US Armed Research Articles

From Buns to Braids and Ponytails: Entering a New Era of Female Military Hair-Grooming Standards.

Each of the US Military services imposes strict hair-grooming standards to ensure professionalism and the safety of servicemembers. Although in recent years there have been some progressive changes in grooming policies, they have not adequately accounted for the diversity within the US Armed Forces or variations in hair and skin types. Review of some antiquated grooming regulations resulted in the authorized wearing of locs across all 4 services over the last 4 years. The largest catalyst for improved grooming standards occurred in 2020 when former Defense Secretary Mark Esper requested that the Department of Defense review military policies for racial bias. To embrace diversity and inclusivity in the military services while addressing grooming-related health concerns, the US Air Force and the US Army recently authorized women to wear longer braids and ponytails. The updated hair-grooming regulations are anticipated to decrease the numbers of female servicemembers impacted by scalp symptoms and hair disease. This review highlights the history of female military hair-grooming standards and the most commonly associated scalp symptoms and disorders, including trichorrhexis nodosa (TN), extracranial headaches, and traction alopecia (TA).

Will Biden could withdraw the US forces from Afghanistan?

The article analyzes the military operation of the United States and its NATO allies in Afghanistan, which lasted for 20 years, and the prospects for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from this country. The author states that the new US President D. Biden does not abandon the foreign policy course pursued by his predecessors earlier to reduce the US military presence in Afghanistan. Moreover, the new president reaffirmed his commitment to the peace agreement between the United States and the opposition Taliban, reached in the Qatari capital of Doha in February 2020, which provides for the withdrawal of US troops and their NATO allies from the country. However, the author comes to the conclusion that due to a number of objective and subjective factors, the timing of the final withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan may be postponed indefinitely, and even the deadline recently declared by the White House on September 11, 2021, may be far from final and may be repeatedly subjected to revisions. The main obstacle to the implementation of this important clause of the bilateral agreement is the lack of progress in negotiations between the Taliban representatives and the central government, as well as the lack of security guarantees for the withdrawn contingent of the US Armed Forces, NATO and the remaining staff of Western foreign missions in Afghanistan. Not only the radical Taliban wing, but also a number of current ministers in Kabul are trying to sabotage the conclusion of a second peace agreement and the subsequent integration of the Taliban into power. Without a lasting agreement between the Taliban and the central authorities in Kabul and the formation of a new coalition government, the likelihood of a resumption of civil war in the country will remain. New terrorist attacks and outbursts of violence on the part of the radical wing of the Taliban movement against the central government and foreign troops are not excluded. The penetration of Islamic State gangs into Afghanistan, which can undermine the stability of the military-political situation from within and provoke new armed conflicts, also carries certain risks. Much will also depend on the position of one of the main external players in Afghan affairs — Islamabad. Time will show whether Pakistan will be ready to take on part of the functions of a peaceful settlement within the Afghan conflict. The US administration would like more participation in stabilizing the further situation in Afghanistan from other regional forces (China, Russia, India, Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan).

"To Conserve Fighting Strength": The Role of Military Culture in the Delivery of Care.

There are ongoing discussions about reorganizing the delivery of health care within the US Armed Forces. The military cultural context of care has beneficial qualities for patients with orthopedic and extremity trauma acquired during deployments to conflict zones. The study included 35 participants with lower limb amputations who had been discharged from the Amputee Patient Care Program ≥ 12 months prior to the study. Participants were interviewed using a lightly structured schedule designed to elicit accounts of community integration, which attended to reports of belongingness supported by accounts of social engagement in work, school, family, and social events. Interviews were analyzed using a modified content analysis approach. Participants generally described their postcare lives as "successful" that had been built on "good outcomes." For most former patients, remembering the social intensity of their rehabilitation program was an important element in their narratives of recovery. Weekly amputee clinics worked to alleviate stress and anxiety in participants' minds around the complexities of their injuries and care. Participants reported that features of their care were particularly valuable to their recovery and their current assessment of their injury related health. These features are present, in part because of the military cultural context that is part of the framework of care delivery.

Sajber prostor kao područje sukobljavanja - slučaj SAD - Iran i Severna Koreja

Modern society is critically dependent on information as a strategic resource and information and communications technology, which carries out its transmission, processing and exchange. Information and communications technology has created a new environment, cyberspace, in which tensions, disagreements and incidents are becoming more frequent. In recent years, the mentioned area has increasingly appeared as a domain of conflict between the leading world and regional powers. The paper gives a brief description of the concept of operations in several domains and elements of the new concept of joint warfare of the US Armed Forces. The importance of cyberspace for the US has been pointed out with a review of organizational changes and the adoption of certain strategic and doctrinal documents. The paper presents certain events and activities in cyberspace, in recent years, between the United States on the one hand, and Iran and North Korea on the other. The United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) was created in 2009. USCYBERCOM was elevated to the status of a full and independent unified command in May 2018. It indicates the importance of cyberspace for the Pentagon. In many ways, the separation of USCYBERCOM from Strategic Commands, which oversees strategic rejection, is a symbol of the change in the US attitude in cyberspace from "defensive" to "persistent engagement." The United States is still the strongest force in cyberspace and shows ambition to carry out cyber operations at all levels of command. It is unlikely that Iran will provoke the United States into a large-scale military conflict and wage a direct war in cyberspace. Iran has rapidly improved its ability to operate in cyberspace, and it is estimated that this trend will continue. The imbalance can prevent Iran from a direct military conflict with the United States and its allies. Greater action is expected with an asymmetric arsenal such as e.g. cyber attacks. Iranian and North Korean operations are similar in target selection, planning and exploitation of attacks. Both countries undertake different variants of phishing attacks in an attempt to deceive their victims into downloading malicious software by presenting it as a legitimate link or file. Whereas Iran usually had a motive only to cause disruption to the functioning of financial institutions, North Korean motive was both financial and political retaliation. Certain discovered incidents indicate that North Korea devotes much more time to conducting invasive surveillance before carrying out attacks. Numerous examples show that some activities have been prepared over the years and with the support of certain state bodies. Regardless of the fact that an investigation has been launched against certain groups, most often sponsored by states, it is unlikely that this will deter countries such as North Korea and Iran from giving up further activities and will pose an increasing threat to the US security.

Abstract 14164: Trends in U.S. Spending on Diabetes Therapies by Insurance Payer From 2007 to 2017

Importance: Diabetes mellitus is an important cardiovascular risk factor, and diabetes therapies are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the U.S. While the introduction of new, high-cost therapies has increased costs, recent trends in national spending on diabetes medications by insurance payer have not been examined. Understanding the burden of costs amongst all payers may help inform strategies to optimize drug expenditures in the US. Objective: To produce nationally representative estimates of US spending on diabetes therapies from 2007 to 2017, stratified by insurance payers (Medicare, Medicaid, Private, VA, and TRICARE—a program for civilian health benefits for US Armed Forces). Trends in out-of-pocket costs were also examined. Design/Setting: Retrospective analysis of patient-level data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative survey that is the most complete source of data on healthcare costs in the US, from 2007 to 2017. Participants: All patients receiving one or more classes of diabetes therapies. Outcomes: Inflation-adjusted total national expenditures on all diabetes therapies. Results: There were substantial increases in total expenditures on diabetes therapies for all payers during the study period, ranging from +165.6% for VA & TRICARE ($380.6 million to $1.0 billion) to +460.4% for Medicaid ($1.1 to $6.1 billion). Private insurers increased spending by +346.6% ($5.7 to $25.5 billion), and Medicare increased spending by +389.9% ($5.4 to $25.2 billion). Out-of-pocket spending increased more modestly (+15.7%, from $4.7 to $5.7 billion). Conclusions/Relevance: Spending on diabetes therapies increased dramatically between 2007-2017, with Medicare spending increasing by 389.9%. In contrast, increases in out-of-pocket costs have been more modest. Reasons for the rapid rate of rise in Medicare and private spending compared to out-of-pocket spending should be examined in future studies.

Civil-Military Relationship: The President as Commander in Chief in a Comparative Constitutional Perspective

This paper aims at conducting a doctrinal analysis of the constitutional power of the president as Commander in Chief in a comparative perspective with reference to US and French law. The comparative analysis focuses on the descriptive question of the scope of the presidential war powers and explores, in context, its normative implications in terms of the challenges that it poses for democratic governance. The comparative law method is justified here. Both systems entrust the president with quite remarkable powers vis-a-vis the military in countries which are known for the prominent rank of their armed forces – in the world, as regards the US Armed Forces, and in Europe, as regards the French Armed Forces – as well as the reactivity of the political decision-making process in defence affairs. The comparative study will provide critical insights into the constitutional power of the president as Commander in Chief. It will argue that such power has been exercised at its fullest in both jurisdictions and that both constitutional systems have favoured the executive branch as ‘the pre-eminent decision-maker in matters of war’ thereby reflecting an assumed normative choice of efficiency (linked to the executive branch) over accountability (linked legislative branch). However, the exercise of the Commander in Chief power has seemingly been more coherently justified in the French case given the foundations of the Fifth Republic in comparison with the US case where there has been no consistent practice by the political branch and no satisfactory doctrinal justification in that regard. In any case, the exercise of the constitutional power of the president as Commander in Chief has been somehow difficult to reconcile with basic constitutional and political principles in a liberal democracy thereby calling for better scrutiny mechanisms especially in a renewed CMR context. The paper proceeds in several stages. The first part gives a preliminary account of the main features of the armed forces in their composition and structure in both the USA and France. The second part considers relevant elements of CMR theory which underlie the position of the political power vis-a-vis the military. In a third part, I critically analyse the constitutional foundations of the Commander in Chief Clause in both jurisdictions and in particular how the scholarly debate has pitched the difficulties in constitutional interpretation of the Clause in that regard. In a fourth part, I explain how political and institutional practice has shaped the exercise of the Commander in Chief power towards an undeniable, albeit problematic, presidential pre-eminence in this area. The paper concludes with observations about the need to normalise certain aspects of the role, notably in keeping it under democratic checks.

Randomized Trial Comparing Consumption of Military Rations to Usual Intake for 21 Consecutive Days: Nutrient Adequacy and Indicators of Health Status

BackgroundThe US military Meal, Ready-to-Eat food ration is approved as a nutritionally adequate sole source of nutrition for ≤21 days. However, the ration continuously evolves, requiring periodic reassessment of its influence on nutritional status and health. ObjectiveTo determine the effects of consuming the US Armed Services Meal, Ready-to-Eat ration for 21 days, relative to usual diets, on nutrient intake, and indicators of nutritional status and cardiometabolic health. DesignParallel-arm, randomized, controlled trial, secondary analysis. ParticipantsSixty healthy, weight stable, free-living adults from the Natick, MA, area participated between June 2015 and March 2017. InterventionParticipants were randomized to consume their usual diet for 31days (CON), or a strictly controlled Meal, Ready-to-Eat-only diet for 21 days followed by their usual diet for 10 days (MRE). Main outcome measuresNutrient intake (absolute and adjusted) throughout the study period, and indicators of nutrition status (vitamins B, D, folate, homocysteine, iron, magnesium, and zinc) and cardiometabolic health (glucose, insulin, and blood lipid levels) before (Day 0), during (Day 10 through Day 21), and after (Day 31) the intervention period. Statistical analysis performedBetween-group differences over time were assessed using marginal models. Models for nutritional status and cardiometabolic health indicators were adjusted for age, initial body mass index, and baseline value of the dependent variable. ResultsEnergy-adjusted fiber; polyunsaturated fatty acids; vitamins A, thiamin, riboflavin, B-6, C, D, and E; and magnesium and zinc intakes all increased in MRE during the intervention and were higher compared with CON (P<0.05), whereas relative protein intake decreased and was lower (P<0.05). Serum triglyceride concentrations averaged 19% (95% CI 0% to 41%) higher in MRE relative to CON during Days 10 to 31 (P=0.05). No statistically significant effects of diet on any other nutritional status or cardiometabolic health indicators were observed. ConclusionsFindings demonstrate that a Meal, Ready-to-Eat ration diet can provide a more micronutrient-dense diet than usual dietary intake aiding in maintenance of nutritional status over 21 days.

Пропозиції щодо удосконалення процесу управління інформаційно-психологічними впливами в ході проведення інформаційно-психологічних операцій

У статті представлена низка практичних рекомендацій щодо удосконалення процесу управління інформаційно-психологічними впливами в ході проведення інформаційно-психологічних операцій. Запропонована модель управління інформаційно-психологічним впливом на основі моніторингу стану об’єкту впливу і корегування сценарію інформаційно-психологічної операції (інформаційно-психологічного впливу) або його складових. Представлений механізм інформаційно-психологічного впливу, який передбачає послідовне переведення об’єктів впливу (цільової групи) із одного стану до іншого. Наданий варіант складу команди інформаційних операцій, що створюється при Об’єднаному штабі Збройних Сил США, який може бути прийнятий за основу при удосконаленні структури підрозділів інформаційно-психологічних операцій Збройних Сил України.

Використання сучасних концепцій логістики під час планування логістичного забезпечення застосування угрупувань Повітряних Сил Збройних Сил України

The article highlights the concept of logistics, which is becoming an integral part of operations. It was emphasized that inventory management is one of the main components of logistics support and is associated with significant computational complexity. When solving the problems of inventory management, it is necessary to use modern information technologies, develop models and methods for automated management of logistics processes taking into account specific tasks and features of operations. Comparative analysis of logistic concepts has been carried out, which allows on a unified methodological basis to determine the properties and characteristics of logistic processes and patterns of formation and development of commodity relations. Тhe experience of the US Armed Forces and leading NATO countries where approaches to the planning and management of defense resources were introduced, which are implemented in multifunctional systems of the ERP class, with refinement by suppliers of industrial software platforms to the level of industry solute.A number of problems of the activities of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in terms of logistics support during inventory management in multi–layered systems are presented. The analysis of the possibilities of transforming the existing logistics concepts for the needs of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is carried out and the importance of their applications substantiated. The kinds of storage systems and inventory management systems are examined, with the identification of possible management strategies that can be applied in a promising automated logistics management system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to increase the efficiency of logistics support planning.

Zaangażowanie Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki w rozwiązanie kryzysu w Libii z 2011 roku

&lt;p&gt;Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie i ocena zaangażowania Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki w rozwiązanie kryzysu w Libii z 2011 roku. Problem ten rozpatrywano z uwzględnieniem okoliczności dwustronnych i wielostronnych. W poszczególnych częściach artykułu omówiono zagadnienia, takie jak relacje Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki i Libii przed kryzysem oraz działania USA w trakcie kryzysu i motywy je warunkujące. Dotyczy to między innymi aktywności politycznej Waszyngtonu na forum Rady Bezpieczeństwa ONZ oraz wkładu Sił Zbrojnych USA w operację zbrojną w Libii. Ukazano również ewolucję stanowiska Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki w kwestii wykorzystania czynnika militarnego do zmiany reżimu politycznego Libii. Problem badawczy zawiera się w pytaniach, czym motywowane były działania Waszyngtonu wobec Libii oraz czy obrana polityka była zasadna? Główną tezą artykułu jest stwierdzenie, że podstawowym powodem zaangażowania się Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki w kryzys w Libii były przesłanki natury humanitarnej, jednak liczyły się także interesy USA. Niestety akcja zbrojna nie doprowadziła do zakończenia konfliktu wewnętrznego w tym państwie. Podejście Waszyngtonu do kryzysu w Libii było ważnym elementem wpływającym na formułowanie doktryny prezydenta Baracka Obamy. Możemy w nim dostrzec cechy wpisujące się zarówno w liberalną, jak i realistyczną koncepcję stosunków międzynarodowych. W artykule wykorzystano metodę analizy źródeł tekstowych.&lt;/p&gt;

Comparative Effectiveness of Carotid Endarterectomy vs Initial Medical Therapy in Patients With Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) among asymptomatic patients involves a trade-off between a higher short-term perioperative risk in exchange for a lower long-term risk of stroke. The clinical benefit observed in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) may not extend to real-world practice. To examine whether early intervention (CEA) was superior to initial medical therapy in real-world practice in preventing fatal and nonfatal strokes among patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. This comparative effectiveness study was conducted from August 28, 2018, to March 2, 2020, using the Corporate Data Warehouse, Suicide Data Repository, and other databases of the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Data analyzed were those of veterans of the US Armed Forces aged 65 years or older who received carotid imaging between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2009. Patients without a carotid imaging report, those with carotid stenosis of less than 50% or hemodynamically insignificant stenosis, and those with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack in the 6 months before index imaging were excluded. A cohort of patients who received initial medical therapy and a cohort of similar patients who received CEA were constructed and followed up for 5 years. The target trial method was used to compute weighted Kaplan-Meier curves and estimate the risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes in each cohort in the pragmatic sample across 5 years of follow-up. This analysis was repeated after restricting the sample to patients who met RCT inclusion criteria. Cumulative incidence functions for fatal and nonfatal strokes were estimated, accounting for nonstroke deaths as competing risks in both the pragmatic and RCT-like samples. Receipt of CEA vs initial medical therapy. Fatal and nonfatal strokes. Of the total 5221 patients, 2712 (51.9%; mean [SD] age, 73.6 [6.0] years; 2678 men [98.8%]) received CEA and 2509 (48.1%; mean [SD] age, 73.6 [6.0] years; 2479 men [98.8%]) received initial medical therapy within 1 year after the index carotid imaging. The observed rate of stroke or death (perioperative complications) within 30 days in the CEA cohort was 2.5% (95% CI, 2.0%-3.1%). The 5-year risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes was lower among patients randomized to CEA compared with patients randomized to initial medical therapy (5.6% vs 7.8%; risk difference, -2.3%; 95% CI, -4.0% to -0.3%). In an analysis that incorporated the competing risk of death, the risk difference between the 2 cohorts was lower and not statistically significant (risk difference, -0.8%; 95% CI, -2.1% to 0.5%). Among patients who met RCT inclusion criteria, the 5-year risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes was 5.5% (95% CI, 4.5%-6.5%) among patients randomized to CEA and was 7.6% (95% CI, 5.7%-9.5%) among those randomized to initial medical therapy (risk difference, -2.1%; 95% CI, -4.4% to -0.2%). Accounting for competing risks resulted in a risk difference of -0.9% (95% CI, -2.9% to 0.7%) that was not statistically significant. This study found that the absolute reduction in the risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes associated with early CEA was less than half the risk difference in trials from 20 years ago and was no longer statistically significant when the competing risk of nonstroke deaths was accounted for in the analysis. Given the nonnegligible perioperative 30-day risks and the improvements in stroke prevention, medical therapy may be an acceptable therapeutic strategy.

United States Air Force radioisotope material launch approval requirements

National Security Presidential Memorandum #20 [1] recently superseded National Security Council, Presidential Directive #25 [2] both of which require evaluation of risks associated with launch of radioactive sources into space. This evaluation is conducted by the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board (INSRB)*⁎The Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) consisted of the Department of Defense (DoD), charged with national security and the US Armed Forces; Department of Energy (DOE), concerned with US policies regarding energy and safety in handling and use of nuclear material; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), responsible for human health and preservation of the environment; National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), responsible for the civilian space program; and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; (NRC), tasked with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy. The INSRP was replaced by the INSRB per NSPM-20 in August, 2019, adding two new organizations to the board, the Department of Transportation (DOT) responsible for transportation safety and the Department of State (DOS) responsible for international agreements.. The Air Force (AF) Chief of Space Safety is a co-chair on the Board representing the Department of Defense. There have historically existed no regulated acceptable risk thresholds within US Government or AF guidance specific to the potential for radioisotope exposure should a launch of this nature fail. To this end, the AF rewrote its existing policy to establish launch safety criteria for use by the AF Launch Decision Authority when approving launches that use radioactive sources. This paper outlines the thought process used while developing launch safety criteria specifically, with regard to when a risk evaluation should be accomplished and what the acceptable risk threshold should be.

Особенности предупреждения суицидального поведения лиц, осуществляющих свою профессиональную деятельность в экстремальной среде (на примере американских Вооруженных сил)

The relevance of this work is due to the fact that at present the problem of suicide among persons engaged in their professional activities in an extreme environment, which include the military and law enforcement officials, is of great concern to the public and the leadership, the Armed forces and law enforcement agencies in different countries. Most of the previous studies have shown that suicide among the considered category of persons adversely affects the combat readiness of the unit and may even lead to a negative attitude in General to the service in the army or law enforcement. In this regard, the authors attempted to analyze the positive experience associated with the prevention of suicidal behavior in the US Armed forces. In the course of the research General scientific and special methods were applied, which allowed to draw reasoned conclusions. Studying the positive experience of suicide prevention in American servicemen, the authors came to the conclusion that the military and political leadership of the us Armed forces not only realized the importance of countering suicidal behavior, but also takes the necessary measures to minimize the phenomenon under consideration. The authors also note that currently in the Armed forces and law enforcement agencies should focus on the need for commanders and direct managers of mental health of soldiers and personnel, including to mitigate the effects of combat stress. The practical significance of the study is expressed in the possibility of using in our country the positive foreign experience in the prevention of mental disorders and suicidal behavior among specialists of dangerous professions. Due to the urgent need to reduce the psychotraumatic impact of negative factors on the group under consideration.

Racial Selection in Deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan

ABSTRACT The US Armed Forces officially desegregated in 1948. Over the following 70 years, the military has made great strides in promoting racial integration. We find evidence, however, that Black soldiers’ experience of military service still differs significantly from that of other racial and ethnic groups. Exploiting a database of administrative records for 100,000 Army personnel serving during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, we find that Blacks were less likely than other service members to have deployed, or to face intense combat if deployed, during the early phases of the campaigns.

ФОРМИ ТА МЕТОДИ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ КВАЛІФІКАЦІЇ ФАХІВЦІВ СЛУЖБ ПЕРСОНАЛУ ЗБРОЙНИХ СИЛ США

Introduction. Taking into account the aspirations of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine to implement the principles and approaches adopted in the NATO member states in the military personnel policy, there is a clear need to improve all elements of the personnel management system, in particular, the existing system for the training of specialists of the personnel services of the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of Ukraine .The purpose of the article is to carry out a generalized analysis of the forms and methods of training that are used during the training in the system of advanced training of specialists of the services of personnel of the US armed forces.Research methods are theoretical, in particular, the analysis of scientific sources on the theory of professional training of specialists in the services of the personnel of the armed forces of the USA; specification of knowledge related to the organization of the training process for the training of specialists in the services of personnel; comparative analysis of the received theoretical materials.Results. The article analyzes the modern forms and methods of training used in the current system of advanced training of specialists of the US Armed Forces personnel and identifies the possibilities for introducing American experience into the national system. The author considers the main directions of research of foreign and domestic scientists in the field of studying the forms and methods of training used in the training courses for the personnel of the personnel of the US Armed Forces. The types of assimilation of information that influence the use of forms and methods during the training of specialists of the personnel services are established.The article provides an opportunity to trace how the three innovative directions of modern training studied organically influence the forms and methods of training in the course of a human resource specialist. The article describes the main groups of methods used in the training of US military personnel at advanced training courses and discloses their main components. The author analyzes the peculiarities of the use by teachers of advanced training courses of various forms and methods of training in the course of conducting classes. The direct dependence of methods on the goals of training, which is elaborated in the programs of courses of advanced training of specialists of US personnel services, is established. Originality. The practical significance of the results of the study is the introduction of better experience of the armed forces of the advanced countries of the world in the system of training of specialists of the personnel services of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.Conclusion. The result of the application of the defined forms and methods of training used in the system of training of specialists of the US Armed Forces personnel is the successful realization of the goal and objectives of the training program of the personnel management courses.Subsequently, it is envisaged to study the specifics and peculiarities of the application of these forms and methods in the educational process in the system of training of specialists of the personnel services of the armed forces of the leading foreign states for the further introduction of the best practices in the system of professional development of specialists of the personnel services of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Cooperation between Anthropologists and the US Armed Forces in the 20th — Early 21st Centuries

Cooperation between Anthropologists and the US Armed Forces in the 20th — Early 21st Centuries

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПІДГОТОВКИ ВІЙСЬКОВИХ ФАХІВЦІВ ТАКТИЧНОГО РІВНЯ У ВВНЗ США ТА ОКРЕМИХ КРАЇН НАТО

Introduction. The article addresses the experience obtained in the training process of military specialists of a tactical level for the US Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of separate NATO-countries in the context of its assumable implementation for further reforms of military education in Ukraine. Possible ways of organizing the training of officers of a tactical level have been addressed in this article with the presentation of further details of the training process within the framework of a higher military educational establishment (HMEE). Purpose. The analyses of various factors in the process of organizing and providing the educational-training process within the framework of HMEE that assure the necessary effectiveness of the training process of military specialists, including the presentation of the educational plans of their training.Methods of research. The method of analysis and synthesis and the method of expert evaluations are used. Results It has been proven that despite the standardization process in the various fields of military activity of NATO-countries, the prominent members of the Alliance have managed to maintain their unique national peculiarities within their systems of military education. In this context countries like the USA, Germany, Great Britain, France, Poland etc., should be mentioned in the first place. Conclusion. The basic fields of activity that provide the achievement of cohesiveness by the graduates from the Armed Forces of NATO-countries are the following:The implementation of the programs of international cooperation in the field of military education, the exchange scientific and pedagogical employees, with the inclusion of cadets (attendees) in the course of their studying at the higher military educational establishments of the NATO-countriesThe active usage of the normative documents (staff procedures) of the Alliance, the usage of common examples of military hardware and equipment in the process of studying;The education of officers at the higher military educational establishments of the coalition and at the training centers of the Allied Command Transformations;The implementation of the system of measures of combat training used by the NATO Armed Forces.In the context of obtaining experience concerning the foreign systems of military education it has been determined that the positive factors of organizing the educational process turned out to be most effective and efficient only when implemented as a complex of various factors, among which are the following: The training system of officers of a tactical level in every of the mentioned countries is cohesive and whole in terms of all of its components;The appropriate effectiveness of training of specialists is assured by means of significant financing and the material-technical assurance of the educational process; In the course of implementing the reforms, it is both important and necessary to maintain the continuity of historical traditions of the national military education system, as well as to pay attention to the mentality of the population etc.

Predicting Gambling Situations: The Roles of Impulsivity, Substance Use, and Post-Traumatic Stress.

Gambling disorder and symptoms of post-traumatic stress are highly comorbid. Numerous studies suggest that the presence of one (either disordered gambling or post-traumatic stress) substantially increases the odds of later developing the other. However, little is known about the etiological links between these two domains or the nuances of the comorbidity. Past research has suggested that symptoms of post-traumatic stress might be related to unique motivations for and beliefs about gambling. The present work sought to examine whether or not symptoms of post-traumatic stress might also be related to specific situational vulnerabilities to gambling behaviors. Using a large cross-sectional sample of Internet-using adults in the United States who were primarily recreational gamblers (N = 743; 46% men, Mage = 36.0, SD = 11.1), as well as an inpatient sample of US Armed Forces veterans seeking treatment for gambling disorder (N = 332, 80% men, Mage = 53.5, SD = 11.5), the present work tested whether or not symptoms of post-traumatic stress were uniquely related to a variety of gambling situations. Results in both samples revealed that even when controlling for potentially confounding variables (eg, substance use and trait impulsivity), symptoms of post-traumatic stress were uniquely related to gambling in response to negative affect, gambling in response to social pressure, and gambling due to a need for excitement. These findings are consistent with recent work suggesting that individuals with post-traumatic stress symptoms are more likely to engage in gambling behaviors for unique reasons that differ from gamblers without such symptoms.

УЧЕБНО-ТРЕНИРОВОЧНЫЕ СРЕДСТВА СУХОПУТНЫХ ВОЙСК США

The article discusses issues related to the development and use of training means and facilities in order to improve the level of training of US Army personnel. An overview of the main simulators used in the US Armed Forces at present is given, and the prospects for the development of the United States in this area are presented.

Suicides between 2010 and 2014 in the German Armed Forces-Comparison of Suicide Registry Data and a German Armed Forces Survey.

The last 10years have seen an increase in the number of suicides in the US Armed Forces. Accordingly, the topic of suicides in the German military has received a lot of attention in media and science alike. This study retrospectively examined all suicides (N=107) committed by active, nonretired German military personnel from 2010 to the end of 2014, analyzing archived medical records. In a second step, these data were compared to a representative German Armed Forces survey conducted in 2012 (N=1,549). The following risk groups for suicide were identified: male (OR=9.6), single (OR=7.8), aged over 45years (OR=4.0), short period of service (<2years; OR=2.7), and low level of education (OR=2.2). Surprisingly, military personnel with little experience in deployments abroad (<2 missions) showed double the risk (OR=2.0) compared to those who had been deployed more than once. Multiple robustness checks show that being single, aged over 45years, and having obtained a low level of education exhibit the most robust effects on suicide risk. Efforts should be made to develop and evaluate risk group-focused prevention programs. We conclude, that further studies should be initiated to show differences of risk groups between lethal and nonlethal suicidal behavior.