Military Community Research Articles

The Phenomenon of Military Communities in Modern Media as a New Philosophy of Warfare

The Phenomenon of Military Communities in Modern Media as a New Philosophy of Warfare

ОТ БОЛЬШОЙ ИГРЫ К ХОЛОДНОЙ ВОЙНЕ: МАЛЫЕ ВОЙНЫ НА ВОСТОКЕ В БРИТАНСКОЙ И ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННОЙ ВОЕННОЙ МЫСЛИ ПЕРВОЙ ТРЕТИ XX В.

The understanding of a small war as a model of a colonial insurgency was a characteristic feature of the development of the military thought of European empires that were expanding their borders. The authors see this process as a reflection of discussions about the role of military authorities in ensuring the colonial order. Comparison of the Russian and British cases in the first third of the 20th century allows us to move beyond the traditional framework of the “Great Game” in studying the peculiarities of the use of military force in the eastern outskirts of the Russian and British empires. An analysis of the evolution of the military thought of these countries demonstrates that on the eve of the Great War, their professional military communities shared common ideas about the spectrum of priority potential threats to their security in Asia, giving priority to training personnel and officers in conventional conflicts. The study proves that in the Interbellum, the attitude of the military of the Great Britain and the USSR to small wars changed under the influence of new global ideological trends (nationalism, communism, pan-Islamism). We have succeeded in proving that, despite all the differences in ideological approaches and the methodology of analysis, both British and Soviet military thought came to the conclusion that in non-European theaters of small war, military measures represent only a part of the overall policy of appeasement of a particular territory and should be combined with social, economic and political measures designed to overcome the crisis of loyalty in relations with the native population.

Principal Component Analysis in MCDM: An exercise in pilot selection

Assignment of criteria weights during group multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) processes is a challenging and time-consuming process often rife with subjectivity. This is particularly evident in hiring or personnel selection processes. Both the military and corporate aviation communities have required a large influx of pilots recently due to an increasing pilot shortage. This paper outlines a study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of principal component analysis (PCA) as an objective weight assignment method to establish a rank order of United States Army pilots based upon their emotional intelligence, safety attitude, and safety citizenship scores. PCA results were compared to an algorithm tracking the rank order of pilots using every possible criteria weighting combination to test PCA's validity as a criteria weight assignment method. Regression analysis demonstrated a strong correlation (p < 0.000) between the algorithm ranking results and PCA’s ranking results, reinforcing PCA's validity as a quantitative approach to criteria weight assignment in group MCDM applications. Implications of this study include increased efficiency and reduced subjectivity in group-based MCDM pilot selection processes.

A model for the assessment, care, and treatment of suicidal risk within the military intelligence community

ABSTRACT This paper describes the development of a behavioral health and wellness model into the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) to address concerns about suicide within this community. In response to stresses existing within the intelligence community (IC), INSCOM partnered with the Army Public Health Center (APHC) to assess the health and wellbeing of Command personnel. A Community Health Assessment (CHA) survey was conducted (N = 2,704 Soldiers; N = 959 Civilians) that included focus groups across three installations and secondary source data. Six key areas were prioritized: suicide behavior, behavioral health access to care and health promotion, behavioral health stigma and maintaining clearances, workplace environment, sleep health, and overall fitness. Several actions were implemented to address the report’s findings and recommendations. A Command Surgeon office was established within INSCOM. An INSCOM Health Assessment and Readiness Team (I-HART) was established. The Deputy Undersecretary of the Army provided support to address suicide within INSCOM by approving 4 highly qualified experts (HQE’s) in behavioral health and clinical suicidology to provide research oversight and make recommendations. The Command General approved 8 behavioral health providers. There are planned research efforts within the command focusing on scalable and technology enabled care delivery to improve mental well-being and decrease suicides.

A “precariously unprepared” Pentagon? Climate security beliefs and decision-making in the U.S. military

Increasing evidence suggests that climate change poses direct and indirect threats to national and human security. However, the degree to which such knowledge of the risks informs decision-making remains poorly understood for key security communities, including the U.S. Department of Defense. Here, through document analysis and interviews with climate security researchers and practitioners from the U.S. military community, we evaluate perceptions about and the degree to which (i) these individuals believe climate change is a threat to U.S. national security interests, and (ii) the U.S. Department of Defense integrates climate security science into its decision-making. Our research suggests a complex answer. Public statements and reports indicate U.S. Department of Defense leadership considers climate change a security threat of strategic importance, and most researchers interviewed believe the U.S. Department of Defense prioritizes climate security as a near-term threat. However, evidence of climate security threats is only selectively integrated into planning and decision-making. Interviews suggest several barriers and enablers to evidence-based decision-making within the U.S. Department of Defense. Barriers include mixed beliefs in the near-term urgency of the threat, changing political environments, and insufficient co-production of actionable science across the levels of war, including issues of data collection, sharing, and analysis. Enablers include increased awareness after climate-related impacts, strong leadership support, and knowledge transfer and convening forums. Improved insight into the production and use of climate security knowledge is crucial for the task of safeguarding human and national security in a changing climate.

Policy Response and Collaboration in Handling Covid-19 East Kutai Regency With An Adaptive Governance Approach in Disasters

The current COVID-19 pandemic condition requires the Indonesian government to act quickly and effectively in dealing with the threat of a crisis; for this reason, the concept of adaptive governance promises a more innovative approach in an effective way to deal with a complex environment. Adaptation in governance is carried out by producing policy products that are swift, efficient, and effective in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to find out how the local government of East Kutai Regency applies the concept of adaptive governance with the scope of policies and collaboration between parties in handling the COVID-19 Pandemic. The benefits of research will fill the space for scientific studies related to adaptive governance approaches in handling pandemics through policy products and collaboration between parties within the most basic scope, namely the East Kutai Regency level. This research is qualitative research with the descriptive method; the approach used in this research is a case study approach. For research data analysis, this study used Qualitative Data Software Analysis (QDSA) NVivo 12 Plus. The study results show that the five agencies have carried out their roles to provide adaptive governance. Of the six indicators, each agency has a different percentage level. There are tons of steps that have been taken to prevent the spread and handling of COVID-19 by the government and agencies, as well as layers of society. The involvement of Task Force Teams at all levels, the Police, Military District Commands, Community Organizations, NGOs, and Companies in assisting the prevention and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic running the East Kutai District Health Office shows a form of participation and collaboration in handling the COVID-19 pandemic health disaster. Which is an essential value in realizing adaptive governance.

Energy-Adjusted Dietary Intakes Are Associated with Perceived Barriers to Healthy Eating but Not Food Insecurity or Sports Nutrition Knowledge in a Pilot Study of ROTC Cadets.

Military service is inherently demanding and, due to the nature of these demands, the term “tactical athlete” has been coined to capture the physical requirements of the profession. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets are a unique subset of the military service community, and the complexity of their training and educational pursuits increases their susceptibility to unhealthy eating patterns. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the relationship between the perceived barriers to healthy eating, food insecurity, sports nutrition knowledge, and dietary patterns among Army ROTC cadets. The usual dietary intake was gathered from (N = 37) cadets using the General Nutrition Assessment Food Frequency Questionnaire. The perceived barriers to healthy eating were measured using a set of scales consisting of social barriers (6 items, α = 0.86), access barriers (2 items, α = 0.95), and personal barriers (2 items, α = 0.67), with higher-scale scores indicating greater perceived barriers. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to measure the association between the energy-adjusted dietary intakes and the scores on the barriers scales. Energy-adjusted intakes of calcium (ρ = −0.47, p ≤ 0.01), fiber (ρ = −0.35, p = 0.03), vitamin A (ρ = −0.46, p ≤ 0.01), vitamin C (ρ = −0.43, p ≤ 0.01), fruit (ρ = −0.34, p = 0.04), and vegetables (ρ = −0.50, p ≤ 0.01) were negatively correlated with the perceived personal barrier scores. The energy-adjusted intakes of fiber (ρ = −0.36, p = 0.03), vitamin C (ρ = −0.37, p = 0.03), and vitamin E (ρ = −0.45, p ≤.01) were negatively correlated with perceived social barriers, while energy-adjusted vitamin C intake was negatively correlated with perceived access barriers (ρ = −0.40, p = 0.01). Although additional research is needed to better understand the dietary patterns of ROTC cadets, among the participants in this study, greater perceived personal, social, and access barriers were associated with less nutrient-dense eating patterns. Interventions aimed at addressing such barriers may prove beneficial for the improvement of diet quality among ROTC cadets.

Scoping Review: Ethical Considerations in Online Ethnographic Research With Military Populations

Researchers using online ethnographic methods to study military communities must employ higher standards of ethical practice. Military populations may face significant risk if reidentified in research. These requirements are especially salient for online data collection. This review questions how and to what extent military online ethnographers are addressing ethics considerations. We charted evidence from seven military studies using an online ethnographic method. Findings reveal that most online military ethnographers did not utilize sufficient ethical safeguards in their studies. Additionally, they did not document or transparently disclose the ethical steps they may have taken. This study argues implementing ethical safeguards is especially important for protecting vulnerable military populations. We present a strategy for evaluating ethics practices in online ethnographic research and provide best practices for military online ethnographers.

Seeing Poems of Suffering and The Future of the Nation: On the Meaning of the Eyes in Italian Literature of the Great War, 1915–1935

ABSTRACT Using a selected corpus of novels, diaries, memoirs, and theatre plays published between 1915 and 1935, it will be shown how, in the Italian literature of the Great War (the so-called letteratura di guerra), eyes became symbols of patriotic martyrdom, incitement to violence, military community, and humanised authority. Coded as male, nationalistic, and militaristic, in the writings of both prominent and obscure Italian writers and veterans, eyes were simultaneously transformed into chauvinistic and xenophobic marks of exclusion of perceived enemies, women, and social outsiders. It will finally be shown how similar patterns of meaning, as associated with the description of eyes in the letteratura di guerra, can be traced in Fascist literature, pointing towards a hitherto unexplored semantic universe of ocular imagery in interwar Italy.

Heal and Serve

The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan can be seen as a laboratory for examining the Soviet construction of masculinity during the last decade of the USSR. Focusing on male Soviet military doctors as individuals, this article aims to present how these doctors constructed their virile presentation of self in a war situation and how they managed their position within the military community. Taking a pragmatic historical approach, the article considers the doctors through their interactions with both women and men, examining gendered practices such as “protecting weak people,” “asserting authority,” “expressing emotions (or not),” and “impressing others.” It offers a case study for the analysis of one of the many forms of Soviet military masculinity under late socialism and its place in Soviet society.

Firearm Lethal Means Safety with Military Personnel and Veterans: Overcoming Barriers using a Collaborative Approach.

Suicides by firearm have increased over the past decade among United States service members and veterans. As firearm access is a suicide risk factor, firearm-related lethal means safety is critical to suicide prevention. However, identity, occupational, and cultural barriers may deter efforts to promote lethal means safety with service members and veterans. The current manuscript describes a collaborative framework to guide mental health providers' in conducting firearm-related lethal means safety with service members and veterans, including within the context of Safety Planning. In approaching firearm lethal means safety conversations with patients, clinicians must work to overcome their own reticence, address patient concerns directly, and remain culturally sensitive to the values of the military and veteran communities. This approach is illustrated using case vignettes that encompass addressing firearm-related lethal means safety with service members and veterans.

‘A large population, famous for their military qualities’: Londoners at war, c. 1000–1200

AbstractThe scholarship of high medieval warfare tends not to emphasize the contribution made by urban communities, regarding cities as the passive objects of military campaigning. This article shows that the inhabitants of medieval London, however, had emerged as an organized military community from an early date, and were regarded by contemporaries as unusually disciplined, effective, fighters.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Lifestyle Medicine-Based Care in a Military Community.

The Department of Defense spends more than $3 billion annually on medical costs of lifestyle-related morbidity. Military service members and veterans engage in unhealthy behaviors at a higher rate than the civilian population. Lifestyle medicine may mitigate lifestyle-related chronic diseases and increase medical readiness in the U.S. Military. However, patients' perspectives in a military community regarding a lifestyle medicine-based approach to health care have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of and interest in lifestyle medicine-based care within a military community. Following exempt study determination from the Madigan Army Medical Center Human Protections Office (Reference No. 220092), a prospective, cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey study was conducted from September 2020 to January 2021. Volunteer subjects, including active duty service members, National Guard/Reserves service members, and military dependents, were recruited to complete the anonymous survey while seeking care at five military clinics on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The study's outcome measures were the overall level of awareness of lifestyle medicine, ranked level of importance of seven core lifestyle domains, the level of interest in seeking care from a lifestyle medicine practitioner, and the preferred lifestyle medicine care delivery setting. Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance were conducted for categorical outcome variables. Mean composite scores were calculated for lifestyle domain rankings. A total of 623 respondents completed the survey with a 62.3% response rate. The majority of respondents (89.7%) lacked definitive knowledge of the field of lifestyle medicine. Food/nutrition and sleep were ranked the highest of all lifestyle domains to include in a healthcare approach in the overall sample and across all subgroups. Quitting smoking and alcohol use were ranked the lowest of importance overall and across all subgroups. The majority of respondents (65.7%) reported it was extremely or very important that lifestyle is part of the healthcare discussion with their provider. Of 614 responses, 77.6% of respondents expressed interest in a lifestyle medicine-based approach to health care, with 40.1% indicating they were extremely or very interested in this approach. A direct correlation was noted between education levels and level of interest in lifestyle medicine. Many respondents selected their primary care provider (34.6%) or a lifestyle medicine practitioner embedded in their primary care clinic (26.1%) as their preferred method of lifestyle medicine provision. A higher smoking rate was demonstrated in service members in combat arms occupational specialties. Despite an overall low level of awareness of lifestyle medicine, most respondents expressed interest in a lifestyle medicine approach to health care, with food/nutrition and sleep ranked as the most important domains. Lower levels of education may be a potential barrier to patient willingness to engage in lifestyle medicine care. Service members in combat arms occupational specialties may represent a potential target population for smoking cessation interventions. Further research with a larger sample more proportionately inclusive of all military service branches is needed.

Perceptions of family acceptance into the military community among U.S. LGBT service members: A mixed-methods study

LAY SUMMARY There are approximately 16,000 families of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) service members in the U.S. military, but very little is known about how accepted they feel in the communities in which they live. This study begins to address this question by considering the perspectives of LGBT service members, which they shared both in response to an online survey and in interviews. Findings suggest that many service members believe their spouses and families are accepted by their chain of command. However, a smaller but important group continued to express concerns about their family being accepted in their military community. Many service members appear concerned that family services available to them through the military are not appropriate for LGBT families. Altogether, this article highlights the need for more research to understand the well-being and needs of this group.

Combating the "Peacetime Effect" in Military Plastic Surgery: Implications for Mission Readiness.

Military treatment facility-assigned surgeons face numerous challenges in maintaining critical wartime skills, including the "peacetime effect" and the "dual mission." Using the field of plastic surgery to illustrate these issues, we contrast plastic surgeons' contributions to combat casualty care with primary data describing plastic surgeons' clinical practice in many military hospitals. Then, we outline the current administrative mechanisms being promoted at the enterprise-level for surgeons to gain a more mission-focused, clinical practice, while also examining significant shortcomings in these policies. Finally, we conclude with a call to action for the military surgical community to accelerate change in the development of more robust clinical practices for our surgeons, or potentially lose our ability to field a ready surgical force.

Interpersonal precipitants are associated with suicide intent communication among United States Air Force suicide decedents

Abstract Background Few studies explore differences between suicide intent communicators and noncommunicators, and to date, none have examined the association between suicide precipitants and intent communication. Methods United States Air Force suicide decedents (N = 236) were categorized as suicide intent communicators or non-communicators within 30 days prior to death. The top two frequently occurring suicide precipitants, categorized as interpersonal and legal/administrative, were examined in relation to suicide intent communication. Results Nearly half (47.0%) of suicide decedents communicated intent within 30 days of death, of which the majority (61.3%) communicated their suicide intent within 24 h of death. Suicide intent communicators and non-communicators did not differ on demographics. Decedents with interpersonal precipitants were significantly more likely than those without to communicate suicide intent (52.7% versus 33.3%). Decedents with documented legal/administrative precipitants were equally likely as those without to communicate suicide intent (49.6% versus 44.0%). Controlling for legal/administrative precipitants, decedents with interpersonal precipitants were twice as likely to communicate suicide intent communication, OR = 2.2, p = .008 (95% CI = 1.23, 3.98). Limitations Limitations include the retrospective study design, unknown mode of intent communication, unclear timing of precipitants relative to communication, and exclusion of other types of precipitants. Conclusions Suicide intent communication was most frequent among decedents with interpersonal precipitants. This finding has important implications for the continued education of military families and communities on identifying and intervening with those making suicide intent disclosures. Additional research is needed to examine individual trajectories toward suicide to understand nuances of distal and proximal precipitants as related to suicide intent communication.

Archetype Profiles of Military Spouses in Australia–Identifying Perfect Partners and Mean Girls

Military spouses are situated at the junction of the military and civilian worlds. They provide necessary support to military strategic and operational objectives and are also expected to perform a traditional spousal role of the ‘good’ military wife. This article demonstrates the existence of strong military partner archetypes which guide military community norms and expectations of spousal behaviour. In 14 qualitative interviews and five focus groups with Australian military partners, participants revealed many different, yet firm, sentiments related to identity, including fierce independence; a sense of belonging; self-reliance; a desire to help others; belief in fairness and pragmatism. The archetypes outlined in this article shape how partners see their role, and how they interact with other non-military partners and the military organization. This research delivers insights into optimizing military partner services to better support spouses through deployment, relocation and other military experiences.

KOORDINASI PEMERINTAHAN DALAM PENANGGULANGAN PELADANGAN GANJA PADA KABUPATEN GAYO LUES

This study aims to determine the coordination carried out by the Gayo Lues Regency government in overcoming cannabis cultivation, and also how the obstacles that occur when implementing coordination in tackling cannabis cultivation both between one agency and another as well as between agencies and the community and to find out the efforts made by the government. (BNNK, Polri, TNI) in tackling cannabis cultivation in Gayo Lues Regency. This research uses qualitative research using descriptive method which is carried out by means of purposive sampling. Data collection techniques were carried out by interviews and documentation studies, with informants of several employees at the Gayo Lues Regency National Narcotics Agency, Gayo Lues District Police, Gayo Lues District Military Command, community leaders and communities who live in areas prone to cannabis cultivation. The results of this research indicate that the collaboration formed by the BNN Gayo Lues Regency, the Police and the Kodim 0113 Gayo Lues has been carried out as much as possible but efforts are still needed to change the mindset of the community. The coordination carried out by the government is for preventive activities carried out by the District National Narcotics Agency (BNNK) Gayo Lues, while the Police and Kodim 0113 Gayo Lues are more concerned with law enforcement. The obstacles experienced by the government in overcoming cannabis cultivation are divided into 2 (two), namely internal constraints and external constraints. Internal constraints such as the lack of personnel, the absence of technology in tackling cannabis cultivation and the distance of the cannabis fields, while the external constraints are more to the people themselves. The efforts made by each agency are different, such as the National Narcotics Agency of Gayo Lues Regency which emphasizes work programs, while for the Police and Kodim 0113 Gayo Lues strives by requesting an increase in the number of personnel and the procurement of technology to combat marijuana.

Military Spouses’ Perceptions of Suicide in the Military Spouse Community

Newly released data from the U.S. Department of Defense shows military spouse suicide to be an imminent concern for the U.S. military. Currently, there is an absence of research in the counseling profession related to suicide prevention and intervention for this population. Therefore, this qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of military spouses regarding suicide within their community. Ten military spouses were interviewed twice and were asked to provide written responses to follow-up questions. Six main themes emerged: (a) loss of control, (b) loss of identity, (c) fear of seeking mental health services, (d) difficulty accessing mental health services, (e) the military spouse community as a protective factor, and (f) desire for better communication about available mental health resources. Implications for practicing counselors and military leadership in helping to prevent military spouse suicide as well as recommendations for future research regarding ways to support military spouse mental health and prevent suicide in this community are included.

Risk Factors for Complicated Grief in the Military Community.

Death, grief, and loss have always been a part of the military community. Historically, research on grief in the military has focused on the impact of combat operations and deployment separations on the grief experience of service members and loved ones. However, as the transient nature of military life and the dangers of military service exist outside of combat operations and military deployments, it is important to examine how grief may impact the military community in times of peace as well as war. The purpose of this commentary is to discuss the components of the military community that place its members at a higher risk of experiencing complicated grief.