Page 102 - JSOM Summer 2019

An Ongoing Series

Optimizing Warfighter Lethality
Through Human Performance Education

Patricia A. Deuster, PhD, MPH, FACSM *; Travis Lunasco, PsyD ; Lauren A. Messina, PhD 3
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ABSTRACT
Humans are the heart of our warfighting efforts and, as such, heart of our warfighting efforts. As such, human performance
human performance must be optimized and sustained to main- must be optimized and sustained to maintain effective and
tain effective and successful SOF Operators over the long haul. successful SOF Operators over a career lifespan. Importantly,
How do we do this? Based on the July 2018 signing of a Joint when a capability-based orientation and holistic approach are
Requirements Oversight Council Memo (JROC) making To- applied to SOF Operators upon entry into SOF and over the
tal Force Fitness (TFF) a required framework for taking care course of their careers, optimal performance of mission essen-
of our military Servicemembers, we propose three solutions tial tasks should be preserved, and healthcare and disability
for further optimizing the performance of SOF. The proposed compensation costs should go down. Finally, the longevity of
solutions are human performance optimization (HPO)/TFF SOF Operators should be extended through retirement. The
capability-based blueprinting (CBB), HPO integrator profes- POTFF along with component-specific programs are examples
sion (HPO-I), and HPO-centric education and training across of efforts within the SOF community to shift from a solely
the total force. These solutions would potentiate the Preserva- health-focused delivery system to one that optimizes Warf-
tion of the Force and Family (POTFF) concept by improving ighter readiness and lethality. Yet, it will take a cultural shift
the targeting of resources and support of Operator and unit to truly make this happen. How do we do this?
operational readiness. These solutions, the knowledge, skills,
abilities, and experiences in HPO from a holistic perspective What Do We Know?
and the opportunity to obtain college credits through the Uni-
formed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Col- The 2006 DoD Quadrennial Review identified the need to have
lege of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS) are described here. a “lifetime relationship with the entire DoD family which max-
imizes prevention, wellness and personal choices and respon-
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Keywords: capability-based blueprinting; human perfor- sibility.” Further, it stated that, “Transformation is as much a
mance education; human performance integrator mindset and culture as it is a technology or a platform.” The
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overarching goals of the transformation were to enhance the
mental and physical resilience of Warfighters, reduce injury and
illness, support more rapid recovery, and improve the human
Introduction
weapons system’s ability to accomplish the mission. Finally, it
In 1987, COL John S. Allen coined the five Special Operations was clearly articulated that we must “provide educational op-
Forces (SOF) Truths, and on 28 April 1987, Congressman portunities to our people, to help them realize their professional
Earl Hutto signed these truths into the Foreword of U.S. and goals and personal aspirations.” Since the 2006 Quadrennial
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Soviet Special Operations. The “Five SOF Truths,” remain Review, human performance initiatives have gained visibility
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the guiding principles for training and employing SOF Op- with a proliferation of one-off efforts. However, data to sup-
erators. The first SOF Truth—“Humans are more important port any clear return on investment are limited. Regardless, the
than hardware” is more important today than ever before importance of HPO, although slow to drive forward, continues
given the increasing dependence on and development of new to rise and is now experiencing a strong impetus.
technologies. Although the Department of Defense (DoD) fo-
cuses on new weapons systems more than on Warfighters, the The fiscal year 2017, 2018, and 2019 National Defense Autho-
success of SOF still depends on the human—humans are the rization Acts (NDAA), Section 702, mandate organizational
*Correspondence to patricia.deuster@usuhs.edu
1 Dr Deuster is a professor and director of the Consortium for Health and Military Performance: A Defense Center of Excellence, Department
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of Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD. Dr Lunasco is the director of
HPO Strategic Operations/senior human performance integrator for the Consortium for Health and Military Performance in the Department of
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Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD. Dr Messina is the senior
social fitness scientist and director of HPO Education and Training for the Consortium for Health and Military Performance in the Department
of Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School of Medicine, at the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.
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