Abstract
BackgroundSpecialized training for elite US military units is associated with high attrition due to intense psychological and physical demands. The need to graduate more service members without degrading performance standards necessitates the identification of factors to predict success or failure in targeted training interventions.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to continuously quantify the mental and physical status of trainees of an elite military unit to identify novel predictors of success in training.MethodsA total of 3 consecutive classes of a specialized training course were provided with an Apple iPhone, Watch, and specially designed mobile app. Baseline personality assessments and continuous daily measures of mental status, physical pain, heart rate, activity, sleep, hydration, and nutrition were collected from the app and Watch data.ResultsA total of 115 trainees enrolled and completed the study (100% male; age: mean 22 years, SD 4 years) and 64 (55.7%) successfully graduated. Most training withdrawals (27/115, 23.5%) occurred by day 7 (mean 5.5 days, SD 3.4 days; range 1-22 days). Extraversion, positive affect personality traits, and daily psychological profiles were associated with course completion; key psychological factors could predict withdrawals 1-2 days in advance (P=.009).ConclusionsGathering accurate and continuous mental and physical status data during elite military training is possible with early predictors of withdrawal providing an opportunity for intervention.
Highlights
Owing to the nature of the US conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, which span nearly two decades, the US military comprised many experienced warfighters who are highly trained and specialized [1,2]
Reconnaissance (Recon) Marines, undergoes intense and specialized psychological and physical training that is associated with high attrition rates, most of which occurs in the initial https://mhealth.jmir.org/2020/6/e14116
The timing and context of Drop on Request (DOR) fell into a consistent pattern, and 93% of drops occurred before an impending aquatic event or in the training pool
Summary
Background Owing to the nature of the US conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, which span nearly two decades, the US military comprised many experienced warfighters who are highly trained and specialized [1,2]. Service members volunteer for training and selection to serve in elite and specialized US military units One such group, Reconnaissance (Recon) Marines, undergoes intense and specialized psychological and physical training that is associated with high attrition rates, most of which occurs in the initial https://mhealth.jmir.org/2020/6/e14116 XSLFO RenderX. As Recon training is exceedingly rigorous, the majority of the training failures are trainee-initiated, commonly referred to as Drop on Request (DOR) [3] It is not known which mental and physical factors are predictors of success or failure in training. Some previous studies have used existing military assessments to investigate factors that best predict success or failure [3], whereas others have incorporated wearable sensors to collect and analyze physiologic signals [6,7] or analyzed personality and psychological variables as predictors [8,9,10,11,12]. The need to graduate more service members without degrading performance standards necessitates the identification of factors to predict success or failure in targeted training interventions
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