JF 2025 Case Study

The United States military is downsizing, becoming a more fit and agile military. Due to this action the Army has come up with a program to place Soldiers in a field that they can perform at their maximum capacity physically and mentally. This program is called Soldier 2020, it is in its final testing stages even though parts of this program have already been integrated into TRADOC.

Consider J.M. J. M. a 43-year-old Hispanic female with type 2 diabetes, with lipid abnormalities and hypertension. LDL 174, HDL 52 and Triglycerides 32, A1C 9.3, microalbumin 32, and fasting blood glucose of 216 with average glucose variance of 200mg/dl, blood pressure 145/89, morbidly obese at 262 pounds. She has been diabetic for 10 years and has not seen an educator since her diagnosis. She previously danced for exercise, but has not done so in a while to work and family obligations. She has three children age 16, 14 and 10. She is married and the primary source of income for the family, which presents significant stress. J.M. presents with numerous comorbidities that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Current medications

The main point of this article is about service members deployed specifically to Iraq and Afghanistan with back to back deployments and the stress factors that it produces on the families and the service members themselves.

Jakupcak et al. used a standardized protocol approved by both the University of Washington State and the VA to screen the multiple tours Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans who turned to the Washington State division of the VA during the time period of May 2004 to June 2005 (Jackupcak et al, 2007, p. 947). The subjects who participated in the study were 97% male and over 70% white, and an average age of about 33 years (Jackupcak et al, 2007, p. 947). The average number of years of education was close to 14, indicating mostly enlisted members whom completed some college at most (Jackupcak et al, 2007, p. 947). The sampling also indicated that about half the subjects were married, the other half were either single or divorced (Jackupcak et al, 2007, p. 947). Income levels suggest that 2/3 of participants are Non-Commissioned Officers or above (Jackupcak et al, 2007, p. 947). Approximately 80% of participants are Army or Army National guardsman (Jackupcak et al, 2007, p. 947).

Following the year 2013, suicide rates amongst Active Duty personnel decreased, yet rose for Reserve and National Guard units across the United States (Baldor 2014). This was due in part to the lack of resources available to Reserves and Guard units that were called to serve in foreign lands. The Defense Science Board conducted their own internal investigation on Reserve and Guard suicide rates and concluded, “The task force was impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the members of the National Guard and reserves. They are performing to a very high standard under great strain. The task force is very concerned for their future if the strain is not relieved” (2007). The report further explains that active duty personnel work full time in their respective units, whereas reservists demobilize and lose the support from their command’s peers and that active personnel have more access to health facilities, compared to reserve personnel who can only have limited access. Reservists and Guardsmen often face other stressors, for example sudden change after a long and tedious deployment back to a civilian career.

In 2001, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 significantly changed the need for military personnel in the United States of America. Since then, over 2.4 million soldiers have been deployed due to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, better known as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) (U.S Department of Veteran Affairs, 2012). These wars changed the expectations in regards to “deployments” as we once knew them. Military deployments are temporary jobs away from home and family, which may or may not take place overseas (Allen & Staley, 2007). Military deployments today are seen more frequent, with longer durations spent deployed, and less recovery time in-between redeployments (Tanielian, & Jaycox, 2008). Almost

Veterans face many obstacles and barriers to overcome when transitioning back into civilian life. Macdermid & Riggs (2014) discusses how military deployment has many consequences for an individual and their families. According to Sayer, Frazier, Orazem, Murdoch, Gravely, Carlson, &Noorbalooci (2011) all military branches already require their troops to complete a reintegration program before discharge but these programs typically only

On the top of that, multiple and prolong war zone deployment also negatively impact on marital health, sexuality satisfaction between the troop and spouse, the “overlooked casualties of war”. Prolong war zone deployment has psychosocial consequences for the spouses of military personnel, which may include in increased levels of anxiety, stress, depression, marital maladjustment, inter-partner violence. Spouses of those return with posttraumatic stress disorder are at significantly with greater risk of poor marital health, and may be particularly at high risk of spousal abused, at least verbally. Although female military personnel do deploy, and these represent a small minority of the military population, however their cohabiting partners endure the same consequences.

Fifteen years of continuous combat deployments have strained many of our Soldiers to their breaking point. To ensure the continued readiness of the troops and the welfare of their families, the use of positive psychology and MRT can bridge the gap and prevent many issues from becoming more serious. The tri-signed letter by Gen Odierno in March of 2013, states the United States Army’s ready and resilient campaign will, “…improve the physical, psychological, and emotional health in order to enhance individual performance and increase overall unit readiness.” Dedicated leader involvement specifically from the Command Sergeant Major (CSM), or Sergeant Major (SGM) is the single most critical component in fostering a positive command climate through

Target Audience: The Entire veteran population in general (this includes combat and non-combat veterans), a specific focus most be placed on the OEF/OIF veteran population also known as Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom vets, policy makers on the federal, state, and community levels, veteran advocates, social workers, and the general

Roughly two million troops have been deployed to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 2001. Current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a number of investigations examining the post deployment mental health among military personnel serving in these regions. The primary focus of research on returning veteran has been on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD), specifically on the etiology, preventative measures, and treatment of PTSD. Some of the risk factors for military members to develop PTSD include: combat experience, being wounded, witnessing death, serving on graves registration duty or handling human remains, being captured or tortured, being exposed to unpredictable and uncontrollable stress, and experiencing sexual harassment or assault (Institute of Medicine,

The willingness to put one’s life on the line to defend the lives of others is not a quality that many possess. Military personnel make up a mere one percent of the population and protect an infinite number of freedoms average citizens utilize daily. Within the last few years veterans have been returning home in record numbers and are facing transition challenges such as homelessness, unemployment, mental illness related issues, and physical disabilities.

When our veterans return from a war stricken country like Iraq and Afghanistan they have witnessed countless events of trauma. More than 1 million U.S. citizens serve as active-duty military personnel. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, almost 22 million Americans are veterans of U.S. Armed Forces service.(U.S Census Bureau) These men and women whether serving in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps or Navy are supported by millions of more family members whose letters and phone calls are essential to lift spirits and boost morale throughout a service person’s career. The service men and women leave fighting for our country and then come back fighting their own minds, and if they don't have the resources they won't get help. Over the past 13 years, roughly 2.4 million active and reserve members of the U.S. armed forces have left military service and returned to civilian life. In the next four to five years, another million will make this transition. This reintegrating into life can be very hard, do to the trauma these veterans have gone through. This trauma can cause physiological

For some time now, many have held the philosophy that the ever increasing deployment tempo and lengths of deployments have held significant value in the rising rate of suicides amongst our military and veterans. Combat trauma and other traumatic events experienced while deployed has also been on the hot seat as a predominate factor for being at risk. Whereas combat deployments can have a profound impact on the psychological and cognitive functioning of an individual, it is being seen that there is a significant percentage of individuals committing suicide that have never deployed. Stressors from military life in general are having a huge impact on the suicide rates of military members and veterans. Cerel, Van de Venne, Moore, Maple, Flaherty, & Brown (2015) found that “Stress on the entire military due to the length of these recent conflicts and the burden placed on all the forces has been linked to suicide risk among those who were never deployed. Other non-combat military- related events, such as exposure to death from training accidents, are expected incidents during military service but are also associated with PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders” (p. 83).

Millions of combat veterans are returning from various campaigns including Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and America’s latest campaigns in Afghanistan and will need support to transition from military combat life to family life and a civilian existence. A variety of support personnel and services are needed to help veterans transition successfully. Veterans suffer from physical and mental health problems which make it challenging to find new employment to support their family. In addition, over his or her years of service, the veteran has identified as a soldier with all of the status and hierarchical command structure that is part of the military. Physical rehabilitation, mental health intervention, and employment support are ways to address the needs of military veterans transitioning into civilian life.