The Human Challenges of Modern Military Deployments

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1 The Human Challenges of Modern Military Deployments

2 The Human Challenges of Modern Military Deployments Psychological Readiness, Resilience and Readjustment across the Deployment Cycle

3 Scope

4 Scope Challenges of military deployments: 3 R s Measuring and modelling Readiness Measuring and modelling Resilience Measuring and modelling Readjustment Select conclusions along the way

5 Psychology Support across the Deployment Continuum Postdeployment phase Force Transition Force Preparation Predeployment phase Psychological Advice and Support Force Enhancement Force Maintenance Deployment phase

6 Ted Kenna, VC, Infantry, New Guinea, WWII The greatest battle I think the soldier has to perform is actually waiting to go. It is a queer thing to say, but the thing that's always in the soldier's mind is: how will I go?

7 Look at an infantryman s eyes and you can tell how much war he has seen. Bill Maudlin Up Front, 1944

8 The medical problem of nervous breakdown is only 20 percent a war problem and 80 percent a problem of war s aftermath. A.G. Butler, 1938 From the official Australian medical history of the First World War

11 Deployment Stressor Domains Operational stressors Workplace stressors Family concerns Organisational support Ambiguity Potentially traumatic stressors

13 Afghanistan

Serious Stressors (PTEs) Afghanistan Potentially

being killed or injured 88 % Saw dead bodies 64 %

Exposure to a contagious disease or toxic agent 40

to handle dead bodies 29 % Present when a

resulted in someone injured/killed 20 % Heard of

14 Serious Stressors (PTEs) Afghanistan Potentially Traumatic Event % Reporting Exposure In danger of being killed or injured 88 % Saw dead bodies 64 % Heard of a co-worker injured or killed 57 % Exposure to a contagious disease or toxic agent 40 % Witness to human degradation and misery 32 % Had to handle dead bodies 29 % Present when a co-worker injured or killed 28 % Your action resulted in someone injured/killed 20 % Heard of someone injured or killed 11 % Present when someone injured or killed 2 %

15 Experiences in Afghanistan Top 3 Negative Things (for two rotations) Military hierarchy Separation from family Working with other elements Top 3 Positive Things (for two rotations) Stressors Perceived inequities Military hierarchy Percentage experiencing moderate stress or higher 38 % 35 % Doing the job for real / job satisfaction Relationships / new friends Exposure to a different culture Work overload 32 % Threat / danger 31 % Leadership 31%

16 OP Sumatra Assist

18 RtAPS: Potentially Traumatic Event Exposures M F ANODE BASTILLE/FALCONER BEL ISI CATALYST CITADEL FALCONER MAZURKA RELEX SLIPPER/CATALYST SPIRE SUMATRA ASSIST Typical items: Saw dead bodies; In danger of being killed, Concern over possible exposure to contagious disease or toxic agent, Witnessed mass destruction; Saw friend/co-worker die

20 Command lesson #3 An inaccurate understanding of unit climate factors such as psychological readiness for operations can result in unexpected and adverse mission outcomes.

21 Winslow, D. (1997). The Canadian Airborne Regiment in Somalia: A socio-cultural inquiry. Ottawa, Ontario.

some archival and focus group data Administered pre-, peri- and

22 HDO Methodology Applied research into deployment focus on providing information and advice to commanders Primarily survey-based, with some archival and focus group data Administered pre-, peri- and postdeployment the intent New measures developed Quantitative and qualitative

23 HDO Project: Pragmatic Rationale

24 Commanders want to know what their personnel are thinking gain extra tools in their decision-making maximise operational effectiveness refine policy, training and selection monitor the health status of their personnel

25 Conceptual Rationale Human performance Organisational dynamics Social support and social reintegration Individual differences Subtraumatic stressors and subclinical stress reactions

26 OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS: TRANSACTIONAL STRESS MODEL STRESSORS BUFFERS COPING OUTCOMES RESOURCES INTERVENTIONS APPRAISAL EXPECTANCIES OUTCOMES IMPACT IMPACT LEVELS INDIVIDUAL GROUP ORGANISATIONAL

psychological characteristics, perceptions and attitudes that exist in

27 Cornerstone of the HDO Project: The Unit Climate Profile Unit Climate a multidimensional construct that comprises individual- and grouplevel psychological characteristics, perceptions and attitudes that exist in military units and are presumed to impact on readiness and performance

28 UCP Dimensions Dimension Readiness Cohesion Individual Morale Commitment Positive Climate Negative climate Construct considerations Perceptions of preparedness of the unit/team/individual for primary duties Work team cohesiveness (mutual reliability and respect) and pride Sense of belonging and of contributions being valued;strong social relations To the work group, unit, organisation Positive management behaviours of the immediate supervisor Negative behaviours of the immediate superior that can undermine effective leadership

29 UCP Dimensions Dimension Confidence in leadership Leadership behaviours Esprit Satisfaction Performance Organisational Values Construct Considerations At JNCO, SNCO and Officer levels Caring support; communicating a sense of mission, responsivity to leadership Belief in the wider ADF organisation and its role in society;ideaology From work and relationships Effectiveness at individual, team and unit levels Acceptance eg institutionalism, group focus, personal sacrifice

30 Psychological Readiness

32 Good to go? Traditional dimensions of readiness unit-level tactical proficiency equipment serviceability checks manning levels audits of logistic stocks and supply processes reviews of individual readiness status

33 Defining psychological readiness extent to which an individual is prepared, able, and motivated to perform his or her job as part of the larger military mission (Harris, Blair & O Neill, 1995)

34 Wild s (1988) Psychological Readiness Schema

35 Readiness: Individual and Collective

36 Collective readiness The individual soldier s beliefs about the ability of his or her work group or unit to be effective on operations

38 Command lesson #1 A sense of collective readiness in the team or unit is likely to promote higher levels of individual readiness

current unit leader confidence in the unit soldier

39 IDF study: Beliefs about collective readiness in combat units soldier experience levels leader tenure in the current unit leader confidence in the unit soldier confidence in leadership unit discipline levels identification with the unit

40 Command lesson #4 Units with the highest sense of readiness for operations are likely to have commanders who put a high priority on issues of subordinate morale

health and well-being positive associations between

41 Select Hypotheses readiness enhanced by military experience related to psychological and physical health and well-being positive associations between readiness and human dimensions at individual and collective level

42 Predicting Individual Readiness from Military Experience

43 Predicting Individual Readiness from Health-related Variables

44 Predicting Individual Readiness from Six Health Symptom Components

45 Command lesson #8 Health-related variables, particularly health symptoms and frequency of exercise, are useful predictors of readiness at the individual level.

46 Predicting Individual Readiness from Morale, Motivation, Proximal Leader Behaviour and Cohesion #1 Sample

47 Command lesson #9 Human factors such as cohesion, motivation and immediate leadership were consistent and strong predictors of individual psychological readiness among ARA soldiers poised for deployment.

48 Predicting Collective Readiness from five Human Dimension Constructs

49 Predicting Collective Readiness from five Human Dimension Constructs Predeployment Sample 1 (n=369): R 2 =.481 Estimate S.E. C.R. p Std regression weight Snr Leader Effectiveness Ethos ***.198 Team Climate ***.389 SNCO/WO Leadership Individual Morale

50 Command lesson #11 Group-level unit climate variables (Ethos, Team Climate and SNCO/WO Effectiveness) were effective predictors of readiness to deploy

51 Command lesson #12 Team Climate (horizontal cohesion) was the strongest and most consistent predictor of predeployment readiness; while Senior Leadership Effectiveness was strongly predictive of psychological readiness during the deployment phase.

52 Resilience during deployment

54 Resilience Process versus outcome? sum-total of psychological processes that permit individuals to maintain or return to previous levels of well-being and functioning in response to adversity (TTCP HUM-TP13)

55 Pathways to resilience? Measures Proximal leader behaviour Leadership effectiveness Cohesion Morale Meaning of the mission

57 Positive aspects of deployment Factor labels Professional rewards & development Personal rewards Constructive contact with locals (Humanitarianism) Novel experiences Personal development

58 Select Hypotheses 1. There will be a dose-response relationship between the stressors of military service and strain during peacekeeping deployment 2. Cohesion, Meaning, Morale, and Leadership will buffer the influence of stressors on strain during deployment

59 Chi square (18, N = 428) = , p =.034, bootstrap p =.147, chi square/df = 1.687, RMSEA =.040, SRMR =.023, GFI = 0.983, AGFI = 0.966, TLI = 0.986, CFI = 0.991

60 Low strain Medium strain High strain Witness instances of inhumanity Uncertainty own competence Leadership concerns Harsh environmental conditions Impact of deployment on family Conditions of service

61 Structural model simplified version postulating mediating effects of human factors between stressors and strain

62 .76 Significant pathways between latent variables in the re-specified model

-.41.16 -.16 (p =.07).39.49.33.37.52.42.30.65.76.83.

63 (p =.07) Significant pathways between latent variables in the re-specified model Measures of fit were acceptable.76

64 Readjustment after deployment

65 Deployment overseas is in many cases a defining event in military people s lives, for better or for worse...

67 Select Hypotheses: Readjustment Social support and homecoming stressors will predict levels of postdeployment strain Leadership effectiveness, proximal leader behaviour, cohesion, morale, and social support will mediate the postdeployment stressstrain relationship

68 Fitted structural model predicting Strain from Postdeployment Social Support Acceptable fit: Chi square (35, N = 269) = , p =.000, bootstrap p =.025, X 2 /df = 2.676, RMSEA =.079, SRMR =.042, GFI =.949, AGFI =.886, TLI =.905, CFI =.949

Simplified, hypothesised model predicting Strain from Homecoming Stressors Three pathways from the homecoming stressor variables to Strain achieved significant parameter

69 Simplified, hypothesised model predicting Strain from Homecoming Stressors Three pathways from the homecoming stressor variables to Strain achieved significant parameter estimates, those from Work Readjustment (p <.001), Social Readjustment (p =.004), and Positive Adjustment (p =.05). The model accounted for an impressive 66.3% of the variance in Strain.

respecified model were largely acceptable.

70 Postdeployment readjustment: Mediators of the stressor-strain relationship Fit indices for the respecified model were largely acceptable. Eleven of 18 pathways had significant regression coefficients. Explained variance in Strain was 60.1%.

71 New publication 3 streams: 1. Psychological Readiness 2. The Human in Command; 3. Force Preservation 24 articles

72 The Human Challenges of Modern Military Deployments Colonel PJ Murphy, PhD Defence Force Psychology 8th IOP Conference Manly, 26 June 2009

73 Discussion IOP, Manly, 26 Jun 09

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