Summer - United States Special Operations Command

LTC Craig A. Myatt, Ph.D., HQ USSOCOM PsychologistThe Special Operations Forces (SOF) psychologycommunity heralds the leadership and success of theoutgoing USSOCOM Command Surgeon and welcomesthe same measure of professionalism from his successor.The outgoing Command Surgeon’s vision, to develop abehavioral health element in the Command Surgeon’sOffice, was timely and will ultimately enhance the effectivenessof SOF and strengthen the role that psychologistsin the SOF community provide to commanders,first-line supervisors, team leaders, and Families.The ongoing guidance provided to the ResilienceEnterprise Working Group (REWG) from theUSSOCOM Commander, combined with the immediateassistance rendered by the incoming Command Surgeon,give the REWG continued and undisrupted leadershipsupport to remain focused on an essential endstate goal:to sustain enduring operational readiness in SOF and fortheir Families.While guidance, assistance, support, and commitmentare essential for the development of a USSO-COM Resilience Enterprise Program, one of the moresalient factors ensuring initial success for the program isgood old-fashioned HARD WORK. REWG memberssaw the successful approval of the initial capabilitiesdocument (ICD) for the REWG in accordance with thegroup’s charter. The March 13, 2009, REWG charterstipulated that an ICD must be generated within 75 workingdays. Several products from the April 9, 2009,REWG meeting met requirements for inclusion of theREWG as a specific capability in the Warrior RehabilitationPerformance Center Program ICD. As a part ofthe Human Capital Preservation program of record, theREWG obtained ICD approval from the USSOCOMDeputy Commander on June 2, 2009, through approvalof the WRPC Program ICD. Hard work from the REWGmembers made that happen.The REWG held its first conference on 7 and 8July and included the participation of both the outgoingand incoming USSOCOM Command Surgeons. TheJuly conference marked another milestone in the developmentof the USSOCOM Resilience Enterprise Program.During the proceedings, REWG members definedresilience (for SOF-peculiar applications) as the ability tosustain, enhance, and quickly recover an optimal levelof performance. The members also revised the REWGrestated mission as the following: “To sustain combatpower by increasing resilience in SOF and SOF Familiesto meet the challenges of a changing environment.”Finally, as part of an extensive action plan, the REWGset the stage for the rapid development (within threeweeks) of a draft DCR (Doctrine, Organization, Training,Materiel, Leadership and Education, and FacilitiesChange Recommendation) for circulation through theREWG in August. Hard work from the REWG membersmade that happen too.Hard work by the REWG is recognized as a necessaryresponse to the difficult challenges faced daily bySOF and SOF Families. Within the SOF psychologycommunity there is a growing awareness that our forcesdo not have a significant problem with respect to behavioralhealth. On the other hand, there is a growing senseof the potential for “burnout” in both SOF and their Families.One of the REWG members recently discussedhow SOF warriors and their Families face significantemotional and physical burnout because of the sustainedand recurring nature of overseas contingency operations,USSOCOM Psychologist99