Physiological biomarker monitoring during arduous military training: Maintaining readiness and performance

Abstract

Objectives: Physiological and psychological stressors can degrade soldiers' readiness and performance during military training and operational environments. Integrative and holistic assessments of biomarkers across diverse human performance optimization domains during multistressor training can be leveraged to provide actionable insight to military leadership regarding service member health and readiness.

Design/method: A broad categorization of biomarkers, to include biochemical measures, bone and body composition, psychometric assessments, movement screening, and physiological load can be incorporated into robust analytical pipelines for understanding the complex factors that impact military human performance.

Results: In this perspective commentary we overview the rationale, selection, and methodologies for monitoring biomarker domains that are relevant to military research and specifically highlight methods that have been incorporated in a research program funded by the Office of Naval Research, Code 34 Biological and Physiological Monitoring and Modeling of Warfighter Performance.

Conclusions: The integration of screening and continuous monitoring methodologies via robust analytical approaches will provide novel insight for military leaders regarding health, performance, and readiness outcomes during multistressor military training.

Keywords: Biochemical markers; Body composition; Military health; Physiological load; Stress.