Coast Guard, Marines Join Navy in Concerns over Sleep Deprivation

From a naval perspective, it's not a "one size fits all" problem. At one point on deployment, we only had two qualified OODs, myself and another JO. He was in Engineering and I was the MINIBOSS, so we both spent rotations on other watches. If we had flight ops, sometimes he'd get a "double whammy" while I was in PRIFLI. That's outside of divisional duties and all the other stuff like FPO, etc.

It's easy to say, "grab some rack", but the reality is that if you're coming off the Midwatch, have a VERTREP after that, and have to brief the wardroom on the transit the next morning...all while the Division is cranking with needle guns trying to get things off the XO's punch-list...you know, the one's you asked them to "suck up" at quarters...grabbing shut eye sounds about as realistic as having breakfast in bed.

I think the "worst" I ever pulled was three days straight...OPS eventually had DOC "pull rank", stick me in medical and took my shift for a few hours.

Bottom line, if you want to increase crew rest, you have to have realistic numbers of qualified personnel for rotation. You're never going to be able to stick a green ensign on OOD two months after he arrives.

I think we can look at ways to qualify people before they ever get there...or at least have them qualified to the extent all they need to do is learn their new ship. I think adjusting the pre-commissioning education to include more sea time, and making qualification for OOD part of SWOs would help.

I do find that interesting...when I was a clinical residents before my total perm disability, the laws about resident fatigue and overwork were very strictly enforced...just a thought, obviously, I thought it might ne analogously germane, you know? Good catch....

"Fatigue Makes Cowards of Us All" Gen. G.S. Patton

Stood 6on/6off as OOD in heavy seas with skipping sleep period during UnRep. Stood plenty double 4-8's watches skipping lunch to take a nap. Best class taken at US Coast Guard Academy concerned relaxation, bio-feedback, nutrition, and hypnosis. Learned techniques to overcome stress. I can go to sleep in about five minutes anytime, anywhere. Self hypnosis, simple stretching, and eating/drinking the right items speeds sleep. Also learned the signs of fatigue and the confidence to tell others when my mental state is beginning to be affected. Class is still being offered.
4112 PRINCIPLES OF FITNESS AND WELLNESS II
This course introduces cadets to the basic concepts and principles of lifelong fitness and wellness. Special attention will be given to the areas of nutrition, stress management, and the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors.