Senator Angus King is frustrated by the “lack of urgency and coordination in addressing brain injuries and their impact on mental health” and is calling on the Department of Defense to take immediate action to screen military personnel. King said it is a personal issue for him and his constituents.

As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, King has advocated for veterans' physical and mental health for more than a decade. But the revelation that Robert Card, the man responsible for the mass shooting in Lewiston last October, had brain damage has brought the issue into focus for King, other members of Maine's congressional delegation and Robert Card's family.

Card was a part-time Army reservist who was exposed to hundreds of low-intensity explosions during his 20-year service. He killed 18 people after hearing voices and behaving erratically for several months.

King said baseline brain injury screenings of military personnel should begin immediately, starting with those at risk. He also wants the Department of Defense to track data and study the links between blast exposure, brain injuries and mental health. He points out that similar baseline screenings have been done for high school athletes for years.