New Mortar and Rocket Training Simulators Could Shield Marines from Blasts Linked to Brain Injury

Marines will be using a new simulated mortar and recoilless rocket trainer that could help to protect them from exposure to heavy blasts as concerns over brain injuries from even routine military training have grown.

The Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer, which is currently in use at five Marine Corps bases across the world, allows troops to practice firing the weapons without being exposed to what is called blast overpressure, the shock wave from munitions that is linked to the injuries.

Earlier last month -- before the Marine Corps' simulator announcement -- the Pentagon issued a new policy to track and reduce the risks of blast exposure among service members following pressure from Congress. Previous Military.com reporting showed that traumatic brain injuries have been linked to suicide among veterans and that for years the Department of Defense had effectively ignored the issue.

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"Risk reduction is another positive effect of using virtual systems in advance of live training as it allows individual Marines and crews to hone their drills and weapons handling procedures," Morgan Blackstock, a spokesperson for Marine Corps Systems Command, told Military.com on Monday.

"The fact that using these virtual systems does not introduce additional blast overpressure, or other safety hazards, is a positive byproduct of the technology used," she said.

Blackstock said that the simulators will not replace live-fire training, but are meant as a supplement. Simulators are used widely by the military for small-arms training as well.

Simulators now give Marines a chance to get their hands on simulated 81mm mortars and the Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon Systems, or MAAWS.

Veterans reported brain injuries from improvised explosives or other ordnance blasts while serving during the Global War on Terror, and that contributed to long-term brain decay, injury and symptoms contributing to suicide, according to Military.com reporting.

But the injuries were not limited to battlefield exposure. The New York Times reported in May that artillerymen and service members who use mortars and antitank weapons, including in training, were experiencing similar brain injuries to those seen among troops who served in war.

"Understanding the risks associated with repeated blast exposure," the Marine Corps said in the simulator announcement on Aug. 22, the program manager for training systems "has fielded the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer, which allows Marines across the installation to maintain their proficiency with various weapons systems without the need for live ammunition."

The simulator, which is fielded at Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms, California; Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; and Camp Hansen in Japan, can also be used to practice shooting with night vision goggles and on range qualification courses.

"From a safety perspective, we are committed to preventing negligent discharges," Tripp Elliott, the Marine Corps Systems Command head of safety, said in the release. "We're also focused on mitigating the impacts on hearing and preventing traumatic brain injuries. This has a huge impact. It's crucial that, while training, personnel do so correctly."

Related: They Said the Rise in Military Suicide Is a Mystery. Traumatic Brain Injury May Be an Answer.