Editor's Note: Combat and its support operations often capture the headlines when talking about psychological stress in Sailors. But the surface, sub and air communities also have been experiencing an arduous high-operational tempo for many years. Longer periods at sea are coupled with maintaining warfare, training and inspections requirements, and periods in home port are equally demanding. Here’s an overview from one much-deployed ship.
"Bold and Daring" reads the banner on the USS DECATUR (DDG 73), a ballistic missile defense (BMD) destroyer homeported in San Diego. The phrase describes the ship's namesake – the great 19th century naval warfighter Stephen Decatur – and it's an equally apt description of the ship's 21st century mission and the attitude of her Sailors.
But the bold and the daring are not impervious to stress. The Decatur has deployed four times in four years as part of an effort to deter aggression from potential enemies in the Persian Gulf.
"With limited BMD ships in the fleet, we end up away more than we’re home," says HMC (SW) Shawn Brooks. "This doesn't hit home with the young Sailors until after we leave port, and then it kind of snowballs for them."
Being away from home and family is difficult for Sailors, and the stressors attached to the job are often immediate and relentless. Sailors on ships like the USS Decatur have taken the brunt of budget cuts over the last few years.
"We're doing the same job with 10 Sailors today that 30 Sailors were doing just six or seven years ago," says Brooks. "The work hasn't changed. The gear hasn't changed. We're just working our Sailors harder."
Positive leadership, a clear sense of mission and an awareness of stress management are key to helping the Sailors find balance, says Brooks, who's the ship's senior medical department representative. Still, there are challenges.
"Once we're at sea, little issues from home creep up. Like hearing how a dishwasher is breaking or a child gets in trouble or the spouse gets a parking ticket — it all starts to add up and eventually, some people crack."
While there has not been time to do structured training in Operational Stress Control aboard the Decatur, Brooks said officers and chiefs know the importance of reminding Sailors to take care of themselves and one another, especially in relation to suicide awareness.
"We reinforce looking out for each other and we keep an eye on everyone," he says. "If we think someone is at risk, we'll shadow them to make sure they're OK."
Says Cmdr. Shanti Sethi, commanding officer of the Decatur, "We encourage divisional leadership to communicate our plans and schedules so that the entire crew understands what's coming next."
"It's important to support those who ask for help dealing with pressure from work or at home."
It's Not Just Combat