Social Fitness and the Social Domain: A Holistic Approach Based on Total Force Fitness.

The Total Force Fitness (TFF) framework was envisioned as a holistic framework of interrelated domains, whereby impact in one domain could have cascading implications for the others. For this reason, definitional clarity surrounding how to achieve fitness in the various domains is crucial. Social fitness definitions tend to focus on individual efforts and overlook the powerful impact of the social group and the social environment on the individual. In this article, various definitions of social fitness are analyzed in an effort to broaden the current understanding of the social domain. Some of the knowledge gaps in understanding social fitness and the resulting challenges are addressed before reviewing a few existing social fitness interventions. Finally, this study offers recommendations for improvement, along with future directions for the increased integration of the social domain into the TFF framework.

Total Force Fitness Education: A Critical Enabler of Human Performance Optimization.

INTRODUCTION: Military health education has historically been focused on conveying the consequences of risky behaviors, informing about external resources, and addressing disease through mitigation and prevention. Total Force Fitness (TFF) and Human Performance Optimization (HPO) provide a broad and holistic framework for preventing health issues and bolstering performance. The Consortium for Health and Military Performance convened a workgroup at the TFF Summit in 2021 to discuss the current state of TFF/HPO in military health education efforts and to identify areas for improvement. METHODS: An education workgroup of 42 attendees gathered to discuss the current state of TFF/HPO-based health education in the military. Four questions were posed to all members for discussion. Notes were taken and consolidated to obtain feedback and promote discussion from the attendees in a larger audience at the TFF Summit. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The education workgroup identified several education formats, goals, initiatives, and opportunities for improving the development and dissemination of TFF/HPO-based health education throughout the Services. Workgroup members reached a consensus on health education formats (development, dissemination, and audience) and that the primary goal of education is knowledge dissemination and increasing awareness. They also identified several stellar examples of existing TFF/HPO initiatives and explored how health education can increase impact and be more sustainable. The workgroup outcomes were shared with the TFF Summit audience to generate further discussion and to outline action items. Seven action items were identified to improve the development and dissemination of TFF/HPO resources and ensure productive and effective initiatives and programs throughout the Department of Defense. CONCLUSIONS: The TFF Summit outlined several actionable items that would improve the development and dissemination of TFF/HPO-based health education throughout the Department of Defense's initiatives and programs. A broader approach to military health education that uses a TFF/HPO framework will directly impact the health and performance of the force. Ultimately, embedding TFF/HPO information into the fabric of military health education would shift the focus toward a holistic, proactive, preventive, and performance-based culture.

Critical Competencies of Military Embedded Health and Performance Professionals: The "Culture General" Approach.

Human performance teams (HPT) delivering a wide range of services within military unit communities serve as a model for advancing business practices in support of the 2018 National Defense Strategy. Relatively new, the demand for these embedded professionals continues to grow in response to its favorable proximity, community-based design, operationalized delivery system, and adaptive business practices. However, many civilian professionals come from diverse disciplines of specialties and experiences. As they integrate into unit communities, it becomes known that many do not possess formal training or experience working with the US military or its Servicemembers, delivering community-based services, operating in the capacity of a force multiplier, or culturally adapting their professional skills. Given the steep learning curve in transitioning from a conventional delivery model to the military embedded model, even newly minted military health and performance professionals may be underprepared when they arrive at their assigned military unit communities. In this article, we examine the military's embedded health and performance service delivery model. We add specific focus on those critical "embedded" professional competencies and skills foundational to establishing and sustaining thriving service delivery. We then offer strategies and tools collected from embedded health and performance professionals currently serving in military unit communities across the Department of Defense (DoD). Finally, we provide a rationale for the need for embedded competency training to improve the preparedness of professionals who are currently serving, will be serving, or have a general interest in serving as an embedded professional within DoD military unit communities.

Advancing the Practice of Contemporary Military Performance Psychology:A Full-Spectrum Approach to Psychological Health and Readiness.

The Department of Defense (DoD) continues to emphasize operational readiness, lethality, and optimal performance. Performance psychology is a critical aspect of and central dimension to human performance optimization in support of Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) and Total Force Fitness (TFF). The delivery of performance psychology services must continue to evolve to maximize its potential for enhancing combat performance and supporting psychological readiness in warfighters across all branches of service. The authors (1) provide a brief history of the evolution of military psychology; (2) explore how performance psychology complements and broadens approaches to support warfighter health and readiness; and (3) present a set of strategies to advance performance psychology services toward an aspirational model. Such strategies will more effectively promote best practices to better target operational performance, complement existing health and medical service delivery, and encompass a systems approach to sustainable training. Moreover, these strategies aim to increase return on investment of psychological readiness efforts for warfighters across all branches of service.

Optimizing Teamwork for Human Performance Teams: Strategies for Enhancing Team Effectiveness.

Human performance teams (HPTs) are highly capable and complex teams comprised of medical and performance professionals dedicated to supporting health and sustaining mission capabilities of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) warfighter community. As resources continue to be devoted to recruiting, hiring, and organizing HPTs, there is an increased need to support team-based capabilities, or their ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively across boundaries. In this article, we draw on existing evidence-based approaches to supporting team-based competencies to present a set of strategies designed to address barriers to cross-boundary teaming, catalyze innovation and precision of human performance optimization (HPO) service delivery, and maximize the impact of HPTs on warfighter medical and mission readiness. We begin by offering a conceptual paradigm shift that broadens the lens through which HPO intervention opportunities exist. We then explore how to promote a common understanding of the needs, performance demands, and occupational risks, which should clarify shared goals and targets for service delivery. We also discuss a refined strategy for hiring and recruiting members of HPTs, and finally, we propose opportunities for cultivating communication and collaboration across and within the HPO spectrum. By elevating HPT-based capabilities, the SOF community should be able to amplify the investment made in these invaluable resources.

A Shift From Resilience to Human Performance Optimization in Special Operations Training: Advancements in Theory and Practice.

Within the Department of Defense over the past decade, a focus on enhancing Warfighter resilience and readiness has increased. For Special Operation Forces (SOF), who bear unique burdens for training and deployment, programs like the Preservation of the Force and Family have been created to help support SOF and their family members in sustaining capabilities and enhancing resilience in the face of prolonged warfare. In this review, we describe the shift in focus from resilience to human performance optimization (HPO) and the benefits of human performance initiatives that include holistic fitness. We then describe strategies for advancing the application of HPO for future initiatives through tailoring and cultural adaptation, as well as advancing methods for measurement. By striving toward specificity and precision performance, SOF human performance programs can impact individual and team capabilities to a greater extent than in the past, as well as maintaining the well-being of SOF and their families across their careers and beyond.