Medical Downgrading: Prevention & Rehabilitation Facilities vs. Secondary Care Investment

Research Paper Title Reducing Medical Downgrading in a High Readiness Royal Marine Unit. Background This 3 year retrospective observational study aimed to determine the diagnoses causing medical downgrading in a high readiness Royal Marine Commando unit (trained rather than recruits), and to direct future investment to reduce numbers downgraded. Method Medical and administrative records were… Read More

The Operational Effectiveness of Hunter Company

Research Paper Title Investigation of the Operational Effectiveness of Hunter Company, Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines. Background The aim of the study was to investigate the operational effectiveness of Hunter Company, Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (RM) in rehabilitating injured RM recruits, through the collection of demographic, medical, and performance data for 1 year’s intake… Read More

MRI: Back Injuries & Military Training

Research Paper Title Magnetic Resonance Imaging Showed No Signs of Overuse or Permanent Injury to the Lumbar Sacral Spine during a Special Forces Training Course. Background Special Forces training is even more demanding than that of elite athletes. The training includes grueling physical activity and periods of sleep deprivation. The soldiers routinely carry heavy loads… Read More

Progessive Training Reduces Stress Fractures

Research Paper Title Stress Fractures in Royal Marine Recruits. Abstract Data are presented on stress fracture patterns at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM). To reduce the high number of training injuries, including stress fractures, a complete review of the training syllabus was undertaken. Following recommendations from this review, a newly designed, physiologically progressive… Read More

Femoral Neck Stress Fractures & Royal Marine Recruits

Research Paper Title Displaced Femoral Neck Stress Fractures in Royal Marine Recruits – Management and Results of Operative Treatment. Background Femoral neck stress fractures (FNSF) represent 3.5%-8% of stress fractures in military recruits; potentially resulting in medical discharge and/or complications. The incidence of displaced FNSF in the British Army has been reported as 1.8 in… Read More

PTSD: Signs, Symptoms & Special Forces Selection Success

Research Paper Title Baseline Dissociation and Prospective Success in Special Forces Assessment and Selection. Introduction Although dissociation at the time of trauma (peritraumatic dissociation) has been shown to predict the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is not yet known whether the tendency to dissociate under nonstressful circumstances (i.e., at baseline) can also serve… Read More

Commando Selection & Performance Tests

Research Paper Title Improving the Selection of Candidates for Royal Marine Recruit Training by the Use of a Combination of Performance Tests. Abstract Candidates who wish to undertake Royal Marine recruit training, a physically strenuous course which now extends 32 weeks, must first of all successfully complete a Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA) and four psychomotor… Read More