a mysterious clutch of problems. Dubbed post-concussion syndrome (PCS), symptoms include memory loss, dizziness, headaches, unexplained pains, nausea, disturbance of sleep, inability to concentrate and emotional problems.

more: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227051.700-brain-shock-the-new-gulf-war-syndrome.html

[DemoTex]

1. Cam Ranh ammo dump "Big Blow" of August 25, 1971 (shock wave PICS)

The shock waves from the USAF 15,000-pound BLU-82 bombs could knock you down a half a mile a way. The first of the many BLU-82 shock waves knocked me flat on my back as I sat crossed-legged on top of our bunker watching the "fireworks" from our location (Naval Air Facility - NAF), across the CRB runway complex from the ammo dump.


Cam Ranh Bay AFB, 1971 .. twenty seven (or so) of these "Daisy Cutter" BLU-82 15,000 pound bombs exploded between about 2 am (when the VC sappers hit the ammo dump) and 10 am. Notice the shock waves below the mushroom. Some of the Daisy Cutters detonated simultaneously. We thought for over an hour that it was small tactical nukes cooking off.


The BLU-82 inferno at Cam Ranh


Shock wave of a BLU-82. Versions of the BLU-82 were used in Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Reportedly, it has been "retired" (did the bomb get a gold watch? a pension?). Was it replaced by a Tac-Nuke?

[Soylent Brice]

2. that is nutzoid!

thanks for the pics!

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Take it from me, the real damage comes from Pretzel Shock. Smirk." - xCommander AWOL (R)

"I dodged my military responsibilities so I don't know nuttin about war wounds and shit like that, but take it from me, them there pretzels are Totally Shocking for Republicon Shirkers like me, xVP Dickie 'Five-Military-Deferments' Cheney, and our Chickenhawk Cronies. Smirk."

- xCommander AWOL (R)

[Soylent Brice]

4. your posts crack me up!!