Page 119 - JSOM Spring 2020

An Ongoing Series

Optimizing Special Operations Forces
Operator Talents and Mission Capabilities

Human Performance Optimization and Total Force Fitness
Capability-Based Blueprint and Targeting System

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Rachel A. Chamberlin, PhD, MPH ; Travis Lunasco, PsyD ;
Patricia Deuster, PhD, MPH *
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ABSTRACT
The Special Operations Forces (SOF) community represents Introduction
an impressive degree of diversity in talents, culture, mission Enhancing SOF unit mission effectiveness as prioritized in the
essential tasks, and occupational risk exposures across Service 2018 National Defense Strategy, begins with the adoption of
branches, their career fields, and units. Sustaining the capa- a business model that directly supports the diverse talents and
bilities of the SOF Operator across a career lifespan requires mission capabilities of the Special Operations Forces (SOF)
collaboratively addressing the current gap between medical Operator. Human Performance Optimization (HPO) and
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readiness and mission readiness with support services and Total Force Fitness (TFF) are the current models driving the
their SOF end users. Given the diverse needs of SOF Opera- Department of Defense’s (DoD) policy and structural realign-
tors and their units, realigning performance and health (P&H) ment efforts through a paradigm shift that emulates the man-
service delivery to meet their specific needs will require the agement of a military weapon system. Most recently, HPO
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adoption of an alternative business framework, operationally and TFF were presented operationally for SOF communities to
focused metrics, and retargeting to ensure SOF Operators are provide SOF Commanders and their diverse Operators parallel
not just medically ready, but mission ready. With restructur- realignment opportunities, using a “bottom up” approach to
ing of P&H service delivery occurring across the Department synergize Military Health System (MHS) realignment efforts.
of Defense at all levels to support the 2018 National Defense The HPO model is characterized by the following four tenets :
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Strategy, there is a greater need for collaborative synchroni-
zation, targeting, and validating operational return on invest- • Operator core tasks (CTs) and unit mission-essential
ment with SOF Operators and SOF stakeholders. Here, we task lists (METLs) are at the center of all efforts;
present the Human Performance Optimization (HPO) and • Performance enhancement and health sustainment, al-
Total Force Fitness (TFF) Capabilities-Based Blueprint (CBB) though interdependent, are different and must be mea-
and Targeting System as an initial step to realigning service sured and addressed independently;
delivery. We examine the use of CBB as a translational tool to • Operator CTs and unit METLs must serve as the focal
bridge the divide between P&H services and SOF Operator point across the full spectrum of care (enhanced perfor-
communities, and demonstrate how the CBB has significant mance, health sustainment, and restoration); and
applications to help construct appropriate programming and • Integrates a systems-based approach blending elements
program evaluation, align resources and needs, and provide from the Defense Acquisition Management System and
culturally appropriate services that should sustainably pre- the TFF framework.
serve SOF Operators’ unique capabilities and their mission.
The operationalization of HPO has not been equally realized
Keywords: community-based participatory research, human across the enterprise and efforts to apply HPO often neglect
performance optimization, mission readiness to include leadership, Operators, P&H support personnel,
*Consortium for Health and Military Performance; DoD Center of Excellence Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School
of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814 or patricia.deuster@usuhs.edu
1 Dr. Chamberlin is the senior anthropologist and a human performance optimization integrator at the Consortium for Health and Military Per-
formance in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda,
Maryland. Dr. Lunasco is the director of Human Performance Optimization Future Operations/senior human performance integrator for the
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Consortium for Health and Military Performance in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School of Medicine at the
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Uniformed Services University. Dr. Deuster is a professor and director of the Consortium for Health and Military Performance in the Department
of Military and Emergency Medicine, Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University.
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