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The Australian Defence Force has welcomed benefits provided by wearable technology and specialist teams used to monitor physical and mental stress in its trainees.
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Human Performance Optimisation (HPO) teams and equipment, used by the Royal Australian Air Force, can allow higher pass rates and fewer injuries during training, according to information released on 27 February.
The athlete management systems provide early warning of physical or psychological injury. Individuals can be re-assessed and managed with a tailored plan.
The pass rate at the RAAF Security and Fire School (RAAFSFS) doubled to 94 per cent in the three years since its HPO team introduced new training concepts, while lost training days reduced from 7,644 to 936, and there were no medical discharges.
In addition, at 1 Recruitment Training Unit (1RTU), the course failure rate dropped by 35 per cent and there were similar results at a handful of bases across the country.
In just a few years, their work modernising training and recovery techniques brought about a shift in culture at RAAFSFS, according to former commanding officer Group Captain Craig Nielsen.
“It dramatically increased first-time graduation strike rates, training capability, and is optimising the individual as best as possible,” he said.
“The physios engage with the students during physical training – we see our students voicing their physical concerns and issues and then accepting help.
“Trainees understood that early intervention and alternative training methods to remove impact and allow recovery were OK.
“This allowed them to return to ‘normal’ quicker and not end up being back-coursed because of an injury.”
When aviators enter trade school, commanders receive a handover with a history of injuries from initial training and whether they’re at risk of injury.
The HPO program, part of the broader RAAF Human Performance and Safety team, was recently recognised as a finalist in the 2023 Comcare National Awards scheme for preventing injury among trainees.
GPCAPT Nielsen said adopting a bespoke approach to training and recovery, which included psychological and nutritionist advice, helped get the most from his people.
“We initially put the technology on instructors, so the system learnt correct procedures, then we placed them on trainees,” he said.
“The system knew what good looked like and was able to compare a trainee’s movements to that of a highly skilled member.
“We could see where the performance was breaking down and adjust the strength, conditioning or skilling aspects to better optimise the performance of the student.”
RAAF Base Williamtown’s HPO team sports and exercise physiotherapist, David McGinness, noticed a trend of lower-back issues among combat controllers.
He uses force plate testing and camera tracking on treadmills to measure strength and gait to improve performance while pack marching. This was just one of the techniques on offer to get the most from the workforce.
