Disability Law Claims Blog

Training to reduce post-combat stress making big strides...

According to a study lead by research psychologists with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, a new program coined "Battlemind Training" is making "small but significant" improvements in soldiers' mental health.

The study found that in soldiers who returned from the war in Iraq and participated in "Battlemind Training," fewer reported sleep problems, and there were less-severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, compared with soldiers who had received either no post-deployment mental health training or a briefing about stress.  

Amy Adler, a lead researcher on the project, said the study validates the efficacy of the training, which aims to prevent or reduce pychological problems by giving soldiers detailed information about what to expect, how to deal with problems and assurance that their experiences are both shared and manageable.

The Battlemind material was developed after years of gathering data about deployments and reintegration. More than 80,000 troops filled out surveys since at least 2003 providing data on the typical effects of combat and the typical problems after coming home. "What’s normal, what you can expect," Adler said.

The first training module of the Battlemind program centers around easing soldiers’ back into civilian life. It focuses on transitioning combat skills into regular life. So the operational secrecy soldiers learned in combat, for instance, might mean they’ve learned not to tell their wives where they’re going, even though actually, they probably should. Likewise, combat driving in the middle of the road, or always being armed, needs to be transitioned into following driving and gun possession laws — and understanding that the danger has passed.

And, while keeping yourself and your buddies alive is your job in combat, "Recognize that there are human limits to preventing death and injuries. Do not allow ‘survival guilt’ to destroy you. Your buddy would want you to drive on," according to Battlemind.

The training has broadened, with pre-deployment and post-deployment classes now mandated for all troops as well as training for family members. A related "resilience" training session is to begin next in basic training. Additionally, Adler said, the training is tweaked and improved as more data is available.

Reducing or preventing combat impacts on mental health is a pressing issue and an important effort. Studies show PTSD and depression affect large numbers of troops — an estimated 20 percent or more — and treatment often is not sought.

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