It is my great pleasure to present another issue of the Wright Flyer Papers. Through this series, Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) presents a sampling of exemplary research produced by our residence and distance-learning students. This series has long showcased the kind of visionary thinking that drove the aspirations and activities of the earliest aviation pioneers. This year’s selection of essays admirably extends that tradition. As the series title indicates, these papers aim to present cuttingedge, actionable knowledge—research that addresses some of the most complex security and defense challenges facing us today.
Recently, the Wright Flyer Papers transitioned...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a term coined to describe symptoms that occur in the aftermath of mental trauma experienced during combat. These symptoms include recurring nightmares, flash-backs, reactions to triggers such as loud noises, and hypervigilance.¹ Military veterans who experience PTSD also are susceptible to other destructive behaviors such as self-medication—the use of drugs and/or alcohol to alleviate PTSD symptoms—which can often lead to substance abuse. Negative thoughts—another result of PTSD—can lead to irritability, depression, and suicide.²
Although combat stress reaction (CSR) has been recognized and labeled for hundreds of years, in the last 30...
This study reviews the current status of resiliency programs in the US military, evaluates their effectiveness, explores the possibility of standardization, makes key recommendations, and projects expected benefits. The research indicates that current treatment methods and costs are not sustainable. The study highlights the difference between activity and productivity and urges a fundamental shift in the approach toward PTSD.12
This research uses the evaluation methodology as its framework. First, the study assesses the military’s annual baseline numbers and cost trends of treatment for PTSD. Included in the cost are average treatments per year and average payments per year in disability...
Adverse psychological effects of war on human beings have been acknowledged for hundreds of years, even as far back as medieval times.13 Expressions such as “soldier’s heart,” “shell shock,” “battle fatigue,” and “war neurosis” are American predecessors to the current popular terms of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.14 These terms are used by doctors, psychologists, governmental agencies such as the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), journalists, and victims to describe the dysfunctional symptoms that significantly compromise reintegration into a full and productive life. This level of dysfunction is reportedly experienced by as many as 30 to 40 percent of...
Since 2009 all military branches have at least partially implemented programs aimed at preventing PTSD and suicide. Moreover, in 2011, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) issued an instruction delivering a “framework” for “total force fitness.”35 Nevertheless, as of 2014, there has been no apparent effort to standardize delivery of such a program. In September 2010 a resiliency workshop was held at Andrews AFB, Maryland, attended by representatives from 30 major commands, Headquarters Air Force, and sister services.36 Although participants developed many recommendations, none have yet been implemented. Of all the military branches, including respective Guard and...
The growing trend of PTSD and related symptoms has seen small reversals in 2013. Since not much has changed in PTSD treatment, this tentative progress could be an early indication of success with resiliency programs. However, the overall rising rate since 2003, combined with the increased health-care costs, highlights the need for sustained focus on resilience toward PTSD. Initial investment in resiliency programs has been high—nearly $500 million—with the Army and Reserve components alone responsible for more than half of that bill. To put the cost in perspective, military health-care spending (nearly 40 percent of which is for...
Integration of resiliency training into combat/tactical training. Resiliency training addresses life coping skills that may be delivered to service members through computer-based training or in a classroom environment. It also is directly related to PTSD caused by exposure to trauma during combat. Therefore, it makes sense to incorporate training on stress and coping skills as part of combat and tactical training. Combat training and deployment preparation courses should be assessed for inclusion of resiliency training. Combat and tactical training should include conditions that expose service members to stress in a controlled environment. Specific guidance should be given on stress, associated...
All branches of the US military are currently attempting to implement resiliency practices without coordinating or standardizing their respective programs. In-house research and statistics give rise to possibly biased findings, and lack of communication has resulted in lost opportunities to improve programs based on valuable lessons learned by other branches. The rising cost in treatment, together with this growing bill for resiliency programs, is not sustainable. Annual military budgets continue to shrink, and more cuts are inevitable. Such cuts could be unevenly meted out, creating inequality in branches’ programs. Distributing cuts evenly across the board would result in program inefficiency....
