Behind the mask - revealing the trauma of war
Brain trauma from blast force is the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, afflicting hundreds of thousands of U.S. combat personnel. Although unseen, the damage strikes deeply into a soldier’s mind and psyche. Brain injuries caused by blast events change soldiers in ways many can’t articulate. Some use art therapy, creating painted masks to express how they feel. (National Geographic)
Photography by Rebecca Hale and Lynn Johnson/National Geographic
Images from the January issue of National Geographic magazine
Portraits of soldiers in masks and their families (Part 1) »
Caroline Alexander's story on traumatic brain injury among vets (Part 2) »
Find more news related pictures on our photo galleries page and follow us on Tumblr.
