Fatigue Management

Commanders at all levels should actively use motivational techniques to
alleviate extreme tiredness. Themes such as unit pride, mateship, group
loyalty, toughness, the meaning or importance of the mission/tasks, and a
sense of sportsmanship or friendly rivalry amongst unit members can be
useful. Incentives such as the promise of a nap, a rotation or some leave are
other ‘motivational tools’. ‘Diggers’ are renowned for working long and hard,
but they do not appreciate unnecessary or unfair workloads or toiling for what
they perceive are the wrong reasons. Recent research into the human
dimension of peace support operations reveals that it is increasingly
important for leaders to constantly ‘manage the meaning' of why troops are
involved. Compared with the usual ‘black and white', ‘us versus them' and the
simplicity of conventional operations, peace support operations entail
politically complex situations, a great deal of contact with local inhabitants,
exposure to civilian suffering and other disturbing incidents, all of which can
challenge the belief and value systems of Australian troops. In these
circumstances, many soldiers require regular encouragement in order to stay
committed and to feel that their presence is worthwhile. Effective leadership,
strong cohesion, operational success and command competence are among the
best motivators for soldiers, irrespective of their degree of fatigue.
Nevertheless, remember that if all other motivations have faded or are lost,
soldiers fight for their mates. Commanders should never allow soldiers to
become isolated on the battlefield.
We were all edgy, tired and rundown from the earlier
Commando operations and the subsequent loss of 317, and
not in the mood to take much more. We were looking for
excuses to go home. Self-inflicted wounds and battle
trauma were around the corner, but were held off by the
guts of the men and our need for each other. There was a
little bother with lawful commands within the platoon
(but what is a lawful command in those perilous
circumstances?). We dealt with this as a platoon problem
and still held together, all 15 (?) of us (those remaining)....
We were without a Platoon Sergeant and would remain so
for the remainder of operations.
Maurie Pears, Recollections of War
In M. Pears and F. Kirkland's
Korea Remembered, 1998
42