In the latest major revelation contradicting the White House and Pentagon significantly downplayed casualty count regarding the Jan.8 Iranian ballistic missile attack on Ayn al-Asad airbase in Iraq, The New York Times is reporting that a total of 34 American soldiers have been diagnosed with serious head injuries ranging from concussion to traumatic brain injury. Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman confirmed the much higher number Friday, after only a day ago the official toll stood at eleven after an initial Jan.17 statement, with at least eight of those which were considered serious enough to transport to a hospital in Germany. Hoffman said up to half of the 34 have already returned to their military duties, however, and 17 are still under medical observation.