US Marines Research Articles

Sleep disorder symptoms and suicidal urges among US Marines seeking suicide treatment: Findings from an intensive daily assessment study

BackgroundRates of suicide in United States Marines are among the highest in the military, and sleep disorder symptoms are a known risk factor for suicide in the military. Intensive ecological momentary assessments (EMA) might improve the ability to detect periods that are characterized by increased suicidal ideation. Marines who were at high risk for suicide were intensively assessed for one month on sleep, suicidal urges, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. MethodsU.S. Marines (N = 40) who had a past month suicide attempt or suicidal urges with intent were sent EMA for 28 days. Mixed effects models explored associations among daily sleep, suicidal urges, PTSD, and depression symptoms. ResultsWorsened sleep indicators on a given night significantly predicted higher maximum values of suicide urges the following day. Worse sleep quality the prior night was moderately associated with more severe PTSD symptoms and depression symptoms. Greater severity of PTSD symptoms and depression symptoms were strongly associated with both the maximum value and the range of suicide urges. PTSD and depression symptoms mediated the relationship between sleep quality and suicidal urges. Participants reported that 0000–0300 had the greatest elevation in endorsement of highest suicide urges. LimitationsThis study had a small sample size may not generalize beyond active duty Marines. ConclusionsPoor sleep quality and other sleep markers were an important risk factor for suicidal urges among U.S. Marines. This relationship was mediated by exacerbations in PTSD and depression symptoms. Interventions are needed to interrupt suicide risk during and following nights with poor sleep.

Determinants of medical care-seeking behavior for musculoskeletal conditions during US: Marine Corps training: A thematic analysis.

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSK-I) are a well-documented problem in military populations and a leading contributor to disability across military services. However, only a portion of Service members who sustain MSK-I report it to medical providers. Although several studies have identified barriers to seeking medical care in military populations, less is known about what motivates Service members to seek care for MSK-I. To describe determinants of medical care-seeking behavior for MSK-I and/or musculoskeletal pain (MSK-P) in recently-enlisted Marines during military training. Qualitative Study. School of Infantry-West (SOI-W), US Marine Corps Base XXX, XXX. 1,097 US Marines entering Infantry Training Battalion or Marine Combat Training at SOI-W. Participants completed written surveys at entry to (baseline) and graduation from SOI-W. Closed-ended question responses were used to calculate MSK-I/MSK-P and care-seeking frequencies. Open-ended responses describing determinants of care-seeking behavior were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Ten percent of participants self-reported sustaining MSK-I during basic training, while 14% self-reported sustaining MSK-I in SOI-W training. A greater proportion reported seeking medical care for their MSK-I/MSK-P during basic training compared to SOI-W training. The thematic analysis resulted in three main themes that describe drivers and barriers for seeking medical care: 1) Self-perceived need for medical care; 2) Prioritizing military training; and 3) Training-specific influences. Understanding determinants of care-seeking behavior is valuable when designing intervention strategies to promote early MSK-I treatment. Our findings add to previous research to elucidate reasons underlying the decisions about care-seeking for MSK-I/MSK-P. Interventions, including educational strategies and direct approaches, like embedding medical providers within units, to minimize barriers to seeking medical care in the military may reduce the burden of MSK-I/MSK-P on Service members throughout their military careers.

Effects of Blast-and Impact-Related Concussion on Persistent Sleep Problems.

Examine whether concussion mechanism of injury (high-level blast [HLB] vs impact) affects the likelihood of persistent sleep problems in a post-deployment military population. Post-Deployment Health Assessment and Re-Assessment survey records completed upon return from deployment and approximately 6months later. Active duty enlisted US Marines who completed both assessments (N =64464). This retrospective cohort study investigated US Marines deployed between 2008 and 2012. Logistic regression was used to examine persistent sleep problems 6months after return from deployment. Self-reported sleep problems at reassessment were investigated as the outcome. Predictors included HLB-induced concussions (mbTBI vs none), impact-induced concussions (miTBI vs none), occupational risk of low-level blast, probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol misuse, sleep problems upon deployment return, and relevant interactions, adjusting for sex and pay grade. With the exception of sex, all main effects in the model were associated with greater likelihood of reporting persistent sleep problems at reassessment. Sleep problems at return from deployment showed the strongest associations with likelihood of reporting sleep problems at reassessment, followed by mbTBI. The latter was exacerbated by PTSD and depression. mbTBI (vs miTBI) may be more strongly associated with persistent sleep issues that warrant additional monitoring and treatment, particularly among those with probable PTSD and/or depression.

The 300 Marines: characterizing the US Marines with perfect scores on their physical and combat fitness tests.

Determine distinguishing characteristics of the "300 Marines" (perfect PFT and CFT scores) that may provide insights into the physical and physiological requirements associated with this capability. These tests have been refined over time to reflect physical capabilities associated with Marine Corps basic rifleman performance. Data were analyzed from US Marines, including 497 women (age, 29 ± 7years; height 1.63 ± 0.07m; body mass, 67.4 ± 8.4kg) and 1,224 men (30 ± 8years; 1.77 ± 0.07m; 86.1 ± 11.1kg). Marines were grouped by whether they earned perfect 300 scores on both the PFT and CFT (300 Marines) or not. We analyzed group differences in individual fitness test events and body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry). Only 2.5% (n = 43) of this sample earned perfect PFT and CFT scores (n = 21 women; n = 22 men). Compared to sex-matched peers, 300 Marines performed more pull-ups, with faster three-mile run, maneuver-under-fire, and movement-to-contact times (each p < 0.001); 300 Marines of both sexes had lower fat mass, body mass index, and percent body fat (each p < 0.001). The lower percent body fat was explained by greater lean mass (p = 0.041) but similar body mass (p = 0.085) in women, whereas men had similar lean mass (p = 0.618), but lower total body mass (p = 0.025). Marines earning perfect PFT and CFT scores are most distinguished from their peers by their maneuverability, suggesting speed and agility capabilities. While both sexes had considerably lower percent body fat than their peers, 300 Marine women were relatively more muscular while men were lighter.

Strengthening Naval Diplomacy RI-US in Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance through Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2024

This research discusses the joint exercise between the Indonesian Navy, the US Navy, and the US Marines (USMC), namely Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) to carry out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), littoral warfare, and coastal defence missions. This research uses descriptive qualitative related to Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT). CARAT is implemented bilaterally to enhance the maritime partnership between Indonesia and the US. For Indonesia, building a maritime partnership with the US should focus on bilateral interests as well as regional security. For the US, the CARAT programme in Indonesia can be seen as part of an effort to strengthen its influence in Southeast Asia, including facing China's dominance in the region. Based on the above background, the researcher formulates the problem, namely how to strengthen Indonesia's cooperative relationship with the United States in the face of China's dominance in the Southeast Asian region. Data collection is obtained from literature review by collecting various articles, books, journals, or other sources. The results of this study indicate that to strengthen Indonesia's cooperative relationship with the United States in the face of China's dominance in the Southeast Asian region, is to increase cooperation in the field of security and defence, through Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2024. This will help strengthen Indonesia's defence capacity and also send a signal to China that Indonesia is not easily intimidated. It is also important to continue to build relations with China in a critical but constructive manner, by promoting dialogue and diplomacy to seek points of agreement and achieve stability in the Southeast Asian region as a whole. CARAT activities are an effective strategy in enhancing security stability in the region through maritime defence cooperation. The programme benefits partner countries in building relationships of trust, enhancing defence capabilities and combating maritime threats. To increase the effectiveness of CARAT, it is recommended that partner countries continue to be committed to the programme and maintain good cooperation with the US navy and other countries in the region.

The US–Japan alliance and the role of the US Marines on Okinawa in extended deterrence

Abstract The relocation of the controversial Marine base at Futenma on Okinawa to Henoko in the north of the same island has been framed by Japanese politicians, officials, and analysts as crucial to deterrence. Critics respond that deterrence is merely a pretext, and the relocation is a politically convenient solution that perpetuates discrimination against Okinawa by the central government in Tokyo. This article draws on deterrence theory to evaluate the deterrence claims made by relocation proponents. It finds little evidence to support them: the Marines’ capabilities pale against the massive US forward deployment, including the Seventh Fleet and the Fifth Air Force. As for the local balance of forces, the Marines are unlikely to participate immediately in a local conflict, and their geographical location leaves them vulnerable; current US strategy is to down-scale and disperse Marine units. If one were focusing on defence rather than political convenience, the Marines would be relocated off Okinawa. In terms of credibility, the article finds that other US bases in Japan play a much more important ‘tripwire’ role, and ultimately, given inter alia the security treaty, joint exercises, and deep interoperability, US extended deterrence to Japan is as credible as possible under the circumstances.

The value of pre-exposure prophylaxis: A case series of US Marines infected with leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is an ever-present threat found in the freshwater areas in many tropical and sub-tropical regions throughout the world and travelers to these areas are at increased risk of infection. This study describes a case series of 47 US Marines who experienced a single point leptospirosis exposure in 2014 and were admitted to a military treatment facility. Descriptive statistics were conducted for patient demographics, symptoms, laboratory results, and outcomes. Hypothesis tests were conducted to identify significant outcomes (length of hospitalization, severity of infection, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and cholecystectomy). Patient data was applied to five leptospirosis scoring models to assess their accuracy in the context of this population. The patients were all male (n=47, 100%), had a median age of 22 (range 19-37), a mean body mass index of 24.3 (SD 2.5), and most were taking antibiotic prophylaxis (n=40, 85.1%). Most patients experienced thrombocytopenia (n=37, 78.7%), proteinuria (n=35, 74.5%), and transaminitis (n=37, 78.7%). Correct classification of infection varied among the models from 42.6% (n=20) to 10.6% (n=5). Not taking pre-exposure prophylaxis was significantly correlated with severe infection (p=0.02), undergoing a cholecystectomy (p=0.01), and being admitted to the ICU (p<0.01). No other results were found to be both clinically and statistically significant. Leptospirosis diagnostic models currently in use may be less effective in predicting disease severity in young and healthy populations who are taking antibiotic prophylaxis. The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis significantly correlates with less severe health outcomes.

Antibody Responses to the SARS-CoV-2 Ancestral Strain and Omicron Variants in Moderna mRNA-1273 Vaccinated Active-Duty US Navy Sailors and Marines.

Omicron and its subvariants have steadily gained greater capability of immune escape compared to other variants of concern, resulting in an increased incidence of reinfections even among vaccinated individuals. We evaluated the antibody response to Omicron BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/5 in US military members vaccinated with the primary 2-dose series of Moderna mRNA-1273 in a cross-sectional study. While nearly all vaccinated participants had sustained spike (S) IgG and neutralizing antibodies (ND50) to the ancestral strain, only 7.7% participants had detectable ND50 to Omicron BA.1 at 8 months postvaccination. The neutralizing antibody response to BA.2 and BA.5 was similarly reduced. The reduced antibody neutralization of Omicron correlated with the decreased antibody binding to the receptor-binding domain. The participants' seropositivity to the nuclear protein positively correlated with ND50. Our data emphasizes the need for continuous vigilance in monitoring for emerging variants and the need to identify potential alternative targets for vaccine design.

High precision but systematic offset in a standing bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) provides a practical method of body composition estimation for field research and weight management programmes, with devices and algorithms that have improved in recent years. We...

Body surface area equations for physically active men and women.

To improve predictive formulae for estimating body surface area (BSA) in healthy men and women using a modern three-dimensional scanner technology. Body surface areas were obtained from a convenience sample of 1267 US Marines (464 women and 803 men) using a whole body surface scanner (Size Stream SS20). The reliability of SS20 measures of total and regional BSA within participants was compared across triplicate scans. We then derived a series of formulae to estimate SS20-measured BSA using various combinations of sex, height, and mass. We also assessed relationships between percent body fat measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and sex-specific formulae errors in Marines. Body surface areas recorded by the SS20 were highly reliable whether measured for the total body or by region (ICC ≥ .962). Formulae estimates of BSA from sex, height, and mass were precise (root-mean-square deviation, 0.031 m2 ). Errors from the Marine Corps formulae were positively associated with percent body fat for men (p=.001) but not women (p=.843). Clinicians, military leaders, and researchers can use the newly developed BSA formulae for precise estimates in healthy physically active men and women. Users should be aware that height- and mass-based BSA estimates are less accurate for individuals with extremely low or high percent body fat.

When Images in Haiti Fail: The Photograph of Charlemagne Péralte

ABSTRACT In 1919, the US Marines took a staged photograph of the recently killed insurgent Charlemagne Péralte in order to impede other oppositional fighters during the US Occupation of Haiti. Local viewers interpreted the reproduced and circulated photograph of Péralte crucified to a door as a sign of his martyrdom and strength. While scholars most often turn to Philomé Obin’s circa 1970 painting Cruxification de Charlemagne Péralte pour la Liberté to discuss the generative possibilities of the photograph, I return my attention to the photograph and the earlier context of its making, display, and distribution. Turning back to the visual field of the photograph and its moment allows for distinctive insight. Specifically, my interest lies in what happens when images in Haiti during the US Occupation failed to operate as intended by the Marines. It explores how the contours of this kind of failure become a site for reinterpretation. I privilege examples of how Haitians assert their engagement with the visual by focusing on descriptions, responses, and references to images. Doing so enlarges one’s perception of aspects of the visual that are not built, painted, or made by Haitians but, as I argue, were seen and reinterpreted by some of the country’s early twentieth-century marginalized viewers for their own benefit.

In Search of the Twenty-First Century's "Great American Graphic War Novel"

In Search of the Twenty-First Century's "Great American Graphic War Novel" Randy Brown (bio) Despite more than two decades of armed conflict, concurrent with what is arguably a new golden age of comics—the latter driven as much by developments in crowdfunding, digital publishing and platforms, and multibillion-dollar movie blockbusters as by hard-copy retail sales of monthly periodicals—there seem to be precious few examples of long-form sequential art about America's Global War on Terror (GWOT). Still, if you know where to dig, there are some dazzling treasures to be discovered. Three potential "Great American Graphic War Novels" triangulate and illuminate the nuances, frustrations, and outcomes of twenty-first-century wars as seen through American goggles. Two of these are written and illustrated by a single creator: Maximilian Uriarte, a former US Marine and creator of the satirical three-panel, black-and-white web comic Terminal Lance. With grunt's-eye views and truth-bomb satires of modern military culture, Uriarte's pithy and poignant work compares favorably to that of World War II soldier-artist Bill Mauldin, creator of the iconic "Willie and Joe" characters once published in Stars and Stripes. In his 2016 coming-of-age-in-the-Marines graphic novel The White Donkey, Uriarte moves beyond slapstick and dick jokes while using characters and line art similar to those of his original Terminal Lance strips. To these he adds a practice of using minimalist, watercolor-like palettes to change scenes and moods among pages—a discipline he skillfully and dramatically breaks with occasional splashes of spot-color: an American flag, an energy drink, a puddle of once-human goo. The book's title involves a roadside encounter with a white donkey—an animal notably defined by an absence of pigmented color—a quasi-magical image that comes to represent a recurring question: What are you looking for? The narrative follows two buddies, Abe Belatzeko and Jesus Garcia, from boot camp to Iraq and back again. Between scenes of bawdy humor and barracks life, Uriarte gives equal attentions to more-serious topics: "thank you for your service" alienations from friends and family, alcohol abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and veteran suicide. [End Page 53] At a security post downrange in Iraq, Abe is berated by an American-educated Iraqi police officer. He accuses the young Marines of arrogance. "This is not a journey for me," the officer says. "I have met many people like you over the last few years, coming here to fulfill some personal conquest, but you never stop to think how arrogant you are. You seek some enlightenment at the expense of my people. You do not care about Iraq. You do not care about my people." Published in 2020, Uriarte's graphic novel Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli navigates philosophical minefields similar to those of The White Donkey but features wildly different characters, settings, and colors. A squad of US Marines deploys to the northeasternmost frontier of Afghanistan and wrestles with its mission to drive a wedge between Afghan villagers, who are dependent on mining and trade in semi-precious blue gemstones, and their would-be Taliban oppressors. Instead of minimalist and monochromatic pages, Uriarte's unguttered panels are now saturated with bold and sumptuous colors. These he deploys to great effect in hues and tints, particularly in his depictions of mountain sunrises, shadows, and even snowstorms. More than once, Uriarte deliberately slows the action down to a series of widescreen, single-panel "splash" pages, encouraging readers to slowly and deliberately engage the views. Page turn, after page turn. The book takes its title from the motto of the state of Nevada, the home turf of Uriarte's main protagonist. Sgt. "Battle Born" King (no first names are given) is a Black kid who grew up in a white foster family in Reno. King becomes a hulking, brooding warrior of great physical strength and few words. In an afterword, the author mentions that it was his intention to model the character on R. E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian, a stoic sword-and-sorcery character from 1930s pulp fiction. Conan continues to be present in various popular media...

Testosterone status following short-term, severe energy deficit is associated with fat-free mass loss in U.S. Marines.

The objective of this study was to determine metabolic and physiological differences between males with low testosterone (LT) versus those with normal testosterone (NT) following a period of severe energy deficit. In this secondary analysis, 68 male US Marines (mean ± SD, 24.6 ± 2.4 y) were dichotomized by testosterone concentration (< or ≥ 10.5 nmol/L as determined from a single blood sample collected between 0600–0630 after an 8–10 h overnight fast by automated immunoassay) following 7 days of near complete starvation (~300 kcal consumed/d, ~85% energy deficit) during Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training. Dietary intake was assessed before (PRE) SERE. Body composition (dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography) and whole‐body protein turnover (15N alanine) were assessed before (PRE) and after (POST) SERE. Mean testosterone concentrations decreased PRE (17.5 ± 4.7 nmol/L) to POST (9.8 ± 4.0 nmol/L, p < 0.0001). When volunteers were dichotomized by POST testosterone concentrations [NT (n = 24) 14.1 ± 3.4 vs. LT (n = 44): 7.5 ± 1.8 nmol/L, p < 0.0001], PRE BMI, total fat mass, trunk fat mass, and testosterone were greater and the diet quality score and total carbohydrate intake were lower in NT compared to LT (p ≤ 0.05). LT lost more fat‐free mass and less fat mass, particularly in the trunk region, compared to NT following SERE (p‐interaction≤0.044). Whole‐body protein synthesis, net balance, and flux decreased and whole‐body protein breakdown increased from PRE to POST in both groups (p‐time ≤0.025). Following short‐term, severe energy deficit, Marines who exhibited low testosterone had greater fat‐free mass loss than those who maintained normal testosterone concentrations. Altering body composition and dietary strategies prior to physical training that elicits severe energy deficit may provide an opportunity to attenuate post‐training decrements in testosterone and its associated effects (e.g., loss of lean mass, performance declines, fatigue).

Gender Disparities in Career Advancement across the Transition to Parenthood: Evidence from the Marine Corps

We isolate the effect of childbirth on mothers' and fathers' job-relevant physical performance using data from the US Marines. We estimate event study models around the first birth. We assign “placebo births” to non-parents using LASSO-selected predictors of parenthood to estimate counterfactual trends. We find large and persistent effects of motherhood on performance. Two years postbirth, mothers' physical performance remains 0.2 standard deviations lower than non-mothers'. For fathers, the birth also initially lowers performance, but fathers are able to recover. This research demonstrates a potential mechanism behind the child penalty to mothers' earnings.

Circumference-Based Predictions of Body Fat Revisited: Preliminary Results From a US Marine Corps Body Composition Survey.

Purpose: Body composition assessment methods are dependent on their underlying principles, and assumptions of each method may be affected by age and sex. This study compared an abdominal circumference-focused method of percent body fat estimation (AC %BF) to a criterion method of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and a comparative assessment with bioelectrical impedance (BIA), in younger (≤30 years) and older (>age 30 years) physically fit (meeting/exceeding annual US Marine Corps fitness testing requirements) men and women. Methods: Fit healthy US Marines (430 men, 179 women; 18–57 years) were assessed for body composition by DXA (iDXA, GE Lunar), anthropometry, and BIA (Quantum IV, RJL Systems). Results: Compared to DXA %BF, male AC %BF underestimated for both ≤30 and >30 years age groups (bias, -2.6 ± 3.7 and -2.5 ± 3.7%); while female AC %BF overestimated for both ≤30 and >30 years age groups (2.3 ± 4.3 and 1.3 ± 4.8%). On an individual basis, lean men and women were overestimated and higher %BF individuals were underestimated. Predictions from BIA were more accurate and reflected less relationship to adiposity for each age and sex group (males: ≤30, 0.4 ± 3.2, >30 years, -0.5 ± 3.5; women: ≤30, 1.4 ± 3.1, >30 years, 0.0 ± 3.3). Total body water (hydration) and bone mineral content (BMC) as a proportion of fat-free mass (FFM) remained consistent across the age range; however, women had a higher proportion of %BMC/FFM than men. Older men and women (>age 30 years) were larger and carried more fat but had similar FFM compared to younger men and women. Conclusion: The AC %BF provides a field expedient method for the US Marine Corps to classify individuals for obesity prevention, but does not provide research-grade quantitative body composition data.

Tactical Masters Athletes: BMI Index Classifications.

Understanding the nexus between aging, physical activity, and obesity has been a source of ongoing investigation. A considerable amount of research has focused on Masters athletes in this regard, suggesting a beneficial relationship between Masters sport participation and a healthy body mass index (BMI). Some consider Active Duty military personnel as tactical athletes. As such, it is of interest to determine if aging Active Duty military personnel (or Masters Tactical Athletes) might have a similar BMI as other Masters athletes (MA). As such, this investigation examined previously recorded data of Active Duty Enlisted United States Marines (n = 402, male, 46–50 years old). The BMI of the Marines was stratified into categories of: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. The Marines obesity prevalence was compared to US adult males (40–59 years) as well as male North American MA who competed at the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games. The Marines obesity prevalence was significantly lower than US adult males (p < 0.001) and those MA that competed in softball (p < 0.001); however, it was similar to MA that competed in football, track/field, swimming, and volleyball (p > 0.05). The average Marine BMI = 26.7 kg/m2 was similar to MA who competed in football, swimming, and volley ball (p > 0.05); however, it was higher than MA who competed in track/field (p < 0.05) and lower than MA who played softball (p < 0.05). It should be noted that the average BMI for the Marines and all MA sport categories were classified as being overweight. Within the parameters of this investigation, Tactical MA (i.e., aging US Marines) enjoy a similar beneficial BMI as other North American MA.

Heather P. Venable. How the Few Became the Proud: Crafting the Marine Corps Mystique, 1874–1918.

Ask US Marines today if they are members of an elite military organization, and the vast majority will respond with an unqualified yes, at least to anyone outside the Marine Corps family. In fact, the Marine Corps claims a unique culture that is transmitted to individual Marines through the crucible of boot camp. This is why it is surprising that there are so few studies of how that culture developed. While Marines are fiercely protective of their culture, they and historians have largely ignored this aspect of the Marine Corps’ history. As a result, Heather Venable’s book How the Few Became the Proud: Crafting the Marine Corps Mystique, 1874–1918 fills a critical gap in Marine cultural history. Further, in contrast to many Marine histories that are essentially hagiographies to the Corps based on secondary sources, Venable made extensive use of primary sources that provide clear, accurate, and often first-person accounts...

Cohort profile: a migratory cohort study of US Marines who train in Australia

PurposeIn 2012, US Marines and Sailors began annual deployments to Australia to participate in joint training exercises with the Australian Defence Force and other partners in the region. During their...

Haiti and the American Military Occupation (1915–1934) by Raoul B. Altidor, and: American Imperialism's Undead: The Occupation of Haiti and the Rise of Caribbean Anticolonialism by Raphael Dalleo

Reviewed by: Haiti and the American Military Occupation (1915–1934) by Raoul B. Altidor, and: American Imperialism's Undead: The Occupation of Haiti and the Rise of Caribbean Anticolonialism by Raphael Dalleo Celucien L. Joseph Haiti and the American Military Occupation (1915–1934). By Raoul B. Altidor. Montreal: CIDIHCA, 2019. ISBN 1643820710. 182 pp. $45.50 paper. American Imperialism's Undead: The Occupation of Haiti and the Rise of Caribbean Anticolonialism. By Raphael Dalleo. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2016. ISBN 0813938945. 256 pp. $75 hardcover, $35 paper. On July 28, 1915, the United States invaded Haiti, beginning nineteen years of occupation through military forces and imperial actions. By the time the military presence and operations of the Occupation ended on August 1, 1934, US imperialism had radically transformed Haiti's civil and political society and reshaped contemporary Haitian-US foreign policies as well as political discourses between Haiti and other countries in the Western Hemisphere. The causes of the historic invasion are numerous and varied, including Haiti's failed governments and political instability prior to the invasion, and US economic interests and imperial expansion. While studies and investigations on the Occupation in Haiti are substantial, other pivotal aspects of US imperialism in the Caribbean as accounted for in the US State Department and Haitian archives have yet to be explored. Although the Occupation reverberated in Caribbean and African diaspora writings, especially in the mid-twentieth century, many stories remain untold. Important new texts by Raoul B. Altidor and Raphael Dalleo intend to shed light on the workings and effects of the Occupation and US imperialism, covering the first half of the twentieth century. While Altidor offers a journalistic perspective, Dalleo's analysis is academic and literary. Altidor's book, Haiti and the American Military Occupation, recounts the history and tragedy of the US military intervention on Haitian soil. The book is divided into ten short chapters (four to ten pages each) and eight [End Page 201] helpful appendices that include important archival documents. Overall, Altidor offers an engaging analysis of existing literature on the US Occupation, and the value of his book lies in its engaging journalistic point of view. For those interested in a rich bibliography of the classic and major texts and documents covering the US Occupation in Haiti, Altidor's book is recommended. Altidor carefully assesses an enormous body of work, drawing out the Occupation's historical causes and impacts on Haitian society and establishing connections among themes of class, race, and white supremacy as they shaped US policies in Haiti. As Altidor describes, the book aims to explain "the environment and consequences of the occupation of Haiti from 1915–1934" (15). In keeping with its journalistic character, the book is built on previous research about the Occupation, and as such it reports what transpired during the period. While the author painstakingly reports key figures and events, he does not cover any new material. Chapter 1 briefly examines the well-known causes of the July 1915 intervention. While the author subscribes to the idea that the reasons for the Occupation included political instability and short-lived administrations in Haiti, he also argues that the United States was interested in expanding its hegemony in this region in the Caribbean (21). Chapter 2 offers a succinct commentary on the historic treaty of 1915 between Haiti and the United States. The document itself is found in appendix E: "The Haitian American Treaty of 1915" (137–144). According to the author's reading of Articles X and XI, this important document clearly establishes the United States' "lasting economic hegemony in Haiti … as the dominant motivating factor for the occupation" (33–34). While the thesis of the chapter is not well developed, the author proposes that the economic and military dimensions of the Occupation eventually led to popular resistance against the occupying forces, including the emergence of the Cacos—guerilla warriors led by Charlemagne Masséna Péralte until he was shot by the US marines, who then circulated a photo of his body in Port-au-Prince. Chapter 3 summarizes the lasting impact of the military presence and operations in Haiti. Such intervention generated radical violence and racist paternalism within...

INFLUENCE OF LIMB DOMINANCE AND SHOULDER INJURY ON STRENGTH AND EXPLOSIVE FORCE IN US MARINES.

The specialized roles of many military personnel require specific skills and high physical demands, placing unique stresses on the shoulders and increasing risk of injury. As normal dominant/nondominant shoulder asymmetries have been established in military personnel, bilateral strength comparisons must be understood in context of daily physical demands to monitor patients' progress or readiness to return to duty. This study aims to assess bilateral differences in strength and explosive force in United States Marines with a history of dominant or nondominant shoulder pathology. Cross-Sectional. A total of 52 full-duty, male US Marines with a shoulder injury within the prior year participated. Bilateral isokinetic shoulder internal (IR) and external (ER) rotation strength, and peak force (Peak Force) and average rate of force production (Avg Rate) during an explosive push-up were collected. Dominant versus nondominant side data were independently examined within each group (DOM: dominant injury, NOND: nondominant injury). Comparison between DOM and NOND, as well as previously published CON (no history of shoulder injury) was also completed. NOND (n = 26) demonstrated significantly less IR (p < 0.001) and ER (p = 0.003) strength and Peak Force (p = 0.001) and Avg Rate (p = 0.047) on the injured side, while DOM (n = 26) demonstrated no bilateral differences in strength or push-up performance. Comparison between the three groups showed that NOND demonstrated significantly less ER strength than CON (p = 0.022). Military personnel demonstrate asymmetric strength patterns likely due to increased demand of the dominant shoulder. US Marines with a history of injury to the nondominant shoulder performed differently than those with a dominant side injury, presenting with both strength and push-up asymmetries. They also demonstrated significant ER strength deficits compared to CON. Common clinical practice and previous literature often compare injured and uninjured limbs or injured individuals to healthy controls, but further distinction of dominant or nondominant side may provide more accurate information needed to develop targeted treatment strategies. Recognizing unique occupational demands and how patients may present differently with dominant versus nondominant side shoulder injuries are important considerations for ensuring accurate assessment and effective individualized rehabilitation. 3.