MACE 2 vs. ANAM vs. DANA: A Service Member's Guide to Military Concussion Tests

The military uses three primary tools for concussion assessment, and each serves a different purpose at a different point in the care continuum. Understanding them helps service members know what to expect and why each matters.

ANAM: the pre-deployment baseline

ANAM (Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics) is the traditional pre-deployment cognitive baseline. Developed for the DOD and validated in military populations (research published in Military Medicine and Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology), it’s a computer-based test battery measuring simple reaction time, mathematical processing, matching-to-sample visual memory, and Sternberg memory search tasks. ANAM has been used since the early 2000s and creates the cognitive reference point that ideally follows you through your military career. Testing takes approximately 20–30 minutes and is typically administered during pre-deployment processing or initial entry training.

MACE 2: the pocket field tool

MACE 2 (Military Acute Concussion Evaluation, 2nd edition) is a pocket-sized assessment card designed for immediate post-injury use in field conditions — it can literally fit in a cargo pocket. Developed by the Defense Health Agency and standardized across the services, it includes elements adapted from the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC), a neurological screening, symptom checklist, and decision matrix. MACE 2 is the tool a combat medic, corpsman, or field medical officer uses when a blast or head injury occurs in an operational environment. It takes about 10 minutes to administer and requires no electronic equipment.

DANA: the smartphone-based follow-up

DANA (Defense Automated Neurobehavioral Assessment) is the newest addition — a mobile-optimized cognitive test that runs on a standard smartphone or tablet. Developed by the DOD’s Psychological Health Center of Excellence, it assesses simple reaction time, procedural reaction time, code substitution, spatial processing, and Go/No-Go inhibition tasks. DANA was specifically designed for austere environments where a laptop or full computer setup isn’t available — making it deployable to forward operating positions, ships, and remote training locations. Testing takes approximately 15–20 minutes.

How the tools fit together

The workflow connects these tools: ANAM establishes the pre-injury baseline. If an exposure event occurs, MACE 2 provides immediate field screening. DANA can then be used for follow-up cognitive testing in forward-deployed or resource-limited settings, with results compared against the ANAM baseline.

For transitioning service members and veterans

At Headquarters, our civilian baseline protocols are designed to be compatible with military assessment frameworks. If you’re transitioning from active duty to civilian life, we can help you establish a civilian cognitive baseline that ensures continuity of brain health monitoring through the VA or private healthcare system. Your baseline data shouldn’t end when your service does. For the policy context, see the 2024 Pentagon baseline mandate and our piece on training range blasts and invisible brain injuries.

Frequently asked questions