Nutritional and Immunological Assessment of Soldiers During the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course.

Abstract

Abstract : The special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. (SFAS) is a psychologically and physically challenging 21 day course that is designed to assess and select active duty and reserve component volunteers for the Special Forces Qualification Course (Q Course). Despite the fact that the volunteers are provided a mix of A rations and Meal-Ready-To-Eat (MRE) field rations three times a day, there was an average negative energy balance of 1379 kcal/day. This level of negative energy balance resulted in an average weight loss of 7 Ibs. Body composition changes were determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The average body fat at the beginning of the training was 15.5% and declined to 11.9% by the end of the course. While there was no change in average fat free mass there was a significant (p<O.05) decrease in muscle strength. Memory accuracy remained stable over time and reasoning scores were maintained at 90% accuracy across time. While blood concentrations of metabolic markers (i.e. non-esterified fatty acids, lactate, alanine aminotransferase) were elevated by the training, no physiologically significant changes were shown in routine clinical chemistry values or markers of vitamin status. Although infection did not contribute to medical attrition of the volunteers involved in the study there was a significant (p<o.05) decrease in in vitro peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation to phytohemagglutinin-M stimulation.