Families of veterans with traumatic brain injury in Australia and the United States: implications for rehabilitation counselors

Abstract

Starting with World War I, Australia and the United States have been allies in military operations. Since then, both countries have been challenged by meeting the needs of military personnel incurring traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially during recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. TBI impacts all members of the veteran’s family. This paper articulates the shared responsibility both countries assume in meeting the support needs faced by families of military veterans with TBI and how TBI in the military is different than in the civilian population. The paper describes how both countries differently address the needs of family caregivers of veterans with TBI and outlines areas for rehabilitation counselor collaborations in research and training.