Physical, psychological and demographic factors associated with military discharge: a systematic review

Abstract Aims: The present study is a review focused on analyzing the physical, psychological, and demographic factors that lead recruits to be dismissed or to request their dismissal during basic military training periods. Methods: This study is a systematic review of cohort studies. The following databases were searched in June 2019 and updated in July 2020: Embase, LILACS, CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases. The MeSH descriptors military personnel, risk factors, and discharge were used to elaborate the search equations. Reference lists were explored to find studies that examined the association between physical, psychological, and demographic factors that lead recruits to be discharged. The following data were extracted from the studies: profile of the participants, sample size, type of risk factors, the duration of follow-up, and the results of the statistical analysis carried out in the studies included. The risk of bias was analyzed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. Results: A total of 531 titles were retrieved from the databases, and eight articles met the eligibility criteria. The results showed the factors associated with discharge, in descending order: musculoskeletal injuries and other medical questions, depressive and behavioural disorders, performance in physical fitness tests, and others. Factors such as educational level, alcohol use, history of suicide attempt, and imprisonments were not associated with an increased risk of being discharged. Conclusion: Musculoskeletal injuries, depression, running performance, previous physical exercise practice, and demographic factors were associated with an increased risk of being discharged.

Pandemic planning: plotting a course through the coronawars.

The biological motor behind the current coronavirus pandemic has placed microbiology on a global stage, and given its practitioners a role among the architects of recovery. Planning for a return to normality or the new normal is a complex, multi-agency task for which healthcare scientists may not be prepared. This paper introduces a widely used military planning framework known as the Joint Military Appreciation Process, and outlines how it can be applied to deal with the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognition of SARS-CoV-2's critical attributes, targetable vulnerabilities, and its most likely and most dangerous effects is a necessary precursor to scoping, framing and mission analysis. From this flows course of action development, analysis, concept of operations development, and an eventual decision to act on the plan. The same planning technique is applicable to the larger scale task of setting a microbiology-centric plan in the broader context of social and economic recovery.

Talk to the Hand: U.S. Army Biophysical Testing.

BACKGROUND: Many people are unaware of the science underlying the biophysical properties of Soldier clothing and personal protective equipment, yet there is a well-refined biomedical methodology initiated by Army physiologists in World War II. This involves a methodical progression of systematic material testing technologies, computer modeling, and human testing that enables more efficient development and rapid evaluation of new concepts for Soldier health and performance. Sophisticated manikins that sweat and move are a central part of this testing continuum. This report briefly summarizes the evolution and use of one specialized form of the manikin technologies, the thermal hand model, and its use in research on Soldier hand-wear items that sustain dexterity and protect the hand in extreme environments. METHODS: Thermal manikin testing methodologies were developed to provide an efficient and consistent analytical tool for the rapid evaluation of new clothing concepts. These methods have been upgraded since the original World War II and Korean War eras to include articulation and sweating capabilities, as characterized and illustrated in this article. The earlier "retired" versions of thermal hand models have now been transferred to the National Museum of Health and Science. FINDINGS: The biophysical values from manikin testing are critical inputs to the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine mathematical models that provide predictions of soldier comfort, duration of exposure before loss of manual dexterity, and time to significant risk of freezing (skin temperature <-1°C) and nonfreezing cold injuries (skin temperature <5°C). The greater thickness of better insulated handwear reduces dexterity and also increases surface area which makes added insulation increasingly less effective in retaining heat. Measurements of both thermal resistance (insulation) and evaporative resistance (permeability) collectively characterize the biophysical properties and enable mathematical modeling of the human thermophysiological responses. This information can help guide the hand-wear development and selection process which often requires trade-offs between factors such as material, cost, and sizing. IMPACT: Soldier hands provide fine motor dexterity in tactical functions, ranging from pulling a trigger to pulling a parachute ripcord; thus, protecting hand function is critical to soldier readiness. Also, the importance of protection against nonbattle cold injuries was highlighted during World War II in northern Europe, in the Aleutian Islands, and later in Korea. The U.S. Army has been on the forefront of the biophysical analysis of clothing including gloves since environmental research was established at the Armored Medical Research Laboratory and Climatic Research Laboratory during World War II. U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine does not make the equipment but works with their Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center partners to make the equipment better.

The Department of Defense Chemical and Biological Defense Program: An Enabler of the Third Offset Strategy.

The US Department of Defense (DOD) established programs to defend against chemical and biological weapons 100 years ago because military leaders understood that the operational capability of the US military is diminished when service member health is compromised. These threats to operational readiness can be from an overt attack using chemical and biological threats but may also arise from natural exposures. In the current era of rapidly emerging technologies, adversaries are not only rediscovering chemical and biological weapons; they are also displaying an increased propensity to employ them to cause strategic instability among deployed forces or nations undergoing conflict. The United States's investments in its Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP) can be a critical enabler of the third offset strategy, which is a DOD initiative that seeks to maximize force capability to offset emerging threats. To realize this vision, the CBDP must make fundamental changes in acquiring and employing effective technologies so that enemy use of chemical and biological agents against US assets is no longer a viable option. Maximization of US force health status will provide a strategic advantage over theater opponents more vulnerable to operational degradation from chemical and biological threats.

XI Congreso Nacional de Investigación de Pregrado en Ciencias de la Salud: 12-13 Marzo 2015. Hospital Central de la Defensa Gómez Ulla. Madrid. España / X National Congress of Undergraduate Research in Health Sciences

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Las prácticas comunitarias de justicia local en la sierra de la Macarena: el pluralismo jurídico de cara a la reconstrucción del país en el post conflicto colombiano / Community practices of the local justice in “la sierra de la macarena: ”the juridical pluralism with an eye to the country reconstruction in the colombian post conflict

Este artículo presenta una caracterización de las instancias comunitarias de resolución deconflictos que desde hace más de una década son las encargadas de tramitar conflictos en la región de la Sierra de La Macarena, Colombia. El texto propone que la Justicia Local de esta región integra una serie de condiciones sociales que no solo podrán apoyar la transición sociopolítica de la región, en caso de llegarse a un acuerdo entre el estado colombiano y la insurgencia, sino que además vale la pena su sostenimiento en el tiempo por la apuesta de paz que representan. Para tal efecto, el artículo presenta un balance analítico del trabajoadelantado por Comités de Conciliación a partir de su caracterización y ofrece elementos claves para comprender la lógica y naturaleza de la justicia comunitaria de La Macarena.

This article presents a characterization of the community agencies in the resolution of conflicts, which over one decade are in charge of dealing with conflicts in the region of theSierra de La Macarena, Colombia. The text proposes that the local Justice in this region integrates a series of social conditions that not only be able to support the socio-political transition of the region, in case of reaching an agreement between the Colombian State and the insurgency, but it is also worth supporting it in time for the bet of peace that they represent. For this purpose, the article introduces an analytical balance of the work carriedout by the Conciliation Committees from its characterization and it provides key elements to understand the logic and nature of the community justice in La Macarena.

Neuromodulation research and application in the U.S. Department of Defense.

BACKGROUND: Modern neuromodulatory techniques for military applications have been explored for the past decade, with an intent to optimize operator performance and, ultimately, to improve overall military effectiveness. In light of potential military applications, some researchers have voiced concern about national security agency involvement in this area of research, and possible exploitation of research findings to support military objectives. The aim of this article is to examine the U.S. Department of Defense's interest in and application of neuromodulation. METHODS: We explored articles, cases, and historical context to identify critical considerations of debate concerning dual use (i.e., national security and civilian) technologies, specifically focusing on non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). DISCUSSION: We review the background and recent examples of DoD-sponsored neuromodulation research, framed in the more general context of research that aims to optimize and/or rehabilitate human performance. We propose that concerns about military exploitation of neuromodulatory science and technology are not unique, but rather are part of a larger philosophic debate pertaining to military application of human performance science and technology. We consider unique aspects of the Department of Defense research enterprise--which includes programs crucial to the advancement of military medicine--and why it is well-situated to fund and perform such research. We conclude that debate concerning DoD investment in human performance research must recognize the significant potential for dual use (civilian, medical) benefit as well as the need for civilian scientific insight and influence. Military interests in the health and performance of service members provide research funding and impetus to dual use applications that will benefit the civilian community.

Impact of blue force tracking on combat identification judgments.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effectiveness of blue force tracking (BFT) decision support for dismounted infantry soldiers. BACKGROUND: Technologies to support combat identification (CID) are rapidly evolving and may be deployable to dismounted soldiers in the future. BFT systems are designed to mitigate the risk of fratricide by supplying positional information regarding friendly units to enhance situation awareness. METHOD: Participants played the role of a dismounted infantry soldier in a first-person perspective gaming environment and made engagement decisions for a series of simulated targets, half of which were enemies and half of which were friends. RESULTS: Participants performed better overall when they were able to use a BFT system than when they performed the task without assistance. When a 10-s latency was added to the updating of position information in the BFT, participants made significantly more false alarms (engaged a friendly target) regardless of whether they knew about the latency. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the promise of a personal BFT device to reduce the likelihood of fratricide by dismounted infantry soldiers. The results, however, also indicate that the effectiveness of such a device can be dramatically reduced when it does not provide real-time data. APPLICATION: Potential applications of this research include development of performance standards for BFT devices and assessment of decision support for dismounted soldiers.

Adaptive information design for outdoor augmented reality.

Augmented Reality focuses on the enrichment of the user's natural field of view by consistent integration of text, symbols and interactive three-dimensional objects in real time. Placing virtual objects directly into the user's view in a natural context empowers highly dynamic applications. On the other hand, this necessitates deliberate choice of information design and density, in particular for deployment in hazardous environments like military combat scenarios. As the amount of information needed is not foreseeable and strongly depends on the individual mission, an appropriate system must offer adequate adaptation capabilities. The paper presents a prototypical, vehicle-mountable Augmented Reality vision system, designed for enhancing situation awareness in stressful urban warfare scenarios. Tracking, as one of the most crucial challenges for outdoor Augmented Reality, is accomplished by means of a Differential-GPS approach while the type of display to attach can be modified, ranging from ocular displays to standard LCD mini-screens. The overall concept also includes envisioning of own troops (blue forces), for which a multi-sensor tracking approach has been chosen. As a main feature, the system allows switching between different information categories, focusing on friendly, hostile, unidentified or neutral data. Results of an empirical study on the superiority of an in-view navigation cue approach conclude the paper.