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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund announced today that the construction of a National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) Satellite Centers at Fort Campbell has reached a new milestone with a watertight roof and 90% of plumbing and electric work complete.

When finished, the center, named Intrepid Spirit, will provide the most advanced diagnosis and treatment protocols for wounded, injured and ill military heroes while creating effective programs for rehabilitation and recovery. The centers are designed to focus on injuries of the brain, most notably Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), the signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in our wounded military troops.

The centers, funded and built by the IFHF, are being located at military installations and bases near medical facilities around the country. These convenient locations allow service members to receive TBI and PTS medical services without having to separate them from their units or leave their families for extended periods of treatment. This proximity to family and friends is expected to enhance service members’ care and rehabilitation.

“The National Intrepid Center of Excellence Satellite – Intrepid Spirit will allow our dedicated multidisciplinary team to provide interdisciplinary, holistic, Warrior and Family Centered Care to patients with complex needs while contributing to and supporting research and education by connecting with other centers and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda, Md,” said COL George Appenzeller, Commander of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when a sudden trauma or head injury disrupts the function of the brain. Common causes of TBI include damage caused by explosive devices, falls and vehicle or motorcycle accidents. Most reported TBI among Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom service members and veterans have been traced back to Improvised Explosive Devices, or IEDs, used extensively against Coalition Forces. Symptoms can appear immediately or in the weeks and months following the injury.