Helping the Helpers after the Bombing in Dhahran: Critical-Incident Stress Services for an Air Rescue Squadron
1997; Oxford University Press; Volume: 162; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1093/milmed/162.8.515
ISSN1930-613X
Autores Tópico(s)Resilience and Mental Health
ResumoThe mental health clinic at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, requested assistance to provide services to the 71st Air Rescue Squadron, which had 5 people die and 19 people injured in the bombing at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. A multidisciplinary team composed of mental health providers and a chaplain from bases across Air Combat Command formed the "crisis-intervention team" to assist Patrick. Within 2 days, approximately 100 squadron personnel were provided services using the Mitchell model of critical-incident stress management, with another 100 receiving various additional forms of crisis support. Recommendations are made on forming an Air Force crisis-intervention team similar to the U.S. Navy's Special Psychiatric Rapid Intervention Team and the U.S. Army's mobile combat stress teams. Additionally, the unique features of the critical-incident stress debriefings and other interventions made are outlined. Although military mental health professionals already have an arsenal of interventions at their disposal, the critical-incident stress-management model outlined by Mitchell is seen as a valuable toolbox that will further assist our military community maintain mission readiness in an age of more frequent and more dangerous military operations.
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