Page 52 - JSOM Winter 2021

FIGURE 3 Test of Performance Strategies. FIGURE 5 Situational Adaptation to Stress Scale.

FIGURE 6 Situational Adaptation to Stress Scales, HP & RW.
Heart Rate Variability Highlights
At the beginning of training, participants were tasked with the
objective of thresholding an achievement score up and over
40 in less than 2 minutes. Eight of the 10 trainees were able
to achieve this goal pre-training. All 10 were able to achieve
this during post-SIT assessment. Their overall achievement
scores increased by 50% (a large effect). They also more than
doubled their time-based efficiency pre-to-post Training. This identified their use of targeted skills in this context. Feedback
is especially relevant to the EOD specialty. Activation of the reiterated requests for additional training and highlighted the
stress response can cause significant degradations in fine mo- previous recommendations for multi-agency collaboration
tor capability, which makes disarming bombs more challeng- with community first-response groups.
ing and can increase safety hazards. It is far more optimal to
regain fine motor control in 2.325 minutes, as opposed to 4.81
minutes when disarming a bomb (Figure 4). Discussion
FIGURE 4 Biofeedback Results. Lessons Learned
Leadership, Unit, and Culture Assessment
(Environment Analysis)
The single most critical process element in the SIT-NORCAL
(HP) protocol involved high collaboration with unit leader-
ship and the unit members themselves in the weeks leading up
to the training, immediately upon initiation of the training in
Day 1, and during all phases of the training. This was essential
for accuracy in making core content determinations, and for
the development of occupationally relevant Catalytics. It was
also crucial in developing and coordinating a reasonable, oc-
cupationally relevant Adaptive Environmental Simulation in
Phase III that aligned with all safety and procedural parame-
Adaptive Capability ters to ‘test out’ target skills. In the cases of both units, success
Results from the Situational Adaptation to Stress Scale for of the protocol can be attributed to excellent leadership and

Human Performance (SASS-HP) indicated positive and sig- unit collaboration efforts, as measured via the WCFI (all ele-
nificant gains in all targeted areas (Figure 5). Most changes ments above 4.0 and determined to be excellent). 13
also included large effect sizes indicative of skill enhancement
effectiveness. While a full review of these results exceeds the Feasibility
scope of this article, the usefulness of incorporating an insight The processes established in Phase 0 allowed for initial im-
measurement in human performance training is demonstrated plementation of the training by the PI and a single unit SME
in more significant insight post changes vs. pre-post mea- (the unit’s senior master sergeant). Units frequently operate in
surements. Once trainees developed knowledge, skills, and resource constrained environments, thus material needs, man-
abilities (KSAs) through additional training, they rated their ning, time and resources for training had to be optimized and
pre- training KSAs as lower via the ‘insight’ score. thoughtfully leveraged. Unit members were fully incorporated
into these processes as logistical supports, with brief intermit-
SIT-NORCAL: Real World tent trainings on incorporated elements at the start of training
Nineteen days after training, half of the unit (n = 5) was and assigned rotating roles throughout the training (manning).
dispatched to manage a joint response focused on retriev- Implementation required the full involvement of the unit. It is
ing ordnance from an F-16 that had crashed near the base, also likely that high unit involvement significantly influenced
downed in a residential area. Data gathered using the Situa- the high satisfaction ratings achieved in this pilot study. The
tional Adaptation to Stress – Real World (SASS-RW) identi- training was scheduled to coincide with previously planned
fied their perceived adaptive skill was retained during a novel, Unit Safety Training (time) and utilized only materials the unit
high-intensity/high-risk situation (Figure 6). Additional data already had on hand and/or could access as part of their yearly

50 | JSOM Volume 21, Edition 4 / Winter 2021