Navy warfighter perspectives on mindfulness practices for combat readiness
Leigh Ann Perry1, Lisa M Kerr1
1College of Leadership and Ethics, United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
Summary
Mindfulness practices enhance cognitive function and resilience, crucial for military readiness. U.S. Navy Sailors perceive mindfulness as a valuable tool for improving focus, stress management, and decision-making in high-stress combat environments.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Military Medicine
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Mindfulness is linked to improved cognitive performance and emotional regulation.
- These capacities are vital for military personnel in high-stress settings.
- Limited research exists on U.S. Navy (USN) warfighters' perceptions of mindfulness for readiness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze USN Sailors' qualitative feedback on mindfulness practices.
- To assess the perceived relevance and applicability of mindfulness for warfighter readiness.
- To identify benefits and barriers to mindfulness integration within the fleet.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative feedback collected via survey from USN Sailors.
- Participants attended educational sessions on mindfulness for warfighting readiness.
- Inductive thematic analysis used to identify key themes.
Main Results:
- Four benefit themes: increased focus, fostered resilience, stress management/emotion regulation, improved decision-making.
- Three barrier themes: operational demands, skepticism/misunderstanding, lack of institutional support.
- Sailors view mindfulness as feasible and relevant for cognitive and psychological readiness.
Conclusions:
- Mindfulness practices are perceived by USN warfighters as beneficial for readiness.
- Barriers to implementation include operational demands and institutional factors.
- Mindfulness is a relevant tool for enhancing cognitive fitness and psychological readiness in sustained combat.
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