Stress and Psychological Support in Modern Military Operations: A Military Leader's Perspective.

摘要

From the experiences as a commander taking part in 6 peace support operations in Hong Kong, Cambodia, Bosnia and Africa, the principles of Leadership and Stress Management appeared to be useful to provide psychological support to deployed troops. Key factors in Stress Management are realistic training, fostering unit cohesion in arduous environments, communicating and providing time outs. Systematic evaluations of post deployment care show that third location decompressions allow deployed personnel to share their experiences immediately after a deployment and help to reach mental health care professionals if necessary. Evaluations of mental health care and reunions, which are organized five years after a deployment, show that the deployed personnel highly appreciates this type of care and the possibility to share the memories of those days. Commanders need the support of military mental health professionals in caring for those deployed personnel who cannot cope with their deployment experiences.