Resiliency is not a new word at the U.S. Naval Academy or in the surface warfare community. For four years, midshipmen are bombarded with the term while sleeping through briefs that tell them they are sleep-deprived. The Naval Academy even created a new position, the brigade resiliency officer, to provide a link between the brigade and the Midshipmen Development Center, as well as creating a peer resiliency advisor program. The fleet has its own programs to educate and develop sailors on this topic. With recent high-profile incidents in the fleet caused by resiliency issues such as an increased rate of mental-health issues and suicides, however, the surface force needs to focus on developing more resilient officers.
The surface warfare community has been facing criticism in the wake of last year’s incidents in Seventh Fleet involving the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), with the Government Accountability Office’s report on fleet readiness finding that the accidents could be connected to an overworked Navy.1 Since 11 September 2001, the surface navy’s operational tempo has drastically increased, leaving less time for training and recovery.2 Deployments have increased in length to more than six months, while naval forces have decreased in size by 20 percent.3 This workload strains the surface navy when it must be at top performance. With traffic density at sea increasing every day, the Navy cannot afford to be behind in competency and performance.
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep often is associated with resiliency. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to mental health issues including obesity, depression, and anxiety.4 Midshipmen are taught that sleep deprivation also can drastically decrease cognitive function, but these lessons are not translated into life in the fleet. According to one study, naval officers are twice as likely to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night as enlisted sailors, half of whom get only four hours.5 Some experts say officers and chiefs have a direct effect on how much sleep sailors get by placing a higher value on studying and qualification than on getting adequate rest.6
The culture will not change until the surface navy implements watch schedule changes and new rules about sleep.
Stress
Resiliency also is the ability to withstand, recover, adapt, and grow after a significant event. Significant events in the Navy include deployments, family emergencies, boards, moving, and other things that upset normal routines. Finding an outlet to release stress is vital to maintaining balance.
The idea of stoicism, or hiding emotions, is often taught at the Naval Academy and may be an effective coping mechanism for dealing with high-stress situations, but it can be detrimental over the long term. The Academy should encourage midshipmen to find an outlet for their stress and deal with their emotions to improve mental health and resiliency. The Midshipmen Development Center offers services to reduce stress. Similar programs are available in the fleet, including an app to combat stress, and officers should encourage sailors to use the resources available.
As one article noted, “Stigma as a barrier to treatment is costly because delays in treatment are associated with increased symptom burden, family disruption, organizational demands, and expenditure of fixed fiscal resources.”7 It is in the fleet’s best interest for sailors to use the Navy’s mental health resources so sailors are at maximum performance.
Suicide Prevention
The most important aspect of resiliency is ensuring sailors do not reach the point of suicide. Since 2009, the rate of suicide in the Navy has increased 10 percent, an alarming increase. Midshipmen are suffering, too; the Naval Academy is ranked number 5 for “Least Happy Students” by Princeton Review and is not exempt from the statistical analysis that states 60 percent of college students suffer from depression or anxiety.
One study found that “some leaders [in the Navy] estimated that they spend 20 percent to 30 percent of their time related to crew member mental health problems.”8 Counseling and training on available resources need to happen before the worst case scenario occurs.
Mental health is as important to sailors as physical health and professional competency. The Navy should require officers to be trained in areas of mental health to improve suicide prevention awareness and to encourage use of fleet mental health resources.
Train Resilient Sailors
Training and discussion about resiliency in the surface warfare community have been increasing in response to troubling statistics and recent collisions. Both the Naval Academy and the fleet have taken steps to increase awareness and give sailors and officers the tools they need to recover and adapt to stressful conditions. Officers should teach and demonstrate resilience to sailors and be trained in areas of mental health so they are better able to recognize and support sailors. More research is needed to identify effective leadership methods concerning mental health, but it can begin with promoting quality sleep, destigmatizing self-care, and seeking help for mental health concerns. To be mission ready, all sailors need to be healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally, so the crew is at its highest functional capability.
1. John H. Pendleton, “Navy Readiness: Actions Needed To Address Persistent Maintenance, Training, And Other Challenges Facing The Fleet,” Government Accountability Office, 7 September 2017.
2. Geoff Ziezulewicz, “Navy Issues New sleep and Watch Schedule Rules for the Surface Fleet,” Navy Times, 20 September 2017.
3. James Holmes, “The Navy’s Surface Warfare Crisis,” RealClear Defense, 24 August 2017.
4. Matthew T. Yokeley, “Effects of Sleep Deprivation on U.S. Navy Surface Ship Watchstander Performance using Alternative Watch Schedules,” Naval Postgraduate School (September 2014).
5. David Larter, “Survey: Officers Sleep More Than Enlisted Sailors at Sea,” USA Today, 13 October 13 2014.
6. Douglas C. Johnson, “Key Facts on Resilience and Response to Stress for Navy and USMC Leaders,” Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control (Fall 2014).
7. Richard J. Westphal, “Fleet Leaders’ Attitudes about Subordinates’ Use of Mental Health Services,” Military Medicine 172, No. 11, 1 November 2007, pp. 1138–43.
8. Ibid.
Ensign Fisher is member of the Naval Academy Class of 2018. She is a future surface warfare officer.