TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01Reinforced by many years of study and experience, what is known today about the causes,symptoms, resulting behaviors, prevention and treatment of combat and operational stressremains remarkably similar to the body ofknowledge developed in earlier conflictsdating back two centuries or more. What haschanged is classification and understanding.AR 40-216 and FM 4-02.51 contain currentArmy policy and doctrine on the cause,prevention, and treatment of combat andoperational stress casualties. It definescombat stress as “all the physiological andemotional stresses encountered as a directresult of the dangers and mission demands ofcombat.” Combat and operational stresscontrol consists of programs developed andactions taken by Army leaders to prevent,identify, and manage adverse COSR in units.The purpose of stress control is to promoteSoldier and unit readiness by developingadaptive stress reactions; preventingmaladaptive stress reactions; assisting Soldiers with controlling COSR; and, assisting Soldierswith behavioral disorders.The future OE operates with no front lines, no sanctuary, and 360-degree AOs. In thisenvironment, all Soldiers are at risk albeit at different levels. The frequency and intensity ofconflict will also differ among and even within units. As many behavior specialists and mentalhealthcare providers argue, this environment may produce a greater likelihood of psychologicalcasualties due to stress because of the random nature of combat, the restrictive nature of the rulesof engagement, and the ambiguity associated with their combat role within the OE. 154 The typesof missions in these environments also require knowledge and skills that differ from traditionalwarfighting skills including cultural understanding and historical context, negotiation andmediation skills, the ability to diffuse potential incidents of violence and toleration for frustration,local hostility, and provocation. Such missions require a degree of restraint that can be in conflictwith the aggressive spirit deliberately cultivated in Soldiers beginning in IET, the instinct forself-preservation and the traditional warrior role resulting in rising anger among Soldiers and thetemptation to retaliate. 155 Illustrative of this complex and unorthodox environment is the conceptof the three-block war that spans the spectrum of military operations where Soldiers couldconceivably engage in peacekeeping, combat, and humanitarian operations simultaneously withina three block urban environment. 156Operating in this environment becomes especially frustrating against adversaries difficult todistinguish from the populace. An adversary that causes widespread suffering and commitsbrutal atrocities, including killing innocents in violation of the laws of armed conflict, onlyincreases Soldier anxiety. Other noncombat related stressors, such as uncertainty ofredeployment and duration of deployment, lack of privacy and personal space, and familyseparation accompanied by domestic problems, adds to this environment. Soldiers also endure137