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21st Century U.S. Army Combat Stress Field Manual (FM 6-22.5) - Sleep Deprivation, Suicide Prevention
21st Century US Army Combat Stress Field Manual Sleep Deprivation Suicide Prevention - FM 6-22.5 Author:Department of Defense This is the latest edition of an important U.S. Army field manual (FM) providing the "tactics, techniques, and procedures required for small-unit leaders to effectively prevent, identify, and manage combat stress when it occurs. This publication contains essential information about combat and combat-related stress. It describes, in layman's term... more »s, techniques to prevent, identify, and treat harmful combat stress reactions at the lowest level or until professional medical assistance is available. It provides a basic understanding of the causes of stress and describes the preventive actions that can be taken to avoid or reduce its harmful effects. It describes how to identify and manage combat stress symptoms when they appear, and provides techniques to prepare units to handle combat stress reactions when they occur. All small-unit leaders should read this publication." It states in the preface: "Combat Stress is the mental, emotional or physical tension, strain, or distress resulting from exposure to combat and combat-related conditions. Controlling combat stress is a command responsibility. In terms of Service members lost from action and reduced performance, combat stress seriously affects mission accomplishment. It is a leader's responsibility to take action to strengthen Service members' tolerance to combat stress and manage it in his or her unit. Combat stress reactions are the result of exposure to the same conditions during military actions that cause physical injury and disease in battle or its immediate aftermath, and many combat stress reactions occur in persons who are also wounded or ill with disease. Rates of combat stress casualties vary greatly, with higher ratios during lengthy periods of intense combat. In Okinawa 1945, during a peak month of battle, the combat stress casualties among Marine Forces were reported as high as one for every two wounded in action (WIA). Under less lengthy periods, as suggested by data acquired from the Israeli Defense Forces fighting in Lebanon 1982, the ratio of combat stress casualties to WIA in small units can be as high as one to one. In the past, we have generally suffered as many as one battle stress casualty for every three to five WIA in heavy fighting. However, highly trained units with strong leadership and high esprit de corps have fewer combat stress casualties. While this manual focuses on combat-induced stress reactions, it is important to emphasize that "combat stress" is not restricted only to combat, but may also arise from combat-like conditions present during military operations other than war. In an area of operations characterized by continuous action and high danger, our forces may experience high rates of stress casualties unless small-unit leaders are trained and prepared to manage stress." Some highlights of the contents: Stress Control Programs Safety Considerations Challenges of Sleep Deprivations Achieving Sleep in Combat Sleep Rest Planning Suicide Awareness« less