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NPS NRP Executive Summary This study will investigate the destructive behavior surge during the maintenance phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP). The Culture of Excellence Campaign's Perform to Plan effort will empower warfighting capability by fostering psychological, physical and emotional toughness. To meet this goal, the Navy needs to understand what encourages signature behaviors and reduces destructive behaviors and how these behaviors impact readiness. This study will provide critical insight to encourage signature behaviors and counter destructive behaviors. Researchers will use a mixed-methods, explanatory sequential design to answer the questions: What are the rates of signature and destructive behaviors during phases of OFRP? Do rates differ by command type? How do signature and destructive behaviors impact readiness? N1 - Manpower, Personnel, Training & Education This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrp Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

NPS NRP Executive Summary A significant percentage of active duty service members (ADSMs) spends free time playing video games. This recreational activity is not unexpected given the relatively young age of many ADSMs and the prevalence of video gaming in the US population. The military operational environment, however, is characterized by high levels of occupational stress and poor sleep conditions which can result in increased risk of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. In such conditions, video games may be a strategy for coping with stress. In contrast, excessive video gaming can become problematic because it has the potential to affect well-being and behavior. For example, excessive video gaming is associated with high stress levels (Milani et al., 2018), lower psychosocial well-being and psychological functioning (von der Heiden et al., 2019), loneliness and depression (Lemmens et al., 2011), and delinquency and aggressive behavior (Milani et al., 2018; Engelhardt et al., 2011; Ewoldsen et al., 2012). Video gaming may also interfere with sleep when gamers stay up late playing video games instead of sleeping (Matsangas, Shattuck, & Saitzyk, 2020). In extreme cases, video gaming can become an addiction. In the scientific literature, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is associated with poor emotion regulation, impaired prefrontal cortex functioning and cognitive control, poor working memory and decision-making capabilities, and a neuronal deficiency similar to substance-related addictions (Kuss et al., 2018). Given its potential negative impact on individual and team performance, we propose to assess problematic video gaming in two samples: US Marine Corps personnel and US Navy sailors. Based on surveys and focus groups, the research approach will be tailored for the needs of each service. Data will be collected from personnel in up to three USMC commands, whereas data from USN sailors will be collected on two ships, one in port and one underway. The study will focus on assessing the prevalence and extent of playing video games, identify factors associated with this activity, address whether Marines and Sailors are using gaming as a maladaptive coping mechanism, and provide appropriate recommendations. HQMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA) This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrp Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Shift work leads to adverse health outcomes including increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) are measures of cardiac autonomic activity and markers of cardiovascular disease and mortality. To investigate the effects of shift work on cardiac autonomic activity, we assessed the influence of simulated night work on HR and HRV, and dissociated the direct effects of circadian misalignment from those of sleep displacement and altered physical activity patterns. A total of 29 subjects each participated in one of two in-laboratory, simulated shift work studies. In both studies, EKG was continuously monitored via Holter monitors to measure HR and the high frequency (HF) component of HRV (HF-HRV). We found endogenous circadian rhythmicity in HR and HF-HRV. Sleep and waking physical activity, both displaced during simulated night work, had more substantial, and opposite, effects on HR and HF-HRV. Our findings show systematic but complex, interacting effects of time of day, sleep/wake state, and physical activity on cardiac autonomic activity. These effects need to be taken into account when evaluating HR and HRV in shift work settings and when interpreting these measures of cardiac autonomic activity as markers of cardiovascular disease.

Around the world, watchfloors provide information, intelligence, and technical support to operational commands 24 hours a day. Watchstanders often work long shifts surpassing full time 40-hour work weeks, which include night and weekend shifts. Shiftwork has been associated with a decreased amount of sleep in both quantity and quality, which leads to exhaustion and compromised cognitive function. Exposure to high energy visible (HEV) light at appropriate times has the potential to shift the body’s circadian rhythm to align faster to a new shift schedule. Adjusting to shifting work hours quicker could lead to less sleep loss, enhanced sleep quality, and less severe levels of fatigue. This study aims to assess the impact and potential benefits of intentionally introducing HEV light when watchstanders on a shore-based watchfloor are transitioning to a different work shift. The study will consider how the strategic application of HEV light affects circadian entrainment, thereby impacting sleep, performance, mood, and sleepiness. This work will inform recommendations to other shore-based watchfloors at the Pentagon that require non-traditional work schedules to support watchstanding operations. Naval Medical Research Center – Advanced Medical Development Program Silver Spring, MD 20910 Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

In this thesis, I use a meta narrative analysis approach to identity effective stress management techniques that fit the unique operational environment of the U.S. Navy from prior investigations. From the earlier literature, I identify effective behavioral techniques for stress management to include mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, social resilience, physical activity, program interventions, meditation and mind-body medicine, emotion regulation, mental health awareness, self-care, and coping. I then map them to the domains of the Total Sailor Fitness used by the 21st Century Sailor initiative to provide stress management support to sailors. Furthermore, I analyze the responses to an exploratory questionnaire from two shore commands and find that sailors tend to use humor and engage in hobbies as social resilience techniques, although sailors perceive the most effective coping techniques to be video games and physical activity (aerobic exercise). These initial findings can inform a follow-on study that can augment the data collection within a pilot framework to support the assessment of the stress management programs currently offered by the Navy under the 21st Century Sailor initiative. NPS Naval Research Program This project was funded in part by the NPS Naval Research Program. Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Senior leaders onboard U.S. Navy vessels afloat have constantly evolving schedules that are rarely consistent from day to day. Over the past two decades, studies of work and rest patterns have confirmed anecdotal reports of insufficient sleep of enlisted Sailors. The sleep of senior Officers has not been closely examined. Assessing sleep of surface fleet Officers as they perform their duties in the fleet may provide insight into the bigger picture of health and wellness in the U.S. Navy. As part of a multi-year project, sleep patterns of senior leaders were assessed while in training and in the fleet. An 18-month longitudinal data collection commenced when participants were attending Surface Warfare Schools Command (SWSC) in Newport, RI, and continued as participants assumed their operational positions in the fleet. This thesis takes an initial look into the sleep, mood, and other physiological patterns of senior leaders in these two settings over the first few months of the study. Participants completed validated questionnaires to assess their overall wellbeing and wore physiological monitors (ŌURA rings) to assess the duration and quality of their sleep. In this first opportunity to examine patterns in the data, we found statistically significant differences in sleep duration of senior leaders depending on where they were living and working; that is, when they were attending school, between school and operational command, and after they arrived at their operational command. Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

The goals of this thesis were to assess the prevalence of problematic video gaming within the United States Marine Corps (USMC), identify the motivational factors that lead Marines to engage in video gaming, assess the effects of video gaming on Marines’ lives, and investigate whether Marines use video gaming as a maladaptive coping mechanism. Survey data (n = 1,098 Marines) were collected from three USMC commands. In total, 847 Marines (91%) reported playing video games. Recreation and coping with stress were the most frequently reported motivational factors for playing video games. Most gamers (91%) reported playing video games while at home/off duty. In contrast, 20% of gamers reported playing video games while on duty/in port and 36% reported playing video games while underway/deployed. In our sample, five Marines (2%) were classified as disordered gamers. Disordered gamers reported using dysfunctional coping styles more frequently than the rest of gamers. Disordered gamers reported more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, higher levels of loneliness, elevated daytime sleepiness, and more symptoms suggestive of heavy drinking. These findings led to three recommendations: a) educate Marines on the risks of problematic video gaming and the factors associated with gaming addiction, b) educate Marines on sleep hygiene practices, and c) implement strategies to mitigate the effects of problematic video gaming. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93940 Lieutenant Junior Grade, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

This study assessed the effectiveness of light exposure in transitioning aviation schedules from days to nights. We hypothesized that a single night of light treatment will delay melatonin onset and improve performance in a simulated flight task. Study participants were military pilots who flew four simulated flights: one baseline daytime flight and three consecutive night flights. Pilots were exposed to four hours of high energy visible (HEV) light (1,000 lux) on the second night but remained in dim light on the first and third nights. Saliva samples for determining melatonin levels were collected every half hour during the three nighttime data collections. Participants also completed questionnaires to include the Bedford Workload Scale and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale. We tracked each participant’s circadian rhythm using their melatonin onset profiles over the three nights of the study. Pilot performance in a flight simulator was assessed for each of the three data collection sessions using three flight profiles of progressing difficulty. Results showed an average delay in melatonin onset mean of 1.33 hr (SD = .36 hr). Flight performance over the testing period did not show any significant changes. This study showed that light can be used to effectively delay the onset of melatonin, potentially providing a substantive advantage to personnel who must rapidly transition to new work schedules. Further study is recommended before implementing in operational conditions. Lieutenant Commander, United States Coast Guard Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Video games have become a staple in entertainment since the inception of digital gaming and can be used as a healthy way of escaping the stresses of modern society. With the increased usage of technology, military personnel have easier access to computer/internet gaming through various platforms. However, through excessive exposure, video games may become problematic and even addictive. With the potential issues that problematic video gaming may have on the Naval mission, this study assessed the prevalence, severity, and associated factors of video gaming on 87 Sailors from two U.S. Navy warships and compared these results with data from three U.S. Marine Corps commands from a similar study (954 Marines). Results showed that higher–severity gamers experienced statistically higher levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, stress, and were 35% more likely to experience daytime sleepiness and 48% more likely to have an alcohol problem than lower–severity gamers. The strongest motivations to game for greater severity gamers were to escape from reality, cope with stress, and to compete with other gamers. We did not identify substantive differences between Sailors and Marines who played videogames. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether videogaming is the cause of a drop in the well-being of greater severity gamers and to reliability assess the criteria for both “problematic” and “disordered” video gaming that are more suited for an operational military environment. HQMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Sleep inertia is the brief period of impaired alertness and performance experienced immediately after waking. While the neurobehavioral symptoms of sleep inertia are well-described, less is known about the neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. A better understanding of the neural processes during sleep inertia may offer insight into the cognitive impairments observed and the awakening process generally. We observed brain activity following abrupt awakening from slow wave sleep during the biological night. Using electroencephalography (EEG) and a network science approach, we evaluated power, clustering coefficient, and path length across frequency bands under both a control condition and a blue-enriched light intervention condition in a within-subject design. We found that under control conditions, the awakening brain is typified by an immediate reduction in global theta, alpha, and beta power. Simultaneously, we observed a decrease in the clustering coefficient and an increase in path length within the delta band. Exposure to blue-enriched light immediately after awakening ameliorated these changes, but only for clustering. Our results suggest that long-range network communication within the brain is crucial to the waking process and that the brain may prioritize these long-range connections during this transitional state. Our study highlights a novel neurophysiological signature of the awakening brain and provides a potential mechanistic explanation for the effect of light in improving performance after waking.One sentence summaryBlue-enriched light partially accelerates the rapid prioritization of long-range communication within the human brain that characterizes sleep inertia

Sleep inertia is the brief period of performance impairment and reduced alertness experienced after waking, especially from slow-wave sleep. We assessed the efficacy of polychromatic short-wavelength-enriched light to improve vigilant attention, alertness and mood immediately after waking from slow-wave sleep at night. Twelve participants (six female, 23.3 ± 4.2 years) maintained an actigraphy-confirmed sleep schedule of 8.5 hr for 5 nights, and 5 hr for 1 night prior to an overnight laboratory visit. In the laboratory, participants were awakened from slow-wave sleep, and immediately exposed to either dim, red ambient light (control) or polychromatic short-wavelength-enriched light (light) for 1 hr in a randomized crossover design. They completed a 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Task, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, and Visual Analogue Scales of mood at 2, 17, 32 and 47 min after waking. Following this testing period, lights were turned off and participants returned to sleep. They were awakened from their subsequent slow-wave sleep period and received the opposite condition. Compared with the control condition, participants exposed to light had fewer Psychomotor Vigilance Task lapses (χsup2/sup[1] = 5.285, p = 0.022), reported feeling more alert (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale: Fsub1,77/sub = 4.955, p = 0.029; Visual Analogue Scalesubalert/sub: Fsub1,77/sub = 8.226, p = 0.005), and reported improved mood (Visual Analogue Scalesubcheerful/sub: Fsub1,77/sub = 8.615, p = 0.004). There was no significant difference in sleep-onset latency between conditions following the testing period (tsub10/sub = 1.024, p = 0.330). Our results suggest that exposure to polychromatic short-wavelength-enriched light immediately after waking from slow-wave sleep at night may help improve vigilant attention, subjective alertness, and mood. Future studies should explore the potential mechanisms of this countermeasure and its efficacy in real-world environments.

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to surface ship engineering departments operate, maintain, and repair many systems that provide critical services such as propulsion, damage control, air conditioning, potable water, electricity, and sewage. These engineering Sailors are expected to stand watch vigilantly and train constantly amid demanding work conditions and marginal manning levels. These issues potentially drive higher individual workload, restrict sleep opportunities, and erode crew morale. These challenges may be especially prevalent while ships are in the Basic Phase and may have been further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the objectives of this thesis are a) to assess the well-being, sleep attributes, and workload of engineering Sailors onboard USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), and b) to explore how the spread of COVID-19 affected the readiness of the department during the Basic Phase. Sailors were assessed using questionnaires, actigraphy, and self-report activity logs. Underway 1—dominated by 5/10 watch rotation and higher OPTEMPO—reflected worse mood compared to Underway 2, which was characterized by more 3/9 watch rotations and lower OPTEMPO (Underway 1 TMD: 68 ± 36.5; Underway 2 TMD: 53.1 ± 30.8; Wilcoxon signed rank test, n = 26, S = -103, p = 0.006). Mood, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, insomnia symptoms, and proclivity to nap during Underway 1 and Underway 2 were worse compared to data collected from engineering departments across 14 other ships. Naval Medical Research Center - Adv Med Dept Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Existing U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) aviation policies rely on crew members to self-diagnose their personal level of fatigue based on their perceived hours of sleep, with the only quantifiable factor at their disposal being their alleged hours of sleep. With the continued improvement in wearable technology, measurable data may be readily available for aircrew to make a more informed and accurate assessment of their preflight readiness. This study sought to identify the legal and social considerations affecting the implementation of wearable technology to assess crew fatigue in the USCG, and provide recommendations regarding how to incorporate these new technologies into preflight operation risk-assessment processes. The results of this study do not support an immediate investment in a full-scale USCG aviation wearables program. However, they do highlight the potential role that wearables might play in helping policymakers by quantifying the fatigue currently experienced by aircrew under existing policies and practices. Finally, the study identifies data privacy as a key potential barrier to wearable acceptance and recommends the unprecedented preemptive application of legal privilege to wearable data used by aircrew as part of risk-management process in order to encourage user acceptance. Commander, United States Coast Guard Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

The study was requested by the Marine Corps Aviation community with a focus on risk mitigation strategies for aviators transitioning from day to night flights. Avoiding the use of stimulants and sedatives to aid in fatigue mitigation, the study instead used a four-hour period of continuous bright light exposure to shift the circadian rhythm. The main goals of this study were to determine if the light intervention protocol successfully shifted the circadian rhythm of our participants, how large of a phase delay shift was possible, and whether the light intervention affected the participants' perceived levels of fatigue. To reach these goals, we examined melatonin secretion levels to determine dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) over the course of three nights. Phase delay shift calculations were computed using differences in DLMO from night to night. Additionally, self-reported scores on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) provided insight into individual perceived levels of fatigue. Results of the study show successful implementation of the light intervention method by an average phase delay shift of 1 hour 20 minutes ± 22 minutes. However, analyzing the KSS scores did not provide statistically significant results. This study can provide a baseline for future fatigue risk mitigation strategies for military aviation. Lieutenant Junior Grade, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Navy and Marine Corps personnel, engaged in support and training operations, face challenges to obtaining consistent sleep due to shiftwork and rotating schedules. Shiftwork has been shown to decrease sleep quality and quantity, which contributes to fatigue and degraded cognitive functions including decision making, alertness, reaction time, problem solving, and ability to learn. When shift changes are more recurrent, the human body must adapt to artificial time changes more often, thereby increasing the likelihood of circadian misalignment and desynchrony. Circadian desynchrony reduces quality and quantity of sleep, which has a cascading negative effect on personnel performance. To ameliorate the negative effects of shift work, rapidly rotating schedules, and associated sleep deprivation, the timing of external cues may be intentionally modified to support circadian alignment to the required wake/work hours. Aligning more quickly to shifting work hours could result in decreased sleep deprivation, improved sleep quality, decreased fatigue, and reductions in the negative impact on cognitive function. This work assessed the current state of sleep, fatigue, mood, and performance of a shore-based watchfloor, establishing a baseline for further study and comparative analysis when a schedule change or intervention is introduced. This study will inform recommendations to shore-based watchfloors that utilize non-traditional work schedules to cover 24-hour operations. Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

In 2017, two Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, USS John S. McCain and USS Fitzgerald, were each involved in collisions in the Pacific resulting in the deaths of 17 Sailors and injuries to several others. During the Comprehensive Review (CR) of these incidents, it was determined that fatigue, poor watchstanding habits, and the lack of professional knowledge were contributing factors. Since the occurrence of these shattering events, the U.S. Navy has implemented policies which mandate the use of circadian-based watchbills and has equipped leaders with tools and best practices to effectively manage crew fatigue. Though these efforts are trending in the right direction, the Navy currently lacks the ability to determine the level of operational readiness of each Sailor onboard. This study aims to further develop the Scheduling Management Aid for Risk Tracking (SMART) tool by developing new heuristics to address the issues identified by the CR and exploring alternative methods of importing data into the tool. Following the redevelopment of the tool, the functionality of SMART will be evaluated. The overarching goal of this thesis is to provide Commanding Officers with a tool which allows them to visualize the readiness of their crew members to allow them to reduce unnecessary risk and exercise deliberate risk, particularly during special evolutions. Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

After nearly two decades of war in the Middle East and centuries of conflict, today’s service member is more vulnerable than ever. Our nation’s warriors can deploy to and redeploy from combat in a matter of hours, not the days, weeks, or months of the past. The growing, enduring, and repeating stressors of military service have placed a premium on creating resilient Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. Yet, currently, there is still a void of knowledge surrounding how best to tangibly assess or train the resilience of service members and how to proactively identify those who are at risk or headed toward risk of compromising their resilience. The aim of the current study is to associate physiological metrics with self-reported assessments to enable such a proactive approach to occur. The study occurred outside the sterile confines of the laboratory, choosing instead to follow 44 service members in their normal patterns of life. In collaboration with the University of Arizona, participants in the present study were asked to wear a commercially available health tracker, an ŌURA ring, while self-administering proven subjective assessments and “awareness training,” on an online platform. The results found statistically relevant associations between heart rate variability metrics and the subjective assessments of anxiety, depression, and compassion fatigue. Further studies are needed to confirm and explore these associations, as well as further analysis of the plethora of data. http://archive.org/details/measuringresilie1094566593 Major, United States Army Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited

This thesis assessed the manning structure of HMAS Warramunga in at-sea conditions against Navy Standard Work Week (NSWW) criteria such that a Scheme of Complement (SoC) is “sufficient” to meet the workload and sustainment requirements. IMPRINT Pro Forces Module was used to model planned activities and unplanned events of sailors to include the Marine Engineering Department to assess workload, daily sleep duration (DSD), training, service diversion activities, and task completion rates. Results showed that the crew slept less and worked more than the NSWW criteria. Also, completion rates for all but the highest priority events were low. These findings indicate crew had little surge capacity available without sacrificing administrative and maintenance tasks. With clearer understanding of the limitations on the ship imposed by crew size, decision-makers will be able to assign operational tasking based on knowledge of expected endurance of a ship to maintain such an operational tempo. Findings indicate that the NSWW in its current state should not be used solely to define ships’ SoC. However, using modeling and simulation (M&S) combined with SMEs’ knowledge will provide insight on crew workload, lead to improved SoC, and fulfill the ship’s Statement of Operating Intent (SOI). Another potential application of IMPRINT could be to assess the ship’s pre-sailing risk state based off the ship’s current manning levels and maintenance requirements. Lieutenant Commander, Royal Australian Navy Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited

Includes Supplementary Material Long working hours, 24/7 shift work, restricted sleep opportunities, and circadian misalignment all lead to degraded Sailor performance and impairments in decision making. These deficiencies threaten the safety of Sailors and a unit’s mission readiness, as the recent deadly collisions of the USS Fitzgerald and USS John. S. McCain exposed. Despite the headway made by the Navy in addressing crew endurance and fatigue issues, there is a capability gap in the surface navy’s ability to systematically assess and mitigate crew fatigue during in-port and at-sea operations. It is imperative to provide operational leaders charged with ensuring peak mission readiness levels with insights into the current and predicted readiness levels of their Sailors. This thesis developed a Microsoft Excel-based scheduling decision aid capable of tracking, detecting, and quantifying human performance risk factors associated with work and rest patterns for U.S. Navy Sailors. The Scheduling Management Aid for Risk Tracking (SMART) systematically collects Sailor activity data and provides trend analysis at an individual and organizational level, arming the scheduler with critical insight necessary for better crew resource management. The prototype’s tailorable heuristics are designed to identify and quantify human performance risk, enabling leaders to better mitigate risk through data-driven decision making. Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited

U.S. Navy sailors experience long periods of sleep deprivation while performing risky tasks requiring skill and concentration. Prior studies have identified this problem area, but changes to the Navy's culture have been slow. This thesis highlights sleep deprivation of sailors and its effects on their mood, behavior, and risk of suicide. It also compares the sleep duration of sailors on the USS Ashland (LSD-48) to other platforms in the Navy. This study is important because of the high cost of failure as shown by recent collisions and multiple suicides. We have conducted a longitudinal, cross-sectional study of sailors' sleep habits and have analyzed the data to determine sleep habits of sailors, used statistical methods to analyze the impact of sleep on mood and behavior, and conducted a review of scientific literature to explore the risk factors of suicide. This study found that the sailors on the Ashland averaged 6.33 ' 1.14 hours of sleep. This amount of sleep is comparable to other archival naval studies, with 32 (87%) of those 37 studies showing that sailors sleep less than the recommended amount. Lack of sleep was found to be related to worse total mood disorder and increased probability of risky behavior. Finally, numerous suicide risk factors were found to be present in the study participants. Sailors across the Navy are sleep deprived and are at an increased risk of suicide or mishap. http://archive.org/details/analysisofsleepm1094566115 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited

In 2017, the U.S. Navy experienced several ship incidents in the Western Pacific that resulted in 17 fatalities. Follow-on investigations reported that the Surface Warfare community needs to refocus attention on basic ship handling and stress management. This research investigates the effects of stress inoculation training (SIT) on ship handling and navigation performance of novice ship drivers. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Cold pressor test (CPT) stress group 1, whose participants received stress training while one foot was in a bucket of ice water; cold water perfusion sleeve (CWPS) stress group 2, which received stress training with an ice-cold bladder on their lower backs; and the control group, which received no stress training. This thesis represents one part of a two-part study and focused only on the stress group 2 participants, comparing them with the control group. The results of this research indicate that the CWPS does induce stress as demonstrated by changes in physiological response data; however, the stress response from CWPS appears to be less than the CPT. There is not a statistically significant improvement in performance on the simulator following SIT using CWPS. However, stress measured by heart rate is lowered by SIT with the CWPS to a non-congruent stressor such as the CPT. http://archive.org/details/effectsofstressi1094564870 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The safe and effective operation of U.S. Navy ships is dependent on Sailors who must stand an alert and responsive watch. When Sailors become fatigued, mishaps and accidents with grave consequences can occur. Habitability factors onboard Navy ships have a direct impact on a Sailor's ability to obtain adequate sleep. Specifically, light and temperature within the berthing compartment can have an effect on a Sailor’s sleep. This study investigates the rack curtain’s effect on light and temperature in the enlisted berthing compartments onboard an underway Navy ship. Two different rack curtains were examined in the study: the standard-issue Navy rack curtain, and an enhanced commercial-off-the-shelf variant. The participants with a standard variant rack curtain received, on average, 5.76 hours of sleep daily. Those with the enhanced variant rack curtain received 5.97 hours of sleep daily. Light and temperature were monitored within each individual participant’s rack. The study found that the enhanced variant rack curtain improved temperature regulation within the rack. Less light was able to permeate the enhanced variant rack curtain than the standard variant rack curtain. Selecting a rack curtain that enhances Sailors’ ability to sleep is a cost-effective and easily implemented means of improving habitability onboard U.S. Navy ships. http://archive.org/details/improvingusnavys1094564934 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

In the past decade, twelve major mishaps at sea have occurred onboard U.S. Navy (USN) ships, two of which resulted in the combined loss of 17 U.S. Sailors. A comprehensive review of these incidents was conducted and the results were released in November 2017. The findings and action items from the comprehensive review were clear: integrate fatigue and stress management training into Surface Warfare Officer training and enlisted leadership development courses. The goal of this thesis is to start to address these action items, beginning with stress management, to find an effective tool to induce stress during training while driving a ship. This experiment collected data on 50 participants’ ship-driving performance while navigating a scenario in a Kongsberg ship-bridge simulator located in the Human Systems Integration (HSI) lab at the Naval Postgraduate School. Physiological data was collected during the participants’ time in the lab in order to analyze the effects of stress between three different groups: Control Group, Ice Bucket Group, and Cold-Water Perfusion System Group. Data extracted from the Kongsberg ship-bridge simulator allowed us to analyze standard performance metrics such as accuracy and speed for each ship-driving scenario the participants completed. The results of our analysis will allow us to make recommendations to the Surface Warfare Officer School on stress inoculation training in the context of a maritime domain. http://archive.org/details/theeffectofstres1094564846 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

After three collisions and one grounding of U.S. Navy warships in the Seventh Fleet in 2017, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) directed a Comprehensive Review (CR) of all significant surface force mishaps between 2007 and 2017 with recommendations to improve the Surface Fleet. The CR findings identified areas for improvement with themes such as teamwork, operational safety, assessment and culture. One recommendation, 8.3.2.3, serialized as CR53, directed the comparison of two Flight I Arleigh Burke class destroyers (DDG) with different manning levels during the Basic Phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP). The goal was to determine if ship manning levels are associated with individual Sailor workload. That directive serves as the foundation for this thesis. Findings from the CR53 study showed that overall, Sailors reported 50.8 hours of activities compared to the 54 hours proposed inport Naval Availability Factor (NAF). Combined total productive and non-productive work hours inport was 48.0 compared to the NAF estimate of 46.6 hours. In contrast, reported hours of leave/special liberty during the CR53 study was 0.0 hours compared to the 7.4 hours designated in the inport NAF. During the single data collection event when manning was different between the two ships, crew members on the ship with increased manning reported working 0.8 hours less per day. http://archive.org/details/howincreasedmann1094563453 Outstanding Thesis Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

U.S. Navy crews were sharply reduced following the Optimal Manning Initiative of 2003. Extensive research from the Crew Endurance Team at the Naval Postgraduate School suggests that Sailors work extremely long days with little time for rest as a result. After multiple mishaps in 2017, the Navy conducted a Comprehensive Review that directed various actions be taken. One of those directives was to compare two ships, one with normal crew and one with an augmented crew, to explore how manning is related to sleep and fatigue levels. This thesis looks at levels of manning, fatigue, mood, and sleep of crew members onboard two Flight I U.S. Navy Destroyers (DDG) over the six-month course of the Basic Phase. Unfortunately, due to overall fleet manning shortfalls, the requirements necessary for a successful comparison between the two ships were not met (i.e., a significant difference in the manning level for the two ships was not achieved until quite late in the Basic Phase). Because of these challenges, all participants in the first two data collection periods were pooled to provide an appraisal of the work and rest patterns of enlisted and officers in the Basic Phase. For the final data collection period when the Fit rates differed by 8.7%, compared to Sailors on the normal ship, Sailors on the augmented ship received ~43 minutes more sleep on average (6.35 ± 1.09 versus 5.64 ± 0.88 hr/day) and had better overall moods according to Profile of Mood State scores. http://archive.org/details/howincreasedmann1094563487 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) alert-duty pilots are allowed to sleep during their 24-hour rotation, but may be awakened unexpectedly and required to perform complex tasking in a short period of time. Upon waking, these pilots may experience sleep inertia, a state of lowered arousal associated with decreased performance. Factors contributing to sleep inertia include heredity, age, sex, fitness, diet, and sleep history. Evidence suggests there may be viable methods to mitigate sleep inertia, including personal strategies for use by individuals as well as methods for optimizing the sleeping environment. This study investigates the prevalence and severity of sleep inertia among USCG pilots, determines factors that may contribute to the sleep inertia, and discusses the mitigation strategies that pilots have reported using in the past. The results of the study will be used to determine potential areas of improvement in accordance with the best practices of human systems integration. http://archive.org/details/anexplorationofs1094563432 Lieutenant Commander, United States Coast Guard Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This thesis investigated the changes in physiological and cognitive performance as F-22 pilots transitioned short term to night-flying weeks using salivary markers of stress, cortisol and alpha amylase, wrist activity monitors, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and a go/no-go (GNG) developed by Naval Medical Research Unit at Dayton. Seventeen fully qualified F-22 pilots took part in the two-week study. We found no differences in GNG reaction time or accuracy, NASA-TLX scores, or sleep quantity as participants transitioned to night-flying weeks. Sample cortisol levels were significantly higher than civilian levels in all experimental conditions and control days. Researchers fitted a unique participant cortisol curve and found higher-than-predicted participant cortisol levels post-flight in the day-flying condition and lower-than-predicted participant levels post-flight in the night-flying condition. Two negative relationships, F-22 experience by the magnitude of cortisol change (pre- to post-flight) in the day-flying condition and age by Perceived Stress Survey scores, suggested stress adaptation in the F-22 community. We thought that the night-flying environment would be more stressful on the aviator. While more research is required to support the results found in this study, it appeared that day flying is more stressful. http://archive.org/details/comparisonofphys1094560379 Major, United States Air Force Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The results from a four-year longitudinal study executed from 2003–2007 at the United States Military Academy (USMA) indicated that Cadets sleep significantly less than the amount recommended for their age group. The current report presents the initial findings from a two-part study undertaken in the fall of 2017 to determine whether the sleep and nap duration of Cadets attending USMA has changed in the intervening years. Actigraphy data from 269 Cadets from all four year groups was collected for analysis. The results indicate that current Cadets sleep more at nighttime than their predecessors both on school nights (current average = 5.24 hours), with current Cadets obtaining 0.19 hours (11 minutes) more than their predecessors (p < 0.001), and on weekend nights (current average = 6.95 hours), with current Cadets obtaining 0.47 hours (28 minutes) more than their predecessors (p < 0.001). Sleep duration was significantly influenced by day type (school day or weekend), gender, and year group, corroborating the findings of the previous study. Cadets nap longer on weekends and most frequently on Thursdays. The results of this analysis extend the body of knowledge about sleep in the late-adolescent military population and provide insight into the sleep patterns and behaviors of USMA Cadets. Suggestions for additional research are also proposed. http://archive.org/details/acomparativeanal1094559648 Captain, United States Army Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The United States Air Force Critical Care Air Transport (CCAT) mission is an American military tradition that has saved thousands of lives by providing airborne medical care to the critically ill and wounded. This life-saving mission is executed by CCAT teams, which usually consist of a critical care physician, critical care nurse, and respiratory therapist. A Front-end Analysis has found several problems within the CCAT system, justifying a need for further examination. Members from the 711th Human Performance Wing Human System Integration Directorate, Survivability Vulnerability Information Analysis Center, and the Naval Postgraduate School, formed an analysis team to conduct a Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA) on the CCAT system using a Human Systems Integration (HSI) perspective. The CBA identifies current and future capability gaps in the CCAT system, and provides prioritized HSI domain and Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership Policy and Education, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy (DOTmLPF-P) recommendations that will close those gaps. This thesis documents how the analysis team applied HSI principles throughout the CBA process. It demonstrates the importance of the human perspective and examines how specific HSI Tools, Techniques, Approaches, and Methods (TTAMs) can be used in the early stages of the Department of Defense acquisition process. http://archive.org/details/acapabilitiesbas1094537671 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

With the cancellation of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program by the Secretary of Defense in January 2011, the Marine Corps Combat Development and Integration Command started a revision of the core capabilities for future amphibious assault vehicles. With limited information on the aftereffects of waterborne motion on embarked infantry, the Habitability Assessment Test was conducted to investigate and characterize these effects on infantrymens combat effectiveness. The level of degradation due to exposure to waterborne motion on agility, coordination, and cognitive function was measured utilizing two types of amphibious assault vehicle. Sixty-one Marines were exposed to varying lengths of waterborne motion. They completed a test battery before and after waterborne motion exposure including an obstacle course, marksmanship assessment and cognitive performance test. Analysis reveals no degradation in either marksmanship or obstacle course performance. Cognitive performance, on the other hand, was degraded. Participants' performance on the cognitive test was 9.34 percent lower after exposure to three hours of waterborne motion. Additionally, cognitive performance for participants not reporting to be suffering from motion sickness had a greater deficit. After a one-hour resting period, the participants' performance on the cognitive test was still degraded for the participants exposed to three hours of waterborne motion. http://archive.org/details/afieldstudyofper1094517398 Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.