Observations from a U.S. Army Medical Unit Deployed to Support the U.N.Protection Force in Croatia

摘要

This report covers the morale and mental health-related experiences of the firstU.S. Army unit to deploy to the former Yugoslavia, the 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH). The MASH deployed to Camp Pleso in Zagreb, Croatia from 10 November 1992 to 29 April 1993 in support of the United Nations Protection Forces (UNPROFOR). Data were collected through participant observation and by way of two surveys. This paper focuses on some of the social and structural issues that influenced group well-being. Included are such issues as the mission, command and control, living conditions, alcohol, relative deprivation, general morale factors, and cohesion. Observations are based on the perspective of the first author, who was assigned to the unit and served as the enlisted member of the unit's mental health team.