Page 88 - JSOM Summer 2025

By evaluating cultural conditions that led SOST medics to ac- very intense, there is also a clarity of action. Almost like
cept or reject new experiential opportunities, we were able to live jazz music where all the different musicians perceive a
see how movement at an organizational, team, and individ- deeper rhythm and play off of one another’s unique mu-
ual levels impacted the ability to express dynamic freedom of sical capabilities to perform a completely new piece in
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maneuver in ambiguity (i.e., unconventional resilience). Our the moment.
findings have consistently shown SOF medic practical perfor-
mance to be grounded in a transformative process that inte- As SOST medics move through a kinesphere dominated by
grates daily experiences of adversity across the deployment catastrophic injury, they experience an immediate, inextrica-
cycle when interacting with self, other, and the world. In be- ble co-presence of thinking and acting in real-time practical
ing faithful to our findings, we suggest the need for a holistic, performance, which emerges as a synthetic process of appro-
humanistic infrastructure that substantiates the importance of priately responding to the value of animated relationships. We
these findings and draws forward meaningful lessons learned call this understanding of integrated practical performance
from the development of conventional resilience. kinetic consciousness.

Since our analysis focused on the force of movement, we turn To evaluate the force of movement, a static backdrop is nec-
to a holistic, humanistic infrastructure that is grounded in a essary. Instead of using a static Cartesian grid, our holistic,
classical Greek understanding of kinesis. According to this humanistic infrastructure claims death as the static point of
understanding of movement, all organic matter has inherent practical performance because death brings about the cessa-
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vitality, which acts as an integrative force that animates rela- tion of kinetic consciousness. As such, we are able to main-
tional interdependence. 9–11 The force of movement catalyzes tain a rich understanding of animation and interconnectedness
and directs change agency in a kinesthetic social arena we call when analyzing how the force of movement qualitatively in-
a kinesphere, wherein human practical performance is rooted fluenced change agency. Our holistic, humanistic infrastruc-
in a tactile, hands-on exploration of a world alive with pos- ture does not deny the importance of clear reasoning grounded
sibility. 9,10,12 The following quote substantiates SOF medic in rational thinking. We embrace this element of conventional
practical performance as an integrated experience of moving resilience because an individual’s ability to critically observe,
within a kinesphere of animated relationality: analyze, and map opportunities is vital to the ultimate expres-
sion of dynamic freedom of maneuver, just not in real-time
When we get a mass casualty it is like being in the center performance. Conventional resilience, therefore, provides a
ring of a three-ring circus. There are so many different meaningful skill that is necessary for pre-performance plan-
things happening all around us and everyone is going ning and post-performance assessment.
from this thing, to that thing, and then back again. We
are paying attention to what is right in front of us and By reanimating conventional resilience within a holistic, hu-
taking in the other realities that are happening all around. manistic infrastructure, our findings illustrate that conventional
It all feels completely coordinated, even though it might medical experiences—in garrison and deployment—foster the
seem like chaos to the outsider. Someone says, “This pa- development of unconventional resilience in the face of cata-
tient needs a chest tube!” Then instantly the right per- strophic injury exposure. The important animating connection
son moves to take care of that concern. Simultaneously, between conventional and unconventional resilience is high-
another team member realizes a different casualty needs lighted in the following quote:
an IV and 2 units of blood. Almost magically, the right
people move that casualty into the operating room, with- Many experiences on the conventional side of the Air
out getting in the way of other team members who are Force helped me understand SOST’s role in SOF missions.
triaging incoming casualties. We enlist the help of the Walter Reed was super busy going into 2011. One of the
SOF team when possible. Of course, there can be fam- first wounded warriors I took care of was an Army ranger.
ily members of local nationals that show up or partner He lost both of his legs and was turbo sick. Unfortunately,
forces concerned about their comrade-in-arms who have he did not make it . . . Experiencing death helped me
been injured. So, we are dealing with everyone’s emo- appreciate life and the consequences of war. One Marine
tions, concerns and questions all while tending to the lost both legs and had a massive infection. No one could
immediate needs of the catastrophically injured. There is figure out if he had an anoxic brain injury or would wake
a lot of movement involved, but we all seem to flow as up again. The clinical team proposed to dis-articulate his
one organism amidst a mass casualty. It’s like we are in- hips to give him a fighting chance. I remember this Ma-
stinctually attuned to our individual roles. From all of our rine’s mom saying that there were fates worse than death.
training, we’ve also learned to intuit every team member’s She chose to forego potentially life-sustaining surgery.
innate movement portfolio. We know how to sync up as a We ended up withdrawing life-support and the Marine
6-person team with defined roles, but we can also switch passed away in the ICU at Walter Reed. These experi-
in and out of roles because we cross-train so much. We ences helped develop my ability to discern when death
constantly practice feeling our way through each other’s was immanent and whether withholding or withdrawing
bags and become intimately familiar with all the equip- life-saving treatment was the best mode of caring for
ment. There is a high level of unity and inter- dependence casualties. During a SOST deployment, we went on the
that allows us to ingest the mood of the entire situation. first mission and one of the operators got shot. Even
As we move into the chaos, we experience the broader with all-hands-on-deck, we couldn’t get blood into him
context while at the same time we are able to tune out un- fast enough. We had to ask: “What’s the probability that
necessary distraction. It’s a very unique experience where this operator is going to survive?” I distinctly remember
time seems to slow down and we melt into the moment. my teammate saying, “We don’t need to warm anymore
Even though everything is happening all at once and it’s blood.”

86 | JSOM Volume 25, Edition 2 / Summer 2025