On the Chris Matthews Show this morning, Time magazine Managing Editor Richard Stengel discussed a new Pentagon report that says “1 in 5 American servicemen and women who have been in Iraq are coming back with brain injuries.” Stengel called it the “real toll” of the war, adding that “the legacy of that will last all of our lifetimes and it’s incalculable.”

In total, according to Stengel, “more than 250,000 people” are affected by “mild traumatic brain injuries” sustained in Iraq. Watch it:

According to the Pentagon, some of the soldiers who sustained concussions “do not realize they need treatment.” Additionally, they may be sent back to the war zone:

As recently as 2006, the Pentagon was “refusing to release data on how many soldiers have suffered brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan,” arguing that “disclosing the results would put the lives of those fighting at risk.”

At that time, it was estimated that just 10 percent of combat troops suffered concussions during their tours of duty. Now, in 2008, it’s estimated closer to 20 percent.