Exertional heat illness in Air Force basic military trainees

Objective: Exertional heat illnesses (heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps) are a serious problem in military operations. Air Force basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base is a prime example of where exertional heat illnesses can occur. This project was conducted to evaluate the problem of exertional heat illnesses during basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base. Methods: Data were obtained from the Ambulatory Data System, the Air Force Reportable Event Surveillance System, and a published report in the December 1999 issue of Military Medicine (Drehner, Neuhauser, Neuhauser, and Blackwood). Results: In 1999, there were 51 cases of heat illness (not necessarily exertional) among basic trainees at Lackland Air Force Base, for a rate of 1.3 per 1,000 trainees. Many of the cases (21) had the nonspecific diagnosis of "heat effect," 4 were diagnosed as heat syncope, 22 as heat exhaustion, and 5 as heat stroke. From 1956 to 1999, there were seven deaths among trainees at Lackland Air Force Base due to heat stroke. Conclusion: After reviewing Air Force basic military training, it is apparent that the heat stress incident rates are low. Heat injury rates are low despite being located in an area that has extremely hot temperatures. However, there are some areas, such as tracking and reporting heat illness, that need improvement.