Jan De Backer, MBA,PhD

In today’s rapidly evolving battlefield, where digital and ballistic weaponry are at the forefront, it’s easy to overlook the fundamental aspect of warfare – the physical and mental fitness of soldiers. Despite the substantial increase in advanced weaponry, the need for soldiers to be in optimal physical condition remains a critical factor in winning battles and wars. This fact is starkly demonstrated in recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza confrontations, highlighting the importance of having well-trained, deployment-ready troops.

However, according to research conducted by the US federal government, the military experiences a loss of over 650,000 workdays annually due to issues related to poor fitness. Additionally, the health costs associated with, for instance, obesity for current and former service members and their families exceed $1.5 billion each year.

In 2019, Alice Shrestha and her team presented alarming findings: active duty service members lag behind their non-military counterparts in several critical cardiovascular health metrics, including BMI and blood pressure. This revelation challenges our assumptions about the fitness of military personnel, suggesting a concerning disparity in health standards between those who serve and the general population. It begs the question whether this could have an effect on the outcome of any future conflicts.

Age‐standardized prevalence estimates (95% CIs) of ideal, intermediate, and poor health, for the 4 metrics of cardiovascular health (CVH) among active duty service members (AD) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) group. *Indicates significant differences in each CVH category between AD and NHANES groups (P<0.001). [1]

Let’s take a closer look at what can affect the military preparedness of Western countries, particularly the United States and Europe, in this context. The US, despite its high level of military spending, faces a different kind of challenge – bureaucracy. As we all know, this systemic issue often hampers the efficiency of government operations, including the military. Former officials like ex-secretary of defense Mark Esper have emphasized the need for the Department of Defense to enhance its agility, particularly in adopting new technologies to maintain military dominance. This need for speed and efficiency in embracing innovation is not just a matter of maintaining a technological edge, but also crucial for the physical and mental preparedness of the troops.

On the other hand, many European countries, spared from the ravages of conventional war for decades, have seen a reduction in military spending, often relying on allies for security. This raises an important question: if the need arises, how quickly can these countries ramp up their military preparedness? Evidence from ongoing conflicts suggests that rapidly increasing troop numbers and material at a high pace is a formidable challenge. The delay in response time not only affects strategic positioning but also impacts the physical readiness of the soldiers, who might not be as well-trained or equipped as their adversaries.

On the other hand, the advancements in healthcare, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and monitoring, present a unique opportunity for defense departments in the West. To ensure that troops are in peak physical and mental condition, it is imperative for these departments to overcome challenges related to funding or bureaucratic inertia and rapidly embrace technologies, products, and services that enhance troop preparedness. Cardio-pulmonary fitness, strength training and mental health should be high priorities.

While the nature of warfare evolves with technological advancements, the physical and mental fitness of soldiers remains a cornerstone of military effectiveness. Whether it’s the United States grappling with bureaucratic inefficiencies or European countries facing the challenge of ramping up their military capabilities swiftly, there is an urgent need to prioritize the physical readiness of soldiers. This includes not only rigorous training and conditioning but also leveraging technological advancements in healthcare to ensure that troops are battle-ready. As history has repeatedly shown, the most advanced weaponry can only be as effective as the soldiers who wield it.

[1] Shrestha et al. Journal of the American Heart Association Volume 8, Issue 12, 18 June 2019 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.009056