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Military Deployment Psychology: Psychologists in the Forward Environment

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Handbook of Military Psychology

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Abstract

Military psychologists from all services play a significant role in providing behavioral health care throughout the deployment cycle. These professionals offer a broad range of preventative, consultative, and clinical services throughout multiple phases of military operations including offensive, defensive, and stabilizing activities (i.e., humanitarian and peacekeeping missions). This chapter provides a brief overview of the history and capabilities of American military psychologists in the Navy, Air Force, and Army who are engaged in deployed military operations. And this chapter also provides recommendations for enhancing military behavioral health doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, and facilities that may also be applicable to foreign and international forces.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC), Recruiting and Retention School (RRS), Fort Knox, KY, USA

    Jeffrey Ian Bass

  2. USAF, Whispering Pines, NC, USA

    Chad E. Morrow

  3. US Navy, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    David J. Loomis

  4. US Navy, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA

    Wayne C. Boucher

  5. Brooke Army Medical Center of Behavioral Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Joseph H. Afanador

Authors
  1. Jeffrey Ian Bass
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  2. Chad E. Morrow
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  3. David J. Loomis
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  4. Wayne C. Boucher
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  5. Joseph H. Afanador
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey Ian Bass .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for National Strategic Studies, Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defense University, Washington, DC, USA

    Stephen V. Bowles

  2. Institute for National Strategic Studies, Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defense University, Washington, DC, USA

    Paul T. Bartone

Glossary

ACE

Air Combat Elements

AO

Area of Operations

BCT

Brigade Combat Team

BHO

Behavioral Health Officers

COC

Chain-of-Command

COP

Combat Outposts

CSH

Combat Support Hospital

CST

Combat Stress Team

COSC

Combat and Operational Stress Control

DoD

Department of Defense

FOB

Forward Operating Base

LCE

Load Carrying Equipment

LCSW

Licensed Psychiatric Social Worker

MCO

Marine Corps Order

MOS

Military Occupational Specialty

MTF

Military Treatment Facilities

OIF

Operation Iraqi Freedom

ORM

Operational Risk Management

OSCAR

Operational Stress Control and Readiness

PIES

Proximity, Immediacy, Expectancy and Simplicity

PGW

Persian Gulf War

PROFIS

Professional Filler System

RIP

Relief/Replacements in Place

RTD

Return to Duty

ST

Special Tactics

STS

Special Tactics Squadron

TEM

Traumatic Event Management

TOE

Table of Organization and Equipment

TTP

Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures

USMC

US Marine Corp

WRAIR

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

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Bass, J.I., Morrow, C.E., Loomis, D.J., Boucher, W.C., Afanador, J.H. (2017). Military Deployment Psychology: Psychologists in the Forward Environment. In: Bowles, S., Bartone, P. (eds) Handbook of Military Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66192-6_4

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