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Home > Guides > First Aid
CHAPTER 8
FIRST AID FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS
INTRODUCTION
During actual combat, military operations continue around the
clock at a constant pace, and often under severe weather conditions.
Terrible things happen in combat. During such periods the soldier's
mental and physical endurance will be pushed to the limit. Psychological
first aid will help sustain the soldier's mental/physical performance
during normal activities, and especially during military operations
under extremely adverse conditions and in hostile environments.
Psychological first aid is as natural and reasonable
as physical first aid and is just as familiar. When you were hurt
as a child, the understanding attitude of your parents did as
much as the psychological effect of a bandage or a disinfectant
to ease the pain. Later, your disappointment or grief was eased
by supportive words from a friend. Certainly, taking a walk and
talking things out with a friend are familiar ways of dealing
with an emotional crisis. The same natural feelings that make
us want to help a person who is injured make us want to give a
helping hand to a buddy who is upset. Psychological first
aid really means nothing more complicated than assisting
people with emotional distress whether it results from physical
injury, disease, or excessive stress. Emotional distress is not
always as visible as a wound, a broken leg, or a reaction to pain
from physical damage. However, overexcitement, severe fear excessive
worry, deep depression, misdirected irritability and anger are
signs that stress has reached the point of interfering with effective
coping. The more noticeable the symptoms become, the more urgent
the need for you to be of help and the more important it is for
you to know HOW to help.
First aid can be applied to stress reactions of the mind as well
as to physical injuries of the body. You must know how to give
psychological first aid to be able to, help yourself, your buddies,
and your unit in order to keep performing the mission. Psychological
first aid measures are simple and easy to understand. Improvisation
is in order, just as it is in splinting a fracture. Your decision
of what to do depends upon your ability to observe the soldier
and understand his needs. Time is on your side, and so are the
resources of the soldier you are helping. Making the best use
of resources requires ingenuity on your part. A stress reaction
resulting in poor judgment can cause injury or even death to yourself
or others on the battlefield. It can be even more dangerous if
other persons are affected by the judgment of an emotionally upset
individual. If it is detected early enough, the affected soldier
stands a good chance of remaining in his unit as an effective
member. If it is not detected early and if the soldier becomes
more and more emotionally upset, he may not only be a threat to
himself and to others, but he can also severely affect the morale
of the unit and jeopardize its mission.
- Psychological first aid (buddy aid) is most needed at the
first sign that a soldier cannot perform the mission because of
emotional distress. Stress is inevitable in combat, in hostage
and terrorist situations, and in civilian disasters, such as floods,
hurricanes, tornadoes industrial and aircraft catastrophes. Most
emotional reactions to such situations are temporary, and the
person can still carry on with encouragement. Painful or disruptive
symptoms may last for minutes hours, or a few days. However, if
the stress symptoms are seriously disabling, they may be psychologically
contagious and endanger not only the emotionally upset individual
but also the entire unit. In such situations, you may be working
beside someone who cannot handle the impact of disaster. Even
when there is no immediate danger of physical injury, psychological
harm may occur. For instance, if a person is unable to function
because of stress, it may cause that person to lose confidence
in himself. If self-confidence cannot be restored, the person
then may become psychologically crippled for life.
- Sometimes people continue to function well during the disastrous
event, but suffer from emotional scars which impair their job
performance or quality of life at a later time. Painful memories
and dreams may recur for months and years and still be considered
a normal reaction. If the memories are so painful that the person
must avoid all situations which arouse these memories or if he
becomes socially withdrawn, or shows symptoms of anxiety, depression,
or substance abuse, he needs treatment. Experiences of police,
firemen, emergency medical technicians, and others who deal with
disasters has proved that the routine application of psychological
first aid greatly reduces the likelihood of future serious post-traumatic
stress disorders. Thus, applying psychological first aid as self-aid
and buddy aid to all the participants, including those who have
functioned well, is beneficial.
Psychological first aid should go hand in hand with physical first
aid. The discovery of a physical injury or cause for an inability
to function does not rule out the possibility
of a psychological injury (or vice versa). A physical injury and
the circumstances surrounding it may actually cause an emotional
injury that is potentially more serious than the physical injury;
both injuries need treatment. The person suffering from pain,
shock, fear of serious damage to his body, or fear of death does
not respond well to joking, indifference, or fearful-tearful attention.
Fear and anxiety may take as high a toll of the soldier's strength
as does the loss of blood.
The goals of psychological first aid are to--
- Be supportive; assist the soldier in dealing with his stress
reaction.
- Prevent, and if necessary control, behavior harmful to him
and to others.
- Return the soldier to duty as soon as possible after dealing
with the stress reaction.
a. Accept the soldier you are trying to help without
censorship or ridicule. Accept his right to his own feelings.
Even though your feelings, beliefs, and behavior are different,
DO NOT blame or make light of him for the way he feels or acts.
Your purpose is to help him in this tough situation, not to be
his critic. A person DOES NOT WANT to be upset and worried; he
would "snap out of it" if he could. When he seeks help,
he needs and expects consideration of his fears, not abrupt dismissal
or accusations. You may be impressed with the fact that you
made it through in good condition. You have no guarantee that
the situation will not be reversed the next time.
b. Realize that people are the products of a wide variety
of factors. All persons DO NOT react the same way to the same
situations. Each individual has complex needs and motivations,
both conscious and unconscious, that are uniquely his own. Often,
the "straw that breaks the camel's back" the one thing
that finally causes the person to be overloaded by the stressful
situation is not the stressor itself, but some other problem.
Thus, an injury or an emotional catastrophe will have a personal
meaning for each individual. Even though you may not share the
reactions or feelings of another person and even though the reactions
seem foolish or peculiar, you must realize that he feels as he
does for a reason. You can help him most by
accepting this fact and by doing what you can for him during this
difficult time. He is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Your positive assistance and trust may be what he needs to do
better.
a. Accept emotional disability as being just as real
as physical disability. If a soldier's ankle is seriously sprained
in a fall, no one (including the injured man himself) expects
him to run right away. A soldier's emotions may be temporarily
strained by the overwhelming stress of more "blood and guts"
than he can take or by a large-scale artillery attack. DO NOT
demand that he pull himself together immediately and carry on
without a break. Some individuals can pull themselves together
immediately, but others cannot. The person whose emotional stability
has been disrupted has a disability just as real as the
soldier who has sprained his ankle. There is an unfortunate tendency
in many people to regard as real only what they can see, such
as a wound, bleeding, or an X-ray of a diseased lung. Some people
tend to assume that damage involving a person's mind and emotions
is just imagined, that he is not really sick or injured, and that
he could overcome his trouble by using his will power.
b. The terms "it's all in your head," "snap
out of it," and "get control of yourself" are often
used by people who believe they are being helpful. Actually, these
terms are expressions of hostility because they show lack of understanding.
They only emphasize weakness and inadequacy. Such terms are of
no use in psychological first aid. A psychological patient or
a physical patient with strong emotional reactions to his injury
does not want to feel as he does. He would like to be effective,
but he is temporarily overcome with either fear, anxiety, grief,
guilt, or fatigue. He feels lost and unable to control his emotions.
Reminding him of his failure to act as others do only makes him
feel worse. What he needs is calm, positive encouragement, such
as reminding him that others have confidence in his ability to
pull together and are also counting on him. Often this reassurance
combined with explicit instruction and encouragement to do a simple,
but useful task (that he knows how to do), will restore his effectiveness
quickly.
Every physically injured person has some emotional reaction to
the fact that he is injured.
a. A minor injury such as a cut finger causes an emotional
reaction in most people. It is normal for an injured person to
feel upset. The more severe the injury, the more insecure and
fearful he becomes, especially if the injury is to a body part
which is highly valued. For example, an injury
to the eyes or the genitals, even though relatively minor, is
likely to be extremely upsetting. An injury to some other part
of the body may be especially disturbing to an individual for
his own particular reason. For example, an injury of
the hand may be a terrifying blow to a baseball pitcher or a pianist.
A facial disfigurement may be especially threatening to an actor.
b. An injured person always feels less secure, more anxious,
and more afraid not only because of what has happened to him but
because of what he imagines may happen as a result of his injury.
This fear and insecurity may cause him to be irritable, stubborn,
or unreasonable. He also may seem uncooperative, unnecessarily
difficult, or even emotionally irrational. As you help him, always
keep in mind that such behavior has little or nothing to do
with you personally. He needs your patience, reassurance,
encouragement and support. Even though he seems disagreeable and
ungrateful at first, ensure that he understands you want to help
him.
Realize that distressed soldiers have far more strength than appears
at first glance. An injured or sick person may not put his best
foot forward. The strong points of his personality are likely
to be hidden beneath his fear, anguish, and pain. It is easy to
see only his failures even though he worked efficiently beside
you only a short time ago. With your aid he will again become
helpful. Whatever made him a good soldier, rifleman, or buddy
is still there; he is needed.
Battle Fatigue is a temporary emotional disorder or inability
to function, experienced by a previously normal soldier as a reaction
to the overwhelming or cumulative stress of combat. By definition,
battle fatigue gets better with reassurance, rest, physical replenishment
and activities which restore confidence. Physical fatigue, or
sleep loss, although commonly present, is not necessary. All combat
and combat support troops are likely to feel battle fatigue under
conditions of intense and/or prolonged stress. They may even become
battle fatigue casualties, unable to perform their mission roles
for hours or days. Other negative behaviors may be CSRs, but are
not called battle fatigue because they need other treatment than
simple rest, replenishment and restoration of confidence. These
negative CSRs include drug and alcohol abuse, committing atrocities
against enemy prisoners and noncombatants, looting, desertion,
and self-inflicted wounds. These harmful CSRs can often be prevented
by good psychological first aid; however, if these negative actions
occur, these persons may require disciplinary action instead of
reassurance and rest.
Most people react to misfortune or disasters (military or civilian,
threatened or actual) after the situation has passed. All people
feel some fear. This fear may be greater than they have experienced
at any other time or they may be more aware of their fear. In
such a situation, they should not be surprised if they feel shaky,
become sweaty, nauseated or confused. These reactions are normal
and are not a cause for concern. However, some reactions, either
short or long term, will cause problems if left unchecked. The
following are consequences of too much stress:
a. Emotional Reactions.
(1) The most common stress reactions are simply inefficient
performances, such as:
- Slow thinking (or reaction time).
- Difficulty sorting out the important from all the noise and
seeing what needs to be done.
- Difficulty getting started.
- Indecisiveness, trouble focusing attention.
- A tendency to do familiar tasks and be preoccupied with familiar
details. This can reach the point where the person is very passive,
such as just sitting or wandering about not knowing what to do.
(2) Much less common reactions to a disaster or accident
may be uncontrolled emotional outbursts, such as crying, screaming,
or laughing. Some soldiers will react in the opposite way. They
will be very withdrawn and silent and try to isolate themselves
from everyone. These soldiers should be encouraged to remain with
their assigned unit. Uncontrolled reactions may appear by themselves
or in any combination (the person may be crying uncontrollably
one minute and then laughing the next or he may lie down and babble
like a child). In this state, the person is restless and cannot
keep still. He may run about, apparently without purpose. Inside,
he feels great rage or fear and his physical acts may show this.
In his anger he may indiscriminately strike out at others.
b. Loss of Adaptability.
(1) In a desperate attempt to get away from the danger which has
overwhelmed him, a person may panic and become confused. In the
midst of a mortar attack, he may suddenly lose the ability to
hear or see. His mental ability may be so impaired he cannot think
clearly or even follow simple commands. He may stand up in the
midst of enemy fire or rush into a burning building because his
judgment is clouded and he cannot understand the likely consequences
of his behavior. He may lose his ability to move (freezes) and
may seem paralyzed. He may faint.
(2) In other cases, overwhelming stress may produce symptoms which
are often associated with head injuries. For example,
the person may appear dazed or be found wandering around aimlessly.
He may appear confused and disoriented and may seem to have a
complete or partial loss of memory. In such cases, especially
when no eye witnesses can provide evidence that the person has
NOT suffered a head injury, it is necessary for medical
personnel to provide rapid evaluation for that possibility. DO
NOT ALLOW THE SOLDIER TO EXPOSE HIMSELF TO FURTHER PERSONAL DANGER
UNTIL THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DETERMINED.
c. Sleep Disturbance and Repetitions. A person who has
been overwhelmed by disaster or some other stress often has difficulty
sleeping. The soldier may experience nightmares related to the
disaster such as dreaming that his wife, father, or other important
person in his life was killed in the disaster. Remember that nightmares,
in themselves, are not considered abnormal when they occur soon
after a period of intensive combat or disaster. As time passes,
the nightmares usually become less frequent and less intense.
In extreme cases, a soldier, even when awake, may think repeatedly
of the disaster, feel as though it is happening again, and act
out parts of his stress over and over again. For some persons,
this repetitious reexperiencing of the stressful event may be
necessary for eventual recovery; therefore, it should not be discouraged
or viewed as abnormal. For the person reexperiencing the event,
such reaction may be disruptive and disturbing regardless of the
reassurance given him that it is perfectly normal. In such a situation,
a short cut that is often possible involves getting the person
to talk extensively, even repetitiously, about the experience
or his feelings. This should not be forced; rather, the person
should be given repeated opportunities and supportive encouragement
to talk in private, preferably to one person. This process is
known as ventilation.
d. Other Factors. In studies of sudden civilian disasters,
a rule of thumb is that 70 to 80 percent of people will fall into
the first category (a above). Ten to 15 percent will
show the more severe disturbances (b and c above).
Another 10 to 15 percent will work effectively and coolly. The
latter usually have had prior experience in disasters or have
jobs that can be applied effectively in the disaster situation.
Military training, like the training of police, fire, and emergency
medical specialists in civilian jobs, is designed to shift that
so that 99 to 100 percent of the unit works effectively. But sudden,
unexpected horrors, combined with physical fatigue, exhaustion,
and distracting worries about the home front can sometimes
throw even well-trained individuals for a temporary loss.
e. Psychiatric Complications. Although the behaviors
described (a through c above) usually diminish
with time, some do not. A person who has not improved somewhat
within a day, even though he has been given warm food, time for
sleep, and opportunity to ventilate, or who becomes worse, deserves
specialized medical/psychiatric care. Do not wait to see if what
he is experiencing will get better with time.
You do not need specialized training to recognize severe stress
or battle fatigue reactions that will cause problems to the soldier,
the unit, or the mission. Reactions that are less severe, however,
are more difficult to detect. To determine whether a person needs
help you must observe him to see whether he is doing something
meaningful performing his duties, taking care of himself, or behaving
in an unusual fashion or acting out of character.
The emotionally disturbed soldier has built a barrier against
fear. He does this for his own protection, although he is probably
not aware that he is doing it. If he finds that he does not have
to be afraid and that there are normal, understandable things
about him, he will feel safer in dropping this barrier. Persistent
efforts to make him realize that you want to understand him will
be reassuring, especially if you remain calm. Nothing can cause
an emotionally disturbed person to become even more fearful than
feeling that others are afraid of him. Try to remain calm. Familiar
things, such as a cup of coffee, the use of his name, attention
to a minor wound, being given a simple job to do, or the sight
of familiar people and activities will add to his ability to overcome
his fear. He may not respond well if you get excited, angry, or
abrupt.
a. Ventilation. After the soldier becomes calmer, he
is likely to have dreams about the stressful event. He also may
think about it when he is awake or even repeat his personal reaction
to the event. One benefit of this natural pattern is that it helps
him master the stress by going over it just as one masters the
initial fear of jumping from a diving board by doing it over and
over again. Eventually, it is difficult to remember how frightening
the event was initially. In giving first aid to the emotionally
disturbed soldier, you should let him follow this natural pattern.
Encourage him to talk. Be a good listener. Let him tell, in his
own words what actually happened (or what he thinks happened).
If home front problems or worries have contributed to
the stress, it will help him to talk about them. Your patient
listening will prove to him that you are interested in him, and
by describing his personal catastrophe, he can work at mastering
his fear. If he becomes overwhelmed in the telling, suggest a
cup of coffee or a break. Whatever you do, assure him that you
will listen again as soon as he is ready. Do try to help put the
soldier's perception of what happened back into realistic perspective;
but, DO NOT argue about it. For example, if the soldier
feels guilty that he survived while his teammates were all killed,
reassure him that they would be glad he is still alive and that
others in the unit need him now. If he feels he was responsible
for their deaths because of some oversight or mistake (which may
be true), a nonpunishing, nonaccusing attitude may help him realize
that accidents and mistakes do happen in the confusion of war,
but that life, the unit, and the mission must go on. (These same
principles apply in civilian disaster settings as well.) With
this psychological first aid measure, most soldiers start toward
recovery quickly.
b. Activity.
(1) A person who is emotionally disturbed as the result of combat
action or a catastrophe is basically a casualty of anxiety
and fear. He is disabled because he has become temporarily
overwhelmed by anxiety. A good way to control fear is through
activity. Almost all soldiers, for example, experience
a considerable sense of anxiety and fear while they are poised,
awaiting the opening of a big offensive; but this is normally
relieved, and they actually feel better once they begin to move
into action. They take pride in effective performance and pleasure
in knowing that they are good soldiers, perhaps being completely
unaware that overcoming their initial fear was their first major
accomplishment
(2) Useful activity is very beneficial to the emotionally disturbed
soldier who is not physically incapacitated. After you help a
soldier get over his initial fear, help him to regain some self-confidence.
Make him realize his job is continuing by finding him something
useful to do. Encourage him to be active. Get him to carry litters,
(but not the severely injured), help load trucks, clean up debris,
dig foxholes, or assist with refugees. If possible, get him back
to his usual duty. Seek out his strong points and help him apply
them. Avoid having him just sit around. You may have to provide
direction by telling him what to do and where to do it. The instructions
should be clear and simple; they should be repeated; they should
be reasonable and obviously possible. A person who has panicked
is likely to argue. Respect his feelings, but point out more immediate,
obtainable, and demanding needs. Channel his excessive energy
and, above all, DO NOT argue. If you cannot get him interested
in doing more profitable work, it may be necessary to enlist aid
in controlling his overactivity before it spreads to the group
and results in more panic. Prevent the spread of such infectious
feelings by restraining and segregating if necessary.
(3) Involvement in activity helps a soldier in three ways:
- He forgets himself.
- He has an outlet for his excessive tensions.
- He proves to himself he can do something useful. It is amazing
how effective this is in helping a person overcome feelings of
fear, ineffectiveness, and uselessness.
c. Rest. There are times, particularly in combat, when
physical exhaustion is a principal cause for emotional reactions.
For the weary, dirty soldier, adequate rest, good
water to drink, warm food, and a change of clothes, with
an opportunity to bathe or shave may provide spectacular
results.
d. Group Activity. You have probably already noticed
that a person works, faces danger, and handles serious problems
better if he is a member of a closely-knit group. Each individual
in such a group supports the other members of the group. For
example, you see group spirit in the football team and in
the school fraternity. Because the individuals share the same
interests, goals, and problems, they do more and better work;
furthermore, they are less worried because everyone is helping.
It is this group spirit that wins games or takes a strategic hill
in battle. It is so powerful that it is one of the most effective
tools you have in your "psychological first aid bag."
Getting the soldier back into the group and letting him see its
orderly and effective activity will reestablish his sense of belonging
and security and will go far toward making him a useful member
of the unit.
a. Up to this point the discussion has been primarily
about the feelings of the emotionally distressed soldier. What
about your feelings toward him? Whatever the situation, you will
have emotional reactions (conscious or unconscious) toward this
soldier. Your reactions can either help or hinder your ability
to help him. When you are tired or worried, you may very easily
become impatient with the person who is unusually slow or who
exaggerates. You may even feel resentful toward him. At times
when many physically wounded lie about you, it will be especially
natural for you to resent disabilities that you cannot see. Physical
wounds can be seen and easily accepted. Emotional reactions are
more difficult to accept as injuries. On the other hand, will
you tend to be overly sympathetic? Excessive sympathy for an incapacitated
person can be as harmful as negative feelings in your relationship
with him. He needs strong help, but not your sorrow. To overwhelm
him with pity will make him feel even more inadequate. You must
expect your buddy to recover, to be able to return to duty, and
to become a useful soldier. This expectation should be displayed
in your behavior and attitude as well as in what you say. If he
can see your calmness, confidence, and competence, he will be
reassured and will feel a sense of greater security.
b. You may feel guilty at encouraging this soldier to
recover and return to an extremely dangerous situation, especially
if you are to stay in a safer, more comfortable place. Remember
though, that if he returns to duty and does well, he will feel
strong and whole. On the other hand, if he is sent home as a psycho,
he may have self-doubt and often disabling symptoms the rest of
his life.
c. Another thing to remind yourself is that in combat
someone must fight in this soldier's place. This temporarily battle
fatigued soldier, if he returns to his unit and comrades, will
be less likely to overload again (or be wounded or killed) than
will a new replacement.
d. Above all, you must guard against becoming impatient,
intolerant, and resentful, on one hand, and overly solicitous
on the other. Remember that such emotion will rarely help the
soldier and can never increase your ability to make clear decisions.
e. As with the physically injured soldier, the medical
personnel will take over the care of the emotionally distressed
soldier who needs this specific care as soon as possible. The
first aid which he has received from you will be of great value
to his recovery.
f. Remember that every soldier (even you) has a potential
emotional overload point which varies from individual to individual,
from time to time, and from situation to situation. Because a
soldier has reacted abnormally to stress in the past does not
necessarily mean he will react the same way to the next stressful
situation. Remember, any soldier, as tough as he may seem, is
capable of showing signs of anxiety and stress. No one is absolutely
immune.
Table 8-1. Mild Battle Fatigue
| PHYSICAL SIGNS*
| EMOTIONAL SIGNS*
|
|---|
1. Trembling, tearful
2. Jumpiness, nervous
3. Cold sweat, dry mouth
4. Pounding heart, dizziness
5. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
6. Fatigue
7. "Thousand-yard stare" | 1. Anxiety, indecisive
2. Irritable, complaining
3. Forgetful, unable to concentrate
4. Insomnia, nightmares
5. Easily startled by noises, movement
6. Grief, tearful
7. Anger, beginning to lose confidence in self and unit
8. Difficulty thinking, speaking, and communicating
| | SELF AND BUDDY AID |
|---|
1. Continue mission performance, focus on immediate mission.
2. Expect soldier to perform assigned duties.
3. Remain calm at all times; be directive and in control.
4. Let soldier know his reaction is normal, and that there is nothing seriously wrong with him.
5. Keep soldier informed of the situation, objectives, expectations, and support. Control rumors.
6. Build soldier's confidence, talk about succeeding.
7. Keep soldier productive (when not resting) through recreational activities, equipment maintenance.
8. Ensure soldier maintains good personal hygiene.
9. Ensure soldier eats, drinks, and sleeps as soon as possible.
10. Let soldier talk about his feelings. DO NOT "put down" his feelings of grief or worry. Give practical advice and put emotions into perspective.
| |
*Most or all of these signs are present in mild battle fatigue. They can be present in any normal soldier in combat yet he can still do his job. |
Table 8-2. More Serious Battle Fatigue
| PHYSICAL SIGNS*
| EMOTIONAL SIGNS*
|
|---|
1. Constantly moves around
2. Flinching or ducking at sudden sounds and movement
3. Shaking, trembling (whole body or arms)
4. Cannot use part of body, no physical reason (hand, arm, legs)
5. Cannot see, hear, or feel (partial or complete loss)
6. Physical exhaustion, crying
7. Freezing under fire, or total immobility
8. Vacant stares, staggers, sways when stands
9. Panic running under fire
| 1. Rapid and/or inappropriate talking
2. Argumentative, reckless actions
3. Inattentive to personal hygiene
4. Indifferent to danger
5. Memory loss
6. Severe stuttering, mumbling, or cannot speak at all
7. Insomnia, nightmares
8. Seeing or hearing things that do not exist
9. Rapid emotional shifts
10. Social withdrawal
11. Apathetic
12. Hysterical outbursts
13. Frantic or strange behavior
| | TREATMENT PROCEDURES** |
|---|
1. If soldier's behavior endangers the mission, self or others, do whatever necessary to control soldier.
2. If soldier is upset, calmly talk him into cooperating.
3. If concerned about soldier's reliability:
- Unload soldier's weapon.
- Take weapon if seriously concerned.
- Physically restrain soldier only when necessary for safety or transportation.
4. Reassure everyone that the signs are probably just battle fatigue and will quickly improve.
5. If battle fatigue signs continue:
- Get soldier to a safer place.
- DO NOT leave soldier alone, keep someone he knows with him.
- Notify senior NCO or officer.
- Have soldier examined by medical personnel.
6. Give soldier tasks to do when not sleeping, eating or resting.
7. Assure soldier he will return to full duty in 24 hours; and, return soldier to normal duties as soon as he is ready.
| *These signs are present in addition to the signs of mild battle fatigue reaction.
**Do these procedures in addition to the self and buddy aid care. |
Table 8-3. Preventive Measures to Combat Battle Fatigue
1. Welcome new members into your team, get to know them quickly. If you are new, be active in making friends.
2. Be physically fit (strength, endurance, and agility).
3. Know and practice life-saving self and buddy aid.
4. Practice rapid relaxation techniques (FM 26-2).
5. Help each other out when things are tough at home or in the unit.
6. Keep informed; ask your leader questions, ignore rumors.
7. Work together to give everyone food, water, shelter, hygiene, and sanitation.
8. Sleep when mission and safety permit, let everyone get time to sleep.
- Sleep only in safe places and by SOP.
- If possible, sleep 6 to 9 hours per day.
- Try to get at least 4 hours sleep per day.
- Get good sleep before going on sustained operations.
- Catnap when you can, but allow time to wake up fully.
- Catch up on sleep after going without.
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