A Historical Overview of Combat Stress Control Units of the U.S. Army

Abstract

Combat stress control units have been deployed to the Gulf War, Somalia, Haiti, Guantanamo Bay, Bosnia, and Kosovo. They have been very flexible and useful mental health tools for commanders in both combat and peacekeeping operations for the past decade. In their operational role they have been effective, but their garrison mission remains unclear. This article summarizes the uses, missions, and lessons learned from the various combat stress control missions around the world.