STRESS AND COPING WITH TRAUMA OF WAR IN THE PERSIAN GULF

File: 110596_sep96_decls2_0014.txt
Page: 0014
Total Pages: 48

Subject: STRESS AND COPING WITH TRAUMA OF WAR IN THE PERSIAN GULF        

Unit: VAR. BUMED  

Parent Organization: BUMED       

Box ID: BX303818

Folder Title: USNS COMFORT TAH 20 MEDICAL ARTICLES 1991 1992                                                  

Document Number:          4

Folder SEQ  #:         13











                threatened to shatter this defense.. People became

                frightened of losing their spouses and read between the

                lines for evidence of infidelity or lack of caring. In a

                study of adaptation to isolated environments, Earls (1969)

                noted that often submariners fantasized about their family's

                welfare, while they were away and unable to help. Earls

                hypothesized that is was 11 ... as if he [the submariners

                must create the image of a family problem which is as

                ominous as his impotence to deal with the problem. Some of

                these fears, including the conduct of his wife, may be well

                founded or they may be unrealistic and may approach a

                delusional intensity.,'



                Physical Stress



                     The physical stresses of shipboard life were many.

                During the first several w @ s, many of the crew members

                wore bandaids on their feet to protect blisters obtained

                from walking up and down the twenty flights of stairs on the

                ship. Most of the crew contracted a virus during the first

                month - affectionately termed "The Comfort Crud.11 Everyone

                was forced to adapt to a totally new diet which was bland,

                high in fat, and routine. Approximately 50 of the 1300 crew

                members visited sick call each day. Complaints were






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Document 48 f:/Week-39/BX303818/USNS COMFORT TAH 20 MEDICAL ARTICLES 1991 1992/stress and coping with trauma of war in the pers:1104960910243
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-39
Box ID = BX303818
Unit = VAR. BUMED
Parent Organization = BUMED
Folder Title = USNS COMFORT TAH 20 MEDICAL ARTICLES 1991 1992
Folder Seq # = 13
Subject = STRESS AND COPING WITH TRAUMA OF WAR IN THE PERS
Document Seq # = 4
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 04-NOV-1996