ACR LGT EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF ACFT CTL AND ALT EXCURSION WHEN FLYING NEAR A LINE OF TSTMS. RPTR CITES MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB; SOME INJURIES; BRUISES. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED UPON LNDG AT DTW.

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WE WERE 70-80 MI TO THE E OF A TSTM. WE ENTERED A LAYER OF CIRRUS CLOUDS. ASKED FOR AND GOT A CLRNC FROM FL350 TO FL390. ABOUT FL385 AND CLBING ABOUT 300 FPM; THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB. THE AUTOPLT WAS KICKED OFF. THEN WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB FOR 10-15 SECONDS. THE ACFT WENT INTO A 30+ DEG L BANK AND WAS CLBING THROUGH 39800 FT AT A RATE OF 2000 FPM. THE FO ROLLED THE WINGS LEVEL AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO RECOVER. I MADE A PIREP TO ATC ABOUT GOING TO FL390 AND ABOUT THE SEVERE TURB. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BECAUSE 10 MINS PRIOR TO THIS I HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT POSSIBLE TURB. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR ALMOST 30 YRS AND THIS WAS MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THIS KIND OF SEVERE TURB. I HOPE I DON'T SEE ANY MORE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 371564: THERE WERE MINOR BRUISES TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND NO INJURIES TO THE PAX. NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT RESULTED. THE CAPT'S AWARENESS OF THE TURB POTENTIAL AND SEAT BELT SIGN PA JUST MINS PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER PREVENTED MANY INJURIES THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED.