text: Mental Readiness
  Table 9-1. Concentration grid
  27 16 24 33 13
  11 3 25 7 34
  28 8 20 31 17
  4 19 14 21 29
  32 26 5 27 10
  15 30 9 12 23
  ACTIVATION
  9-28. Arousal refers to the amount of energy devoted to an individual’s level of physical and mental
  activation. Activation levels vary along a spectrum from low (being asleep) to high (awake, active and
  intensely excited). Activation levels shift across this spectrum throughout the day in response to actual and
  perceived demands and level of training. For example, a Soldier participating in a six-mile foot march during
  morning physical training will likely have a significantly lower activation level than a Soldier performing
  airborne operations for the first time. Activation levels also vary depending on the Soldier and the context.
  Some individuals appear to remain “cool and collected” even during activities that would “psych out” other
  individuals. Some Soldiers may not worry about rappelling from a tower while others may feel extreme
  stress. Activation levels required to optimize task performance can vary between Soldiers. Figure 9-2
  illustrates this between two Soldiers, A and B performing the same high-stress occupational tasks.
  Figure 9-2. Activation levels in different Soldiers performing the same task
  9-29. Understanding the physiological activation and mental operations that coincide with those states are
  crucial to overall mental readiness. By bringing awareness to the connection and communication between
  the body and brain, Soldiers can better control their state of activation. Involuntary or automatic physiological
  responses in the body—such as heart rate, blood pressure, and hormone levels—measure activation level.
  Subjective measures of activation include self-talk, confidence, and motivation. Both combat and operational
  stressors can lead to activation of these physical and mental responses, inducing the sympathetic nervous
  system’s fight or flight response (see paragraph 4-41 for more on fight or flight response).