Understanding Military Workforce Productivity: Effects of Substance Abuse, Health, and Mental Health

From the stresses of repeated deployments to the difficulties of re-entry into civilian life, we are just beginning to understand how protracted conflicts, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, are affecting service members. Issues such as risky health behaviors and chemical dependence raise productivity concerns as they do with all organizations, but they also have a profound impact on the safety and readiness of troops--and by extension, the military as a whole--in life-or-death situations.

Understanding Military Workforce Productivity cuts through the myths and misconceptions about the health and resilience of today's active-duty armed forces.

This first-of-its-kind volume presents up-to-date findings across service branches in core health areas including illness and injury, alcohol and drug abuse, tobacco use, obesity, and mental health. The short- and long-term implications discussed relate to the quality of the lives of service members and their families, the quality and preparedness of the military as a workforce, and prevention and intervention efforts. The book:

• Presents data from ten large-scale health behavior surveys sponsored by the Department of Defense.
• Offers background context for understanding health and behavioral health and productivity among service members.
• Introduces a health and behavioral health model of productivity loss in the armed forces.
• Compares key indicators of substance abuse, health, and mental health in military and civilian populations.
• Reviews approaches for improving military productivity.
• Identifies areas for further study.

Understanding Military Workforce Productivity offers a rare close-up of health issues in the services, making it an invaluable source of information for practitioners and researchers in mental health, substance abuse, health behaviors, and military behavioral health.