Alan Johnson survived a ballistic missile assault whereas on deployment in Iraq. Now, he and others are encouraging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to swiftly reform how traumatic mind accidents (TBIs) are detected and studied.
Johnson, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who served for over 27 years, survived an Iranian-fired ballistic missile on Jan. 8, 2020, whereas deployed to Al-Asad Airbase with the thirty fourth Expeditionary Fight Aviation Brigade. He and his colleagues skilled the largest-ever ballistic missile barrage on U.S. forces, with 15 such missiles fired at their base. Every missile carried warheads weighing roughly 1,500 kilos.
Quick ahead to March 5, 2026. Johnson supplied sworn testimony to the U.S. Home Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Well being, advocating for higher efforts to detect TBI along with poisonous publicity monitoring and offering long-term veteran care.
He outlined peer-reviewed analysis and post-attack environmental knowledge that he stated reveal the scope of accidents—which had been initially underdiagnosed and insufficiently tracked—sustained by lots of of service members. The Army ultimately awarded dozens of Purple Hearts to troopers who sustained TBIs.
For six years, we’ve gone by all the correct channels, and nothing occurred. After I retired and will converse extra freely, I made a decision to say extra.
“Between the blasts, the poisonous bomb web site and the radiation testing of some, however not all, personnel affected by the missile assaults—we knew one thing was mistaken nearly instantly. I’m grateful Congress invited us to additional talk about what’s occurred to the women and men that had been at Al-Asad,” Johnson added.
Together with Johnson, the next people additionally supplied sworn testimony to lawmakers: Dr. Rachel McArdle, deputy govt director of rehabilitation and prosthetic companies on the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs (VA); Dr. Joel Scholten, govt director of bodily drugs and rehabilitation on the VA; Buster Miscusi, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran; and Dr. Russell Gore, chief medical officer on the Avalon Motion Alliance.
Knocked Out Twice From Mega Blast
On the day of the record-breaking missile barrage, Johnson was connected to Delta Firm, 2nd Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment, 82nd Fight Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.
He testified to members of Congress that in the course of the ordeal he was sheltered in an oblique hearth shelter that was designed and supposed to guard in opposition to rockets, small arms, grenades or mortar hearth. It was not constructed to discourage a hailstorm of ballistic missiles the likes of which reigned down that day.
2020 missile assault which lacked a protecting door and provided restricted safety
from close by blast impacts. (Alan Johnson testimony)
“I’ve no reminiscence of the primary three missile impacts as a result of the third missile affect knocked me unconscious,” Johnson recalled. “I wakened simply in time to expertise missiles 4, 5 and 6.”
All of those missiles had been in shut proximity to my place, with No. 6 impacting 60 ft away from me. The following huge percussive wave knocked me unconscious for a second time.
The missiles precipitated “catastrophic harm” to mission-essential infrastructure, residing quarters and help techniques, in accordance with Johnson.
Well being points Johnson sustained from the barrage led to diagnoses of TBI and post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD). Cranial nerve harm he suffered has precipitated lingering points like double imaginative and prescient, damaged tooth, persistent insomnia, ringing in his ears, neck ache, steadiness issues, and problem in phrase discovering.
I really feel extra emotionally distant from my spouse, youngsters and buddies. I fear about whether or not I’ll ever once more be the husband, father and good friend that I used to be earlier than that assault, as I’ve skilled hypervigilance, paranoia and melancholy.
“I’m additionally at the moment in a thyroid surveillance program because of a lot of new thyroid nodules which have developed for the reason that assault and publicity to the poisonous setting,” Johnson added.
Put up-Assault Research, Findings
In an effort to find how that day’s occasions plagued not solely him however his fellow service members, Johnson got down to tie knowledge to the well being repercussions.
He co-authored analysis analyzing 583 service members uncovered to the missile strike on that January day, discovering that greater than 80% of the U.S. army personnel on the airbase reported blast publicity whereas almost half skilled persistent signs 4-6 weeks after the actual fact—together with sleep disturbances, nervousness and complications.
A follow-up cohort research discovered that 34 of 35 sufferers inside 100 meters of a blast affect met standards for gentle TBI, as further circumstances had been recognized weeks later by expanded screening.
and heavy metals in crater soil. (Alan Johnson testimony)
Johnson advised the committee that present discipline screening instruments, such because the Navy Acute Concussion Analysis (MACE-2), didn’t detect many gentle or delayed TBIs instantly after the assault. The underreporting of signs was frequent amongst troopers decided to stay in mission-essential roles, he testified, with many resuming duties “inside hours” and even assisted in space cleanup operations later decided to be contaminated.
“These findings affirm what many people skilled—that blast-related mind accidents are sometimes delayed, refined and simply missed in austere fight environments,” Johnson advised the Home committee.
Put up-attack testing knowledge of the environmental affect on these service members detected radioactive isotopes, heavy metals and poisonous chemical substances on the web site. A propellant within the missiles contained one other toxin, ammonium perchlorate, a robust oxidizer and irritant linked to opposed well being results.
Johnson testified that a number of service members, together with himself, later developed thyroid abnormalities. He’s at the moment in a thyroid surveillance program after the event of recent nodules.
Congressional Mandates to Detect, Restrict TBIs
The Iranian missile blast had numerous repercussions, not only for Johnson however others who served the USA.
One of many troopers Johnson helped deal with within the assault’s aftermath was Specialist Jason Quitugua, who suffered a TBI and died by suicide on Oct. 7, 2021. Quitugua had been identified with a TBI that precipitated him complications, insomnia, PTSD and extreme melancholy as a part of the assault that Johnson stated “in the end price him his life.”
One other service member, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas Caudill, had imaging seem regular below routine diagnostics at the same time as he suffered important cognitive signs.
Johnson proposed the next mandates for Congress to deal with:
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Improved discipline TBI screening instruments able to detecting refined and delayed accidents.
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Mind MRI and MRV imaging after blast publicity.
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Baseline and follow-up neuropsychological testing.
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Thyroid ultrasound screening with annual follow-up.
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Expanded most cancers screening protocols for blast-exposed personnel.
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Annual baseline laboratory testing to detect early illness markers.
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Elevated federal funding in analysis targeted on restoring mind perform, not solely managing signs.
positioned, roughly 60 ft from the affect web site. (Alan Johnson testimony)
The Protection and Veterans Mind Damage Middle (DVBIC) has reported almost 414,000 TBIs amongst U.S. service members worldwide between 2000 and late 2019, in accordance with the VA. Greater than 185,000 Veterans who use VA for his or her well being care have been identified with a minimum of one TBI, with nearly all of circumstances labeled as “gentle.”
Johnson additionally warned of the potential adverse repercussions to U.S. veterans who might not solely develop opposed well being situations but in addition don’t get blessed with the reality.
Throughout his testimony he referenced Hansen v. Islamic Republic of Iran, the place federal courts dismissed claims by 185 service members and households as a result of the missile assault didn’t end in fatalities amongst plaintiffs and subsequently didn’t meet the statutory definition of “extrajudicial killing” below the International Sovereign Immunities Act terrorism exception.
“If we fail to diagnose and doc these accidents early,” Johnson testified, “veterans lose entry to care and lose the evidentiary basis needed for entry to those medical sources.”
