Thousands of Air Force personnel in units called Distributed Common Ground Systems (DCGS) daily gather video and audio intelligence on Islamic State fighters in Iraq, Syria and Libya. Identifying and tracking a barbaric enemy can mean witnessing, on occasion, rape or torture or murder of captives or civilians of any age. Pilots and intel airmen face unique stresses that are significant enough, and recognized both by operators and the medical community, that the Air Force surgeon general has begun to embed mental health teams in remote warrior units to help treat the stress and improve mission performance. For more details, see this Military Advantage post.
For more mental health and wellness resources for service members and veterans, visit the Military.com Mental Health and Wellness Center.
