1. Coast Guard aviation personnel do not seek assistance for stress, mental strain or illness until it is nearly overwhelming and may have caused permanent damage to their health including suicidal ideation or attempts. Aviation members are not protected within the confidential programs through CGSUPRT; if a member chooses to seek help for stress he/she must divulge what is supposed to remain confidential in accordance with ref. (b), to the flight surgeon in accordance to ref (a). Aviation medical policy found in Ref. (b) must be revised to allow the uninhibited use of CGSUPRT resources without fear of repercussions.
2. The policy found in ref (a) which reads, “Aviation personnel are encouraged to seek help or care for physical, mental, …show more content…
Aviation in itself is inherently dangerous, for it is a community that relies on every member’s situational awareness 100% of the time. The ability to manage or separate work from life is challenging, and when the community mindset is to hide or stuff the stressors and “suck it up”, there is a serious stigma to overcome. Kotter in ref (d) states, “In the first half of a transformation, no organization has the momentum, power, or time to get rid of all obstacles. But the big ones must be confronted and removed.” Aviation’s largest challenge will be to remove the “suck it up” conditioning. Senior personnel, both officer and enlisted within the aviation community, must take action to become less judgmental and more accepting of receiving help. Senior members at every aviation unit must make a clear statement of support for those who seek help for stress or mental health. Aviators from the top down have a responsibility to speak openly about the daily stress encountered and how to cope with it in the healthiest, quickest ways possible. When it comes to receiving help for more severe tragic or traumatic stressors there has to be a clear acceptable and rapid action taken by commands to deploy the CISM program. In the past this practice was not always used or even brought up because of a “you should be able to deal with that, it wasn’t that bad, just get over it” attitude. The most difficult task will be breaking the habit and mindset of senior aviators, do to the fact that, they have lived their careers in the “thick skinned, suck it up” culture. But this is where the culture must make its largest adjustment. When the culture becomes more accepting of seeking help early on, policy will be able to change for the better, and individuals will be able to use the available resources without fear of
2. The policy found in ref (a) which reads, “Aviation personnel are encouraged to seek help or care for physical, mental, …show more content…
Aviation in itself is inherently dangerous, for it is a community that relies on every member’s situational awareness 100% of the time. The ability to manage or separate work from life is challenging, and when the community mindset is to hide or stuff the stressors and “suck it up”, there is a serious stigma to overcome. Kotter in ref (d) states, “In the first half of a transformation, no organization has the momentum, power, or time to get rid of all obstacles. But the big ones must be confronted and removed.” Aviation’s largest challenge will be to remove the “suck it up” conditioning. Senior personnel, both officer and enlisted within the aviation community, must take action to become less judgmental and more accepting of receiving help. Senior members at every aviation unit must make a clear statement of support for those who seek help for stress or mental health. Aviators from the top down have a responsibility to speak openly about the daily stress encountered and how to cope with it in the healthiest, quickest ways possible. When it comes to receiving help for more severe tragic or traumatic stressors there has to be a clear acceptable and rapid action taken by commands to deploy the CISM program. In the past this practice was not always used or even brought up because of a “you should be able to deal with that, it wasn’t that bad, just get over it” attitude. The most difficult task will be breaking the habit and mindset of senior aviators, do to the fact that, they have lived their careers in the “thick skinned, suck it up” culture. But this is where the culture must make its largest adjustment. When the culture becomes more accepting of seeking help early on, policy will be able to change for the better, and individuals will be able to use the available resources without fear of