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
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date8/1/221/31/25

Funding

  • Office of Naval Research: $2,409,378.00

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