Positive Psychology in the Military

Front matter

Military Psychology and Pedagogy 15

Studies in

Allister Maclntyre / Danielle Charbonneau / Hubert Annen (eds.)

Contents

Allister MacIntyre QTE WOE soais a A E ONEONE 7

Samir Rawat and Abhijit Deshpande Enhancing Functional Fitness through Self - Regulation Initiatives in the

Military: An Indian Perspective sse ceisaari ain AN 9

Foreword

I am very excited and honored to offer a foreword for this volume on positive psychology and mental health. These are undeniably uncertain times for people throughout the world and the uplifting theme of this publication is timely. Although the COVID- 19 situation has been improving, we have not fully escaped the grip of this devastating pandemic. The virus continues to mutate with new variations of the disease cropping up on a consistent basis. Furthermore, our collective attention is riveted by disturbing global events and worldwide unrest including political turmoil, humanitarian crises, human rights violations, significant protest activities, natural disasters, climate change, economic woe and recession, terrorist activities, immigration and refugee issues, civil wars, military conflicts, and even full-scale war. This list is by no means exhaustive. Additionally, thanks to the proliferation of access to the internet, the real time dissemination of these crises reaches public awareness at a level unheard of before. Unfortunately, the sources of information on the internet are not always reliable. It is widely known that social media also propagates falsehoods, twisted facts, unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, and outright fear mongering. This profusion of misinformation contributes to widespread heightened stress levels and anxiety. It is safe to assume that, within the military populations of the world, we can expect highly elevated levels of personal tension.

Given that VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) is a reality on the world stage, it is clear that military forces must regularly grapple with situations where VUCA plays a prominent role, and deals with potentially harmful consequences. It is also a certainty that these serving members must be able to cope effectively with the inevitable stressors associated with these volatile circumstances or suffer significant physical and psychological consequences. It is impressive that 23 international scholars from eight different countries have taken the time to provide well-reasoned and empirically sound guidance on how to best navigate these ubiquitous and pervasive uncertainties while safeguarding their mental and physical health and well-being. Although there are no universal solutions, or silver bullets, the advice presented in the contents of this volume offers hope and wisdom to allow our serving members to emerge victorious despite unreasonable pressures and challenges.

8 Allister MacIntyre

Subjects covered in this publication include the importance of service fitness (Rawat & Deshpande) where the authors not only provide a comprehensive Functional Fitness model, but they also explain how self-awareness, exploration and regulation can contribute to this fitness. Given the theme of this volume, it is no surprise that attention is devoted to related topics. Hence, themes like resilience (Niederhauser & Annen; Toom), psychological health (Giusti & Sherwell), and positive psychology (Bester; Sharma & Kapoor; Wood & Cherif) play a prominent role in the guidance offered. Naturally, the dangers faced by military members are not purely physical and the cognitive role played by our minds is given the attention it deserves (Agarwal; Freeman). Edith Knight focuses on the satisfaction that one can derive from meaningful work, and Martin Jones, along with his colleagues Sophie Wardle and Fiona Koivula, examine restful sleep “as a pillar of well-being and human performance.” No volume on military resilience and well-being would be complete without touching on the role played by leaders. With this in mind, Jürgen Leon and Elena Trentini explore how a relationship leadership approach can help to enhance stress coping strategies in military members. Finally, Verma Swati, Updesh Kumar and Dakshi Walia provide an optimistic view of what might emerge from stressful consequences. They readily acknowledge that it does not matter how much training soldiers receive, they will inevitably experience traumatic situations. However, the consequences of these negative events, is not always devastating. The authors explain that Post Traumatic Growth can occur when the trauma generates positive outcomes. This may sound counter-intuitive but they do explain what this can look like and describe how this growth can take place.

In summary, the world is an uncertain and complex place, filled with volatile and ambiguous situations. Moreover, military members must face these traumatic hardships more frequently than the citizens within their respective nations. However, the message need not be one of doom and gloom. The scholars contributing to this volume have emerged from our global village to provide sage advice on how to meet these adversities with resilience and perhaps even growth. It is clear that various cultures, and geographical boundaries, do not determine the quality of a human’s response to suffering. Nor does it influence well-being, psychological health, resilience and growth. A single volume will never be able to capture every conceivable consequence of trauma, or provide perfect solutions, but the efforts offered by these gifted scholars provide a sense of hope.

Enhancing Functional Fitness through Self - Regulation Initiatives in the Military: An Indian Perspective