Stress In The Military Essay

Stress comes in many forms from low level to extremely high, and each person deals with stress in a different way. Over the years, I have been able to mitigate stress to a manageable level. In the military, we must deal with stress on various levels. Often, we utilize risk assessments to validate the level of stress one might endure; for example, prior to an exercise, a risk assessment is given to identify stress levels of everyone in the unit. Commonly, sleep deprivation and fear of the unknown, were the two most related stress factors while in the Army. Soldiers would work long hours while deployed, and consequently, would be tasked to go into harm’s way, as part of their job. As a manager, I created a Morale Welfare and Recreation

Ironically, after I served twenty-three years in the Army, five years contracting in the Middle East; not to mention, twelve hour days, seven days a week, I identified stress factors and how to deal with stress. As a soldier, we can identify stress among other soldiers, as we may have been in the same scenario before.

As a manager, you need to be aware of stress indicators. For example, if employees are slow in productivity, and distant to co-workers. These indicators are signs of problematic scenarios on the horizon. Social stressors at work are considered a very direct way of threatening the need to belong and self-esteem, and thus social structures at work should have strong effects on individual health and sleep. (Pereira, & Elfering, 2014, p.85). Generally, managers are trained to identify these problems before they manifest. Communicating effectively with your team and establishing a trust bond, can sometimes alleviate stress. Depending on the job function, risk assessments might be necessary, to understand the stress level of your