Grants and Contracts Details
Description
ABSTRACT
Summary:
Military training is complex and often rigorous to prepare individuals and units for the necessary tasks of
combat operations. Assessment of physical preparedness is an integral aspect of training and preparation
for combat operations. Thus, capabilities for improved assessment and longitudinal tracking of physical
preparedness, including physical performance, musculoskeletal health, cognitive performance, and
psychosocial health; may serve as a force multiplier. To address these challenges, the investigative team
at the University of Kentucky began working with MARSOC in 2018 to develop a wholistic operational
preparedness assessment tool, the Marine Special Operations Preparedness Ranking System (MSCOPE).
The first phase of the MSCOPE assessment tool is currently approaching completion and will provide a
refined battery of ecologically feasible measurements, scoring metrics which can be scaled from the
individual operator to the entire command, and materials to support integration into HSS lines. Based on
the preliminary findings to date, the research team is positioned to plan phase two of the MSCOPE
project in collaboration with MARSOC leadership and HSS lines. While phase one of the MSCOPE
project was focused on the development of the testing system and analytical methods of establishing
preparedness metrics, phase two will seek to improve implementation by examining facilitators and
barriers to adoption, influence on care-seeking behaviors, and the practicability to expand the application
for MSCOPE into rehabilitation, recovery, and new environments. Therefore, the overall objective of this
project is to improve the application, feasible implementation, and relevancy of the newly developed
MSCOPE system to maximize the benefit of health and human performance data for all end-users. This
objective will be accomplished through three specific aims:
Specific Aim 1: Assess the implementation and effectiveness of using MSCOPE preparedness scores to
improve care seeking behaviors, awareness of preparedness needs, and domain specific outcomes.
Deliverable: At the completion of this aim MARSOC will be provided with feedback on barriers and
facilitators for integrating assessments and reporting into health support service protocols from
stakeholders (i.e. operators, team leaders, health support staff). Additionally, this aim will provide a report
on the effect of the integrated assessments and reporting on care seeking behavior, services use, and
follow up assessment performance.
Specific Aim 2: Determine the effectiveness of MSCOPE applied as a progress assessment and decision
support tool following musculoskeletal injury. Deliverable: Following this aim we will be able to
determine effective strategies for augmenting MSCOPE assessments into injury rehabilitation and return
human performance programming.
Specific Aim 3: Determine how physical and musculoskeletal health components of MSCOPE can best
support the current MARSOC Running Clinic. Deliverable: Following this aim we will be able to
determine how the use of a running clinic in special operations can support the improvements of running
related musculoskeletal health outcomes and improve running performance as measured with MSCOPE
assessments and follow up.
Performance Period: 2 years
Anticipated Costs over Performance Period: $2,000,000.00
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 8/1/22 → 1/31/25 |
Funding
- Office of Naval Research: $2,409,378.00
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