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Patterns of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among United States Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Personnel |
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| Authors: | Wayne Chappelle Emily Skinner Tanya Goodman Craig J. Bryan William Thompson |
| Affiliation: | 1. U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio;2. Neurostat Analytical Solutions, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia;3. National Center for Veterans Studies, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Department of Psychology, University of Utah |
| Abstract: | U.S. Air Force (USAF) combat search and rescue (CSAR) aircrew and special duty rescue personnel are specially trained airmen with high levels of direct exposure to combat-related medical trauma. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence rate of CSAR military personnel meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition; DSM–5) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom criteria. USAF CSAR aircrew (n = 128) and rescue personnel (n = 300) across multiple units participated in the study by completing a demographics survey and the PTSD checklist based on DSM–5. Fourteen participants endorsed a pattern of symptoms of moderate to extreme level of severity meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria. Recommendations are provided for line and medical leadership to optimize health and performance among CSAR personnel. |
| Keywords: | military PTSD combat search and rescue |