“Crawl, walk, run”: A graded approach to integrating mental skills for psychological resilience in training for large-scale combat operations

What the paper says

Modern large-scale combat operations (LSCO) combine high-tech weapons such as drones and advanced sensors, with low-tech tactics like trench warfare and massed infantry assaults. The Russian invasion of Ukraine illustrates key LSCO features: limited cover and concealment, high casualty rates, and little opportunities for respite or recovery. Such conditions place extraordinary psychological demands on service members. Beyond preparing troops with tactical training, this environment requires explicit practice of mental skills under operational stress. This paper presents findings from the Operational Resilience Training (ORT) program, a U.S.-Norwegian collaboration designed to build mental readiness for LSCO. ORT has been delivered to Ukrainian service members rotating in and out of frontline duty. The course follows a "crawl, walk, run" progression: instruction ("crawl"), structured field practice ("walk"), and high-intensity simulations that test skills under duress ("run"). This approach allows trainees to internalize and apply mental skills such as controlled breathing, attention control, and peer support during the preparation, performance and recovery phases of a mission. Evaluation data indicate that ORT is well-received and leads to significant increases in confidence of abilities to help oneself and others manage combat stress. Anecdotal reports suggest that ORT techniques are being successfully applied in real combat settings by both novice and experienced personnel. Thus, the current paper describes ORT skills and implementation practices aimed at maintaining performance and well-being among troops in current and future LSCO environments.