Research Transition Office, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
Mil Med. 2021 Jul 1;186(7-8):767-776. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usab002.
The role of the drill sergeant is one of the most challenging within the US Army, involving unusually long hours and little time off, for a minimum of 2 years. The current study sought to examine the behavioral health of this population and identify risk factors that might be addressed by policy changes.
In total, 856 drill sergeants across all Army basic training sites completed surveys from September to November of 2018. Drill sergeants identified factors that had caused stress or worry during their assignment. Rates were measured for behavioral health outcomes including depression, insomnia, anxiety, burnout, functional impairment, alcohol misuse, aggression, and low morale. Potential risk and resilience factors included time as a drill sergeant, sleep, route of assignment, general leadership, health-promoting leadership, and drill sergeant camaraderie. The study was approved by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Institutional Review Board.
The most commonly experienced stressors were finding time to exercise, lack of sleep, and long work hours. Percentages of drill sergeants meeting behavioral health screening criteria were 19% for depression, 27% for moderate-to-severe insomnia, 14% for generalized anxiety disorder, 48% for high burnout, 32% for functional impairment, 35% for moderate alcohol misuse, 32% for off-duty aggression, and 25% for low morale. Rates for most outcomes were associated with time spent as a drill sergeant, with behavioral health issues peaking during 13-18 months. Poorer outcomes were also associated with fewer hours of sleep and initial unhappiness regarding involuntary assignment to the role of drill sergeant, while better outcomes were associated with higher ratings of general leadership, health-promoting leadership, and drill sergeant camaraderie.
This study is the first to examine behavioral health and morale of drill sergeants and to identify risk and resilience factors. Suggestions for policy changes include increasing the number of drill sergeants to decrease workload and allow sufficient time for recovery and sleep.
在美军中，教官的角色是最具挑战性的角色之一，他们的工作时间通常很长，几乎没有休息时间，至少要持续 2 年。本研究旨在调查这一人群的行为健康状况，并确定可能通过政策改变来解决的风险因素。
2018 年 9 月至 11 月，共有 856 名来自所有陆军基础训练基地的教官完成了调查。教官们确定了在其任务期间导致压力或担忧的因素。评估了行为健康结果的发生率，包括抑郁、失眠、焦虑、倦怠、功能障碍、酒精使用不当、攻击行为和士气低落。潜在的风险和适应力因素包括担任教官的时间、睡眠、分配路线、一般领导能力、促进健康的领导能力和教官之间的情谊。这项研究得到了沃尔特·里德陆军研究所机构审查委员会的批准。
教官们最常经历的压力源是找时间锻炼、睡眠不足和工作时间长。符合行为健康筛查标准的教官比例为：抑郁 19%、中度至重度失眠 27%、广泛性焦虑障碍 14%、高度倦怠 48%、功能障碍 32%、中度酒精使用不当 35%、下班时间攻击行为 32%、士气低落 25%。大多数结果的发生率与担任教官的时间有关，在 13-18 个月期间行为健康问题达到峰值。睡眠较少和最初对非自愿担任教官角色的不满与较差的结果相关，而更高的一般领导能力、促进健康的领导能力和教官之间的情谊评分与更好的结果相关。
本研究首次调查了教官的行为健康和士气状况，并确定了风险和适应力因素。政策改变的建议包括增加教官人数，以减少工作量并为恢复和睡眠留出足够的时间。
