Issue 48 | Eating Disorders in Military and Defence Personnel
Military and civilian service professions, such as the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and emergency services, as well as elite sports professions, require a certain level of physical fitness, discipline and performance. The intensive training undertaken by those in high performance occupations may not always prepare them for the potential psychological impacts (VVCS, 2016; Bartlett & Mitchell, 2015).
In this e-Bulletin issue, the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) gives an overview of the research on eating disorders in ex-serving military personnel, and takes a closer look at appropriate self-care and support pathways for Veterans, Australian Defence personnel and other elite professionals. This issue also discusses the risks and warning signs associated with eating disorders, to better assist health care providers, coaches and others working alongside people currently or previously involved in high performance occupations to appropriately identify and respond to symptoms.
Abstract: A better understanding of the weaknesses and strengths of the military’s racial grievance reporting and redress system is needed to understand where and how it can be improved to encourage racial grievance reporting, facilitate timely and effective responses, and promote a more inclusive environment to better support the careers, satisfaction, and well-being of minority service members. The authors identified gaps, ambiguities, inconsistencies, and reported problems in the military racial grievance system through an examination of policies and structures and offered recommendations to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the armed forces.