Posted on Dec 13, 2015
Army report shows soldiers lack sleep, struggle to eat right
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Does this Army Health Report surprise you?
The overall state of health in the Army as outlined by this report is pretty poor. Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, tobacco use, non-deployables, clinically obese, injuries, etc, etc.
Is this evidence that the Triad of Performance is or isn't working? How many of you even are aware of the Triad of Performance?
The overall state of health in the Army as outlined by this report is pretty poor. Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, tobacco use, non-deployables, clinically obese, injuries, etc, etc.
Is this evidence that the Triad of Performance is or isn't working? How many of you even are aware of the Triad of Performance?
Army report shows soldiers lack sleep, struggle to eat right
Posted from armytimes.com
Health
Nutrition
Physical Training
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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Some of it has to be indifference I think. Bad habits are hard to break
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Not a real shocker with the OPTEMPO of the Army. Work long hours, eat meals when you can most days while deployed and beat the crap out of your body every day. Too bad the report did not take into effect how many of the injured still go out and perform their duties instead of whining about it and having to take days off. How many sleep disorders are related to mental conditions that effect your sleep.
Of course the Army is not going to score well on some report that looks only at numbers and not the individual. I know when I was still AD, I still worked through injuries, smoked about 1 pk of cigs per day and slept a few hours every night. Part of the job requirement some times. Those who complain about it are just crying for attention.
Like my DS said in basic when you got injured, "suck it up buttercup, you still have a mission to complete and failure is not an option."
As far as caffeine and tobacco use, sometimes that is all you have to help to keep going. I used to drink at least 1 pot of coffee, a couple of Monsters / Rock Stars , 3-5 Mountain Dews and smoked a pack of cigs every day. Still able to pass my PT test with better scores on PU and SUs than kids half my age. Just couldn't run anymore due to severe knee problems (deterioration of the cartilage in my knees and not much of my meniscus left in each knee).
Of course the Army is not going to score well on some report that looks only at numbers and not the individual. I know when I was still AD, I still worked through injuries, smoked about 1 pk of cigs per day and slept a few hours every night. Part of the job requirement some times. Those who complain about it are just crying for attention.
Like my DS said in basic when you got injured, "suck it up buttercup, you still have a mission to complete and failure is not an option."
As far as caffeine and tobacco use, sometimes that is all you have to help to keep going. I used to drink at least 1 pot of coffee, a couple of Monsters / Rock Stars , 3-5 Mountain Dews and smoked a pack of cigs every day. Still able to pass my PT test with better scores on PU and SUs than kids half my age. Just couldn't run anymore due to severe knee problems (deterioration of the cartilage in my knees and not much of my meniscus left in each knee).
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MAJ (Join to see)
And this demonstrates the uphill battle the Army will have to fight to overcome these sorts of attitudes. The Army is on the right track, with the Triad of Performance, but has a long way to go to overcome deeply held convictions like this that drug use is the answer to performance (yes, I am calling the use of caffeine and tobacco and energy drinks drug use). I'd love to see the Army ban or severely restrict tabacco and alcohol use/abuse and stop selling energy drinks on base, and ban them, too.
The Army would never ban such things, though.
Know what I do to overcome tiredness? I sleep.
All the issues you raise are choices---either your own or those of your leadership. The job does not require these choices, as you say. Other, better choices are available. The Army has realized that it is responsible for creating the environment in which bad choices have become the norm, and is trying to do something about it.
The Army would never ban such things, though.
Know what I do to overcome tiredness? I sleep.
All the issues you raise are choices---either your own or those of your leadership. The job does not require these choices, as you say. Other, better choices are available. The Army has realized that it is responsible for creating the environment in which bad choices have become the norm, and is trying to do something about it.
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SSG Todd Halverson
True, the Army does not require that I smoke or drink a lot of caffeine. But, a lot of time the mission dictates the amount so sleep one is able to get. There have been times where I would put in 40 hours within the first 2-3 days of the work week. Sometimes the mission calls for a 80+hour work week. In order to stay awake and function the caffeine and cigs are all that keeps you going. Plus, the cigs are a good stress reliever when you are working.
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I was not shocked by this.
And this comes from personal experience. I am MFT qualified, and not even 2 years ago had no trouble getting a 290 or higher on the APFT. But my body started going downhill quick. Now it is an enormous struggle for me to pass the 2 mile run. (I still max push-ups and sit-ups) AND IT IS ALL SELF-INFLICTED. I was seriously injured in Afghanistan and refused treatment because I didn't want to seem "weak." For years, I would stay up until 2200 or even 2300 because we didn't get off work until 1800 or later and I wanted to enjoy time at home. I put an emphasis on lifting weights, trying to live up to my reputation as a "strong guy" instead of a fast guy. I didn't pay attention to what I ate. I'm married, but I couldn't be bothered to do meal prep so I was eating at the gut truck every day.
it didn't matter when I was in my teens and twenties. But now I've dug myself into a hole that is very, very hard to come back from. I'm north of 30 now, and my body has changed dramatically. My abs are visible and I am lean, but my waist is thick from years of only carrying about lifting weights instead of applying the lessons I learned in MFT, Tactical Athlete and Functional Fitness. My cardio sucks because I have allowed myself too much muscle, and because I haven't been running like I should have been all this time. When I was younger, it was nothing for me to run 30 or more miles a week. Was I doing it the right way by getting proper rest and nutrition? NO.
But the real kicker to all this is THAT I KNEW WHAT THE RIGHT THING WAS THE ENTIRE TIME. I was acutely aware of proper rest, nutrition and running. I just didn't care. I was young and good at rucking and lifting. I could pass my run no problem. As I watched my times get worse I would just tell myself I needed to run more, to put more emphasis on actual cardio.
No I'm 32 with severely jacked up knees, a back that is destroyed and no wind when I run. And it's my fault. It's easy to blame the DFAC, the outdated tape test, the PRT program, my Senior NCO's or the Army itself but it is 100% my fault. Young Soldiers today are even more knowledgeable about health and fitness than I was, and I knew a lot. The blame cannot be placed on the system. We, as a fighting force, need to grow up and accept this is our fault.
It can be turned around. With personal drive and solid leadership, this can be corrected within 24 months. But we have to stop looking elsewhere for blame.
And this comes from personal experience. I am MFT qualified, and not even 2 years ago had no trouble getting a 290 or higher on the APFT. But my body started going downhill quick. Now it is an enormous struggle for me to pass the 2 mile run. (I still max push-ups and sit-ups) AND IT IS ALL SELF-INFLICTED. I was seriously injured in Afghanistan and refused treatment because I didn't want to seem "weak." For years, I would stay up until 2200 or even 2300 because we didn't get off work until 1800 or later and I wanted to enjoy time at home. I put an emphasis on lifting weights, trying to live up to my reputation as a "strong guy" instead of a fast guy. I didn't pay attention to what I ate. I'm married, but I couldn't be bothered to do meal prep so I was eating at the gut truck every day.
it didn't matter when I was in my teens and twenties. But now I've dug myself into a hole that is very, very hard to come back from. I'm north of 30 now, and my body has changed dramatically. My abs are visible and I am lean, but my waist is thick from years of only carrying about lifting weights instead of applying the lessons I learned in MFT, Tactical Athlete and Functional Fitness. My cardio sucks because I have allowed myself too much muscle, and because I haven't been running like I should have been all this time. When I was younger, it was nothing for me to run 30 or more miles a week. Was I doing it the right way by getting proper rest and nutrition? NO.
But the real kicker to all this is THAT I KNEW WHAT THE RIGHT THING WAS THE ENTIRE TIME. I was acutely aware of proper rest, nutrition and running. I just didn't care. I was young and good at rucking and lifting. I could pass my run no problem. As I watched my times get worse I would just tell myself I needed to run more, to put more emphasis on actual cardio.
No I'm 32 with severely jacked up knees, a back that is destroyed and no wind when I run. And it's my fault. It's easy to blame the DFAC, the outdated tape test, the PRT program, my Senior NCO's or the Army itself but it is 100% my fault. Young Soldiers today are even more knowledgeable about health and fitness than I was, and I knew a lot. The blame cannot be placed on the system. We, as a fighting force, need to grow up and accept this is our fault.
It can be turned around. With personal drive and solid leadership, this can be corrected within 24 months. But we have to stop looking elsewhere for blame.
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MAJ (Join to see)
This is a profound statement of personal responsibility. So often we blame the system. Thanks for the honesty and insight, and for sharing.
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TSgt (Join to see)
Thanks, Sir.
Never in a million years did I think I would end up being the bad example, but it has unfortunatley happened. To blame anyone but myself would do nothing but exacerbate the problem. I had plans to re-up and go Recruiting, but I and I alone, have put that in jeopardy.
Never in a million years did I think I would end up being the bad example, but it has unfortunatley happened. To blame anyone but myself would do nothing but exacerbate the problem. I had plans to re-up and go Recruiting, but I and I alone, have put that in jeopardy.
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SGM (Join to see)
Concur that personal soldier responsibility is a big part of it. Thanks for being so candid. Thank you for your service.
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