Partnerships to Facilitate Total Force Fitness.

Total force fitness (TFF) is a multi-domain framework designed to assess, promote, and sustain human performance optimization across a service member's career arc. During the September 2021, TFF Summit sponsored by the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), a working group explored partnerships that could facilitate effective implementation and sustainment of TFF principles. Many potential partners were identified, both internal and external to the DoD. This report highlights some positions and organizations that provide the highest yield for successfully inculcating TFF across the services.

SWOT: Analysis of Strategic Approaches in Total Force Fitness and Whole Health Summit.

Leaders and subject matter experts from the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs, and other organizations participated in the Total Force Fitness (TFF) and Whole Health Summit. TFF and Whole Health Summit are holistic programs designed to maximize performance and resilience through interventions across multiple domains of health, wellness, and preparedness. Findings generated from the Summit were collected and categorized using a tool known as a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis. The SWOT analysis highlighted key beneficial points regarding implementation of TFF-Whole Health principles including (1) a strong history of collaboration between the DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs, (2) a potential boost to recruitment and retention, and (3) better support for military-to-civilian transition. Risks identified ranged from policy limitations to program development within a fiscally constrained environment. The SWOT analysis can focus future efforts.

The Untapped Power of Health and Wellness Coaching.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched an organization-wide transformation to a Whole Health System of Care, which relies heavily on Health and Wellness Coaching. A brief history and overview of Health and Wellness Coaching, in general, is provided, along with specific developments within VA, selected evaluation results, and coordination to date with the Department of Defense. As VA's Whole Health transformation reaches maturity, there is an opportunity to adopt VA's Health and Wellness Coaching approach into the Department of Defense's Total Force Fitness efforts with integration at the unit level.

Summit on Exercise Collapse Associated with Sickle Cell Trait: Finding the "Way Ahead".

ABSTRACT: Although largely benign, sickle cell trait (SCT) has been associated with exertion-related events, to include sudden death. In 2011, a summit on SCT introduced the term exercise collapse associated with SCT (ECAST). A series of ECAST deaths in military personnel in 2019 prompted reevaluation of current efforts and led to a second summit in October 2019 hosted by the Consortium for Health and Military Performance of the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD. The goals were to (1) review current service policies on SCT screening, (2) develop draft procedural instructions for executing current policy on SCT within the Department of Defense, (3) develop draft clinical practice guidelines for management of ECAST, (4) establish a framework for education on SCT and ECAST, and (5) prepare a research agenda to address identified gaps.

Alcohol abuse or dependence in the military aviator: guidance for the non-flight surgeon.

Alcohol is tightly interwoven with the image and culture of aviation. When alcohol is combined with aviation, the result can be fatal to aircrew, passengers, and bystanders. Alcohol has been implicated in 8 to 12% of fatal general aviation accidents. With approximately 10% of the general population estimated to have alcohol abuse or dependence, alcohol issues are similarly common among aviators. Clear and concise guidelines exist to address alcohol disorders in both civilian and military aviation. However, few health care providers outside the aviation community are aware of these guidelines. When an aviator presents with an alcohol disorder, the well-intentioned provider may be reluctant to address the issue because of poor understanding of the occupational implications or a misplaced effort to preserve the aviator's career. However, proper therapy often permits the aviator to continue flying duties without adverse career impact. This review will discuss the implications, guidelines, and prognosis for the alcohol-dependent aviator and provide resources to enable the responsible health care provider to return the pilot to flight status as soon as practicable. Knowledge of these civilian and military guidelines will help close the treatment and communication gaps between aeromedical specialists and other medical professionals.