USAMRMC
Military
Operational
Medicine
Research
Program
Lab Locations and Capabilities
Environmental Medicine and Bioenergetics
| Sustainment in Mountainous Terrain |
MOMRP Task Area: J
Problem
Future combat operations may require soldiers to rapidly deploy and fight in high-altitude environments. Soldiers operating in these environments must meet heavy physical demands while facing factors that compromise or limit metabolic energy production. These factors include hypoxia, restricted fuel and water availability, cold temperatures, and altitude-related illness due to rapid ascent.
Medical Research Solution
Use laboratory and field studies to establish the scientific foundation for Army doctrine directed at preventing, minimizing, and managing the adverse effects of rapid and prolonged exposure to moderate and high terrestrial elevations. Develop biomedically-based minimum time/altitude recommendations for rapid ascent to high altitude with minimal performance degradation.
Products
- Guidelines for military doctrine directed at preventing, minimizing, and managing the adverse effects of rapid and prolonged exposure to moderate and high terrestrial elevations.
- Biomedically-valid altitude staging tables in an easy-to-use tabular format for commanders and preventive medicine personnel that include moderate altitude acclimatization indices.
Last Update: April 2, 2003