Psychological Effects of Sustained Operations in a Simulated NBC (nuclear, Biological or Chemical) Environment on M1 Tank Crews

Abstract

Forty-eight M1 crewmen were tested in a temperate climate under conditions simulating 72-hour operations in an area contaminated with chemical agents. Over 50 per cent of the crewman voluntarily withdrew from the test, and maximum unit endurance did not exceed 32 hours. Two problems were found to be related to endurance failure. Soldiers who withdrew reported more intense symptoms associated with respiratory distress than did those who remained in the test. In addition, soldiers who withdrew experienced greater cognitive difficulties. Near-term countermeasures, assessed in some test iterations, showed no significant endurance-extending effects. Alternative solutions based on the identified problems were proposed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 03, 1987
Accession Number
ADA184979

Entities

People

  • A. R. Lussier
  • B. L. Shukitt
  • Ilse Munro
  • L. E. Banderet
  • Terry M. Rauch
  • William J. Tharion

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acid-Base Imbalance
  • Analysis Of Variance
  • Artillery
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Warfare Agents
  • Classification
  • Countermeasures
  • Data Analysis
  • Engineering
  • Environment
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Research
  • Psychology
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States

Readers

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  • Mathematics or Statistics
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