U.S. Air Force (USAF) combat search and rescue (CSAR) fixed- and rotary-wing aircrew special duty rescue personnel are highly trained airmen operating across the globe in a wide range of Department of Defense and Joint Military Coalition combat rescue and recovery missions. The health and wellness of such aircrew and special duty operators are critical to sustaining warfigther performance and readiness capabilities. As a result, the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine was requested by USAF line operator and medical leadership to conduct a field survey to assess for general areas of health-related behaviors (i.e., sleep and exercise; alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine use; common reasons for seeking medical care and mental health support services; and reasons for increased prescription and over-the-counter medication usage) relevant to understanding the needs and issues specific to this community. A total of 123 CSAR aircrew and 298 special duty rescue personnel from multiple squadrons across three USAF major commands completed the web-based survey, resulting in a 32% response rate. Statistical analyses were performed to assess for between-group differences to quantitative and qualitative items assessing (a) the amount of sleep obtained before work and the frequency of engaging in structured physical exercise throughout the week; (b) the amount, frequency, and increase in consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine/energy supplements and the reasons for increased consumption; (c) medical conditions worsened by current unit assignment and occupational stress; (d) changes in healthcare utilization since being assigned to CSAR operations and the reasons for these changes; and finally (e) increases in medication utilization since being assigned to CSAR operations and the reasons for such increases. A number of recommendations throughout the discussion section are provided for line and medical leadership for optimizing health for CSAR operators.
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