Notes For Military Boat Operators

Research is finally catching up to what many of us in the boat operations community have known for years: the job comes with real, long‑term physical and cognitive consequences. 

Operators from Naval Special Warfare Command

Coast Guard DSF units, pursuit and tactical crews

Coast Guard Heavy‑weather & SAR crews

All routinely take a beating from repetitive wave‑slam impacts, high‑speed maneuvers, excessive vibration, and gear load. Over time, those forces add up - causing traumatic brain injuries, concussions, musculoskeletal injuries to the neck and back and sleep disturbances from the cognitive disruptions that often go unnoticed or unreported.

There’s also growing evidence about blast overpressure affecting gunners on M2 .50 caliber and M240 machine guns, and even the short‑barrel shotguns used in disabling‑fire.

In 2026, I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury tied to my U.S. Coast Guard service. The doctor said that I probably carried it for half my career, which explains a lot! If you’re a current operator or a veteran of these mission sets and you feel “off,” please get checked out. You’re not imagining it.

We’ve lost good people because they didn’t know what they were dealing with or didn’t get help in time. That’s why I built this page - to collect and share articles that might help someone recognize the signs early. These aren’t medical recommendations, just resources that helped me and may help you.

Know of an article worth sharing? Send it in and we’ll add it to the list!

If you’re on Instagram and want to dive deeper into ongoing research, operator health, and emerging tech in this space, give ROE Labs a follow: https://www.instagram.com/roe.labs/

Boat Operations

• Inspector General's Report on Sufficiency of the Naval Special Warfare Command's Five Potential Solutions in the Traumatic Brain Injury Operational Deficiency Report. https://media.defense.gov/2026/Mar/31/2003904895/-1/-1/1/DODIG-2026-074_REDACTED_SECURE.PDF?fbclid=IwY2xjawRM05tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeK9hvk-Ve-mzIOKkBlnM8ZRLJK5x9xQhBS2mk3c9MyLmCSvskECYTpLKaDNY_aem_s2K2RYZL7knK1Ah0LjO8nw 

• Protecting the Force: USU Studies Blast Overpressure Risk in Special Operations Forces and Female and Male Bomb Disposal Technicians. Published by Uniform Services University (USU): https://news.usuhs.edu/2026/01/protecting-force-usu-studies-blast.html?m=1

• An information paper published by Traumatic Brain Center of Excellence on risks faced by operators of fast boats: https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Publications/2025/03/13/Information-Paper-on-Military-High-Speed-Boat-Injuries#:~:text=Crew%20members%20operating%20military%20high,impacts%20induced%20by%20wave%2Dslamming

• Research published in JAMA Network highlighting how high-speed boat operators are affected by wave impacts, vibrations, and repetitive exposure: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2846505

• Navy Must Do More to Protect SWCC Crews from Shock Trauma, IG Finds: https://news.usni.org/2026/04/15/navy-must-do-more-to-protect-swcc-crews-from-shock-trauma-ig-finds?fbclid=IwY2xjawRMx5VleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBpQ3hhZ3hNbktMUkVESENxc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmyrs-6J2a86td2yu05YfmGZlgvA87nrjLTwRFGdvJKzE5gIFPEYNrhICd-v_aem_ts9qQgqmVR52TUXDpOWl2A

• Sudden impacts in Naval Special Warefare high-speed boats. A study Dahlgren Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center: https://combatantcraftcrewman.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Impact-Reports-1.pdf

• Does Military High-speed Boat Slamming Cause Severe Injuries and Disability? Published by Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9556009/pdf/abjs-480-2163.pdf

• Occult Neurotrauma in Naval Special Warfare Combat Crewmen and Fast Boat Operators published by CND Neurosurgery: https://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/fulltext/2026/04001/493_occult_neurotrauma_in_naval_special_warfare.369.aspx?fbclid=IwY2xjawRM0xZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeLMqfNxCHiOP-lrW1K9v2nd2R08Wt4ApwERaWw_7N4Ole3rP7RklggECQJMg_aem_GQZ3rN4JduxSY2Cjq9OnPA

• How the NATO study MASHIEN will reduce damage at sea. Published by the Nordic Defense Sector (Convert to English): https://nordicdefencesector.com/sv/article/how-the-nato-study-aims-to-reduce-damage-at-sea

• Small-Boat Operators Are Overexposed to Whole-Body Vibration published in U.S. Naval Institute: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/august/small-boat-operators-are-overexposed-whole-body-vibration

• Impact-Induced TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) on High-Speed Boat Operators. Presentation from the HSBO Forum - 2025. Uniformed Services University: https://hsbo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/07.-DANIEL-PERL-Fastboat-Meeting-June-2025-FINAL.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawRM2W9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe7tKLof-jm7T6aTQWcI4lW9PYgxw6-hy70uf688WpLpd-0DB5FoDZupg2Xko_aem_Yjcinb_llEZz2Ju-hlmcXQ

• The Lasting Physical Impact of Operating the 47-Foot Motor Lifeboat and Legacy Platforms. A Comprehensive Analysis of the Forces Experienced, the Injuries Sustained, and the Case for Recognition: https://medium.com/%40lesslie_67334/to-the-surfmen-of-the-united-states-coast-guard-aa00cc45fb9f

• Traumatic Brain Injury in Australian Special Forces Boat Crews: An Urgent Call for Action. Published in Pro Patria Centre: https://www.propatria.com.au/ppc-news/traumatic-brain-injury-in-australian-special-forces-boat-crews-an-urgent-call-for-action?sfnsn=mo&brid=f0mZ-bRHmXxEqEa2UanMAQ&fbclid=IwY2xjawRM2kdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeW-TOJZ3NGiIncsrOL5Wk8oiDr1MbtXu-ahTCegFFYRrcta9ljIbz2ZjnaIA_aem_X-814D1Q469QnGpJ5purRA

• The fight to expose hidden brain injuries that are killing veterans: https://www.audacy.com/connectingvets/get-help/the-fight-to-expose-hidden-brain-injuries-killing-veterans?utm_campaign=sharebutton&fbclid=IwY2xjawRM2zVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEevf5NyY5jZxUd5WtIhytYm2Z9-f5q31lzVqgfRa8c0-uUeshK0HmqwOCseUk_aem_ubC-TomY30HZCzc08m7wDA

• A survey of self-reported injuries among special boat operators. Published by the Naval Health Research Center: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA421234.pdf

• A Shocking Success Story: How a Navy Doctor Revolutionized High-speed Boat Safety. Published in Marine Link: https://www.marinelink.com/news/a-shocking-success-story-a-navy-doctor-517595?fbclid=IwY2xjawRM3i5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeqK5CNVMyAMFLP7saim4c3t7hVwF3w7J3pkHBfd9qsR8DZW0UYiP9I_Xp5rk_aem_70fvXJmlkD7AthgRpxeTUQ

Helmets

• Research posted by AMSUS The Society of Federal Health Professionals concerning lack of protection by helmets: https://academic.oup.com/milmed/advance-article/doi/10.1093/milmed/usag047/8490673?searchresult=1

Weapons Systems and Blast Exposure

• Blast overpressure Reference for .50 cal arms posted on Health.mil: https://health.mil/reference-center/publications/2024/10/01/DOD-blast-overpressure-guide

• Research published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation concerning biological aging in veterans: https://journals.lww.com/headtraumarehab/fulltext/9900/accelerated_epigenetic_aging_in_veterans_exposed.355.aspx

• Research published in The Lancet Neurology maps out 16 ways that blast overpressure can negatively affect the brain: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1474442213701613

• Exposures of Helicopter Pilots and Gunners to Firearm Noise and Lead During Gunnery Target Training Exercises published by the U.S. HHS, CDC & NIOSH: https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172450/cdc_172450_DS1.pdf