HR4805-119

What This Bill Does

The WINGS Act directs the VA Secretary to study the long-term physiological and psychological effects of military aviation on military aviators. The required study must examine cumulative flight hours, G-force exposure, traumatic brain injury, sub-concussive trauma, cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicide risk, neurodegenerative conditions such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, ALS, and Parkinson's disease, cockpit factors such as helmet design, oxygen systems, and flight suit pressurization, current screening and diagnostic procedures, and recommended monitoring, prevention, and treatment improvements. VA must consult the Defense Secretary, military department Surgeons General, the Defense Health Agency Director, and academic institutions or federally funded research and development centers with aviation medicine, neuroscience, and psychiatry expertise. VA must also establish a centralized Military Aviator Neurohealth Registry with anonymized voluntary health data, flight exposure metrics, health outcomes tracked over time, and longitudinal follow-up.

Who Benefits and How

Military aviator veterans benefit because VA must study brain injury, mental health, suicide risk, neurodegenerative disease, and cockpit exposure patterns specific to their service. Current military aviators benefit indirectly if the study leads to better screening, prevention, monitoring, and treatment for aviation-related trauma. Veterans health researchers benefit from a centralized neurohealth registry with anonymized flight exposure and outcome data. Congressional veterans committees benefit from interim and final reports on the health consequences of high-performance military aviation.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Department of Veterans Affairs must run a longitudinal study, build the registry, consult expert agencies, and report to Congress. Defense Health Agency officials must coordinate with VA on military aviation medical data and expertise. Military department Surgeons General must support consultation on aviator health, flight exposure, and screening practices. Military aviators who volunteer data may face privacy and participation decisions around registry inclusion.

Key Provisions

• Requires a longitudinal VA study of military flight operations, G-force exposure, brain health, and mental health.
• Creates a voluntary Military Aviator Neurohealth Registry with anonymized health, exposure, outcome, and follow-up data.
• Requires consultation with the Defense Secretary, military Surgeons General, Defense Health Agency, and expert research institutions.
• Requires an interim report within one year and a final report within three years.