Sens. Moran, Smith Introduce Legislation to Create DoD Pilot Program on Injury Prediction & Prevention

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today introduced the bipartisan Military Readiness and Injury Prevention Act, S. 1860, to help reduce servicemember musculoskeletal injuries. This legislation would require the Department of Defense to create a pilot program to evaluate musculoskeletal injury risk profiles and necessary training interventions, based on unique service requirements and tactical personnel needs.

“Whether in training or on the battlefield, the men and women who serve our nation are at risk for injury,” said Sen. Moran. “Our bipartisan proposal would provide the Armed Services the ability to utilize emerging technology to help prevent and treat musculoskeletal injuries that affect our servicemembers, which will increase the readiness, resiliency and deployability of our forces.”

“Right now, injuries that can hurt Americans’ stability and their ability to move freely—known as musculoskeletal injuries—are one of the top sources of disability and injury for the women and men who serve our nation. These injuries result in millions of dollars in health care visits and limited-duty days, not to mention the physical toll these injuries take on servicemembers,” said Sen. Smith. “We’re introducing our bipartisan bill that would create a pilot program to prevent and reduce injuries, as well as cut down on health care costs to create a healthier and more capable military.”