Literature Review

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between force shaping initiatives and stress levels, burnout, and deployments. The objectives are to correlate the reduction in force and increased rates of deployment with stress levels in company grade officers within the United States Air Force. Choosing employment in the United States Air Force is much more than just an occupational decision. It is the acceptance of a unique military environment that determines much of the individual’s lifestyle far beyond the boundaries of work (Alpass, Long, Chamberlain, & MacDonald, 1997). When you join the military, you spend the majority of your career moving from one duty location to another. An average time on station is between two and three years, and as you progress in rank it is sometimes as little as nine months to a year before the next move. Your job is dictated by the mission, and there is a possibility that you will not perform the same duties at any successive location. In order to provide support to the national military objectives, it is often necessary to deploy into hostile and far away locations. As glamorous as it may sound to the average civilian, there are some very real stress factors an airman must endure by traveling and being stationed in all parts of the world. Being assigned to these locations can last from weeks, in a temporary duty assignment to months and years for a permanent change of station. Most members of the Air Force accept these responsibilities when they choose to serve, and if they are not aware of these requirements before joining then they learn very quickly what to anticipate. In the current environment of constant global operations and presence, many members are faced with the challenges of multiple deployments and long overseas tours. In some cases, the Air Force is tasked with performing Army and Marine Corps jobs to relieve the other services in their manning shortfalls, which only adds to...