Improvised explosive devices are one of the biggest threats to soldiers in Afghanistan and across the world. They unleash a shock wave that can travel about 1,000 feet per second and hit with a pressure of 100 pounds per square inch. The U.S. Army's standard-issue Kevlar combat helmet absorbs some of that force, but it isn't designed to protect the soldier's face from shock waves, which studies suggest can pass through the eyes, nose and mouth to the brain.

I am serving my country as an intelligence specialist and fierce soldier. I have been an intelligence analyst and specialist, where I had to sit at a desk, complete my task and munching my day away without knowing it.