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Suicide is a growing concern in the virtual warrior community of the United States Air Force (USAF). Identifying risk factors for suicide that are unique to this community of military personnel is therefore critical. A total of 4,340 USAF remote warriors (27.8% remotely piloted aircraft, 60.3% intelligence, and 11.9% cyber warfare operators) completed anonymous surveysRead more

Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT) are specialized military medical personnel who provide high-acuity care in an aeromedical environment. The rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was assessed in CCATT personnel and their rates were compared to general aeromedical evacuation (AE) personnel. As part of a computer-based occupational stress survey, 188 crew members (138Read more

The distributed common ground system (DCGS) community assigned to the U.S. Air Force 480th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing is responsible for around-the-clock analysis and exploitation of real-time, critical information in support of combat operations and in decision-making regarding global issues of national interest. Maintaining an accurate understanding of health and wellness trends among DCGSRead more

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 criticalRead more

MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA; “drones”) operators participate in a diverse range of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, as well as weapon strike missions for close air support to ground troops and aerial sniper missions of enemy combatants. Such operators are required to sustain around-the-clock operations to meet the demand fromRead more

U.S. Air Force (USAF) combat search and rescue (CSAR) aircrew and special duty rescue personnel are specially trained airmen with high levels of direct exposure to combat-related medical trauma. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence rate of CSAR military personnel meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(fifth edition; DSM–5)Read more

The present study investigated the utility and incremental validity of noncognitive testing (Bar-On’s Emotional Quotient Inventory), as well as cognitive aptitude testing (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) prior to training for evaluating the suitability of training candidates for the U.S. Air Force pararescuemen career field. A total of 1233 Air Force pararescue training candidates participatedRead more