The Way Forward with Fighter Management
Charlie Company continued to demonstrate how sleep banking results in improving fighter management . After completion of GT VI and the stellar performance by 2nd Platoon , the company commander strategically implemented sleep banking 5 – 13 March 2016 for the entire company , the week prior to executing GT XII . The move proved fruitful ; all three platoons in Charlie Company qualified on GT XII with an average score of 79 percent . For reference , the Army considers 50 percent the minimum for advancement to company-level collective training .
Once again , the feedback from soldiers and leaders indicated overwhelmingly positive impacts across all aspects of performance , health , safety , and quality of life . The commander reported that sleep banking contributed to increased morale and improved mental health of all soldiers . He noticed increased motivation during afternoon PT and while performing mundane tasks , and he concluded that sleep banking led to an overall better quality of life for his soldiers .
Conclusion
Sleep banking for seven to ten days prior to a known period of sleep restriction has a positive impact on performance and health . Reverse PT allows soldiers to optimize sleep and gain two or three more hours because it aligns with the natural circadian rhythm . Commanders and leaders are responsible for implementing deliberate sleep-management strategies and ensuring they are included in mission planning when periods of sleep restriction are anticipated . The benefits are already proven by sleep science and research across
Lt . Col . Ingrid Lim , Office of the Surgeon General Performance Triad staff member , gathers feedback on fatigue , sleep , and performance from the commander and first sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 3rd Battalion , 66th Armor Regiment , Capt . Remington Adams and 1st Sgt . Willie Watson , 15 March 2016 during Table XII gunnery at Fort Riley , Kansas . ( Photo by Maj . Amy Thompson , U . S . Army )
other organizations and cannot be overlooked . The Performance Triad has taught us that a commander ’ s emphasis on sleep must equal emphasis on physical fitness if we expect optimal performance . 17 The Army should continue to improve fighter management by operationalizing sleep . Sleep banking improves the health and safety of soldiers and enhances unit readiness .
96 January-February 2017
MILITARY REVIEW