text: Chapter 9
  Mental Readiness
  Soldiers must be capable of overcoming adversaries at a moment’s notice. To do this,
  Soldiers must be mentally as well as physically ready. They must possess the physical,
  cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal capabilities to fight and win in multi-domain
  operations. This chapter provides tools, techniques, and resources for leaders and
  individuals to maximize Soldier and team performance through the development,
  sustainment, or restoration of mental readiness. This chapter discusses the purpose,
  impact and the components of mental readiness as well as strategies for mental
  readiness development.
  MENTAL READINESS CONCEPTS
  9-1. Mental readiness is an individual’s or team’s ability to think, feel, and act in a manner that optimizes
  performance in a demanding environment or with occupational and combat-specific tasks. Mental readiness
  includes the ability to integrate cognitive, emotional and interpersonal capabilities. Mental readiness, like
  physical readiness can be improved and requires intentional training to achieve peak levels of performance.
  Optimizing Soldier readiness requires maximizing the mental and physical readiness of the Soldier and his
  or her team. Many organizations, from professional sports teams to special operations groups, value mental
  readiness. Leaders in these organizations play an active role in creating and sustaining a climate that
  encourages individual and team mental readiness in accordance with unit needs.
  9-2. Unlike physical, sleep, and nutritional readiness, mental readiness is difficult to standardize and
  measure. Conceptual notions of what makes a mentally ready Soldier often differ with empirical findings.
  Moreover, reconciling stable personality traits with fluid Army roles and assignments is a daunting task. For
  example, what might appear to be the perfect mental readiness profile for success in BCT might not be
  appropriate for the operational force or a specific MOS.
  9-3. Soldiers’ roles and jobs change, complicating the requirements for sustained character and
  psychological training across a Soldier’s lifecycle. Individualized intervention has enormous value in crisis
  situations such as the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, misconduct behavior, safety violations, and
  suicide. Therefore, commanders must consider this doctrine as providing best solutions and messaging for
  the collective mental health of the unit—procedures and tactics that allow Soldiers to prepare for, thrive in,
  and recover from the ordinary and extraordinary stressors that might degrade readiness.
  9-4. Mental readiness doctrine provides tools, techniques, and resources for Soldiers and teams engaged in
  the development, sustainment, or restoration of mental readiness. Soldiers must possess exceptional mental
  flexibility and endurance, morals and ethics, self-initiative, and an ability to operate within the commander’s
  intent. Mental readiness is a foundational consideration in the H2F System. It includes the integration of
  cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal capabilities. Leaders must incorporate individual and unit mental
  readiness training into the unit’s battle rhythm.
  9-5. Within the H2F System, teams are staffed and resourced to support leaders and individuals in the
  training of mental readiness. Leaders should seek their assistance to enable them to focus time and energy on
  primary functions while mental readiness improvement can be trained by experts in an appropriate, effective,
  and efficient manner.
  9-6. Optimal mental readiness is required for optimal team or unit cohesion. Mentally ready Soldiers can
  leverage protective factors against physical and environmental stressors typically encountered in complex
  military environments.