Intrepid brain injury facility opens in Md. - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Intrepid brain injury facility opens in Md.

BETHESDA, Md. — Sponsors of a new military medical center in Bethesda say they want to turn the unseen war wounds of mental illness and traumatic brain injury into badges of honor.

The Defense Department cut the ribbon Thursday on the $65 million National Intrepid Center of Excellence at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. The center was built with private funds by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

New York real estate magnate Arnold Fisher, whose Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund raised the money for the center, says veterans who suffered psychological or neurological damage have long been stigmatized by should be celebrated for their sacrifice.

Brain injuries are common among service members who have been exposed to blasts from the bombs used by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The center will test new treatment methods and introduce patients and their families to services available for those suffering from brain damage and psychological problems.