ARMY AL&T


A BETTER BUNKER


New designs will protect against brain injuries.


by Tim Reeves and Chris Kieffer I


n the early hours of Jan. 8, 2020, American troops and civilians stationed at the Al Asad Air Base in Iraq put the finishing touches on their preparations for an impend- ing attack from Iranian forces.


Tanks to advance information and intelligence, commanders on the ground were given time to move many of the troops and each of the base’s 51 aircraft to safety.


Tose who remained donned body armor and helmets and staged inside the base’s open- ended bunkers. While they knew of the impending attack, they did not know the extent of what they were facing.


With Iranian missiles en route, the estimated 2,000 remaining troops sought protection in the bunkers designed to protect them against rockets and mortars. But, during the ensuing 80-minute bombardment, the threat was far more and far larger than expected.


Troughout the barrage, the base was battered by more than a dozen ballistic missiles, carry- ing warheads in excess of 1,000 pounds.


As the echo of the final strike subsided, leaders took stock of the damage and injuries. Early reports found that although the damage was significant, no one was killed. However, in the weeks and months that followed, more than 100 service members and civilian contractors at the base were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).


Tose injuries were tied back to the blast waves generated during the attack and how those waves echoed and were further amplified throughout the bunkers.


BRAIN WORK In response to this attack and the resulting injuries, engineers and scientists at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Transatlantic Division and the USACE Protective


https://asc.ar my.mil


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