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INSIGHTi
FYY2022 NDAA Military Personnel Issues:
Preservation of the Force and Family Program
November 4, 2021
Background
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is the Unified Combatant Command
(COCOM) responsible for training and equipping Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Army, Marine
Corps, Navy, and Air Force. Since at least 2001, frequent deployments, high personnel tempo
(PERSTEMPO), and combat exposure have stressed SOF personnel and their families. Combat exposure
has been associated with higher risks of negative mental and behavioral health outcomes like post-
traumatic stress (PTS), suicidality, and substance misuse. There is some evidence that military personnel
may decline to seek treatment or support for these conditions due to perceived negative career
consequences or “stigma”. Deployments have also been found to negatively impact familial relationships
and wel -being of military spouses and children.
In 2010, in an effort to address these issues, USSOCOM launched a resiliency initiative, currently known
as the Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) program. In 2013, POTFF first received
congressional authorization to fund SOF-specific family support pilot programs beyond family programs
offered by the military departments. In 2017, Congress made the authority permanent in the FY2018
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; P.L. 115-91; codified under 10 U.S.C §1788a).
USSOCOM describes POTFF as “an integrated, embedded, and multi-domain model to maximize human
performance through increased access to services, improve[d] continuity of programs, and minimize[d]
stigma associated with seeking care.” POTFF initiatives cover five performance domains, (1) Physical,
(2) Psychological/Behavioral, (3) Spiritual, (4) Social/Family, and (5) Cognitive (see Figure 1). For
example, the family domain includes family workshops and training tied to the SOF deployment cycles to
assist in preparation and reintegration.
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Figure 1. POTFF Performance Domains
Domain
Description of Services
Types of Resources
Human
Physical conditioning, exercise
Human: Physical therapists, strength coaches,
Performance
physiology, nutrition guidance, and
athletic trainers, and dieticians
(Physical)
rehabilitative support/physical therapy Capital: Gyms/rehabilitation facilities, exercise
equipment
Psychological
Behavioral health counseling/therapy
Human: Licenses clinical social workers, nurse
case managers, psychologists, and psychiatrists
Spiritual
Workshops, retreats, counseling
Human: Military chaplains and chaplain
assistants
Social/Family
Family and community social activities Human: Family readiness program staff, family
Readiness
and programs
life counselores, military chaplains and
chaplain assistants
Cognitive
Brain health, cognitive function
Human: Sports psychologists and cognitive
support, and mental skills training,
performance specialists
Source: USSOCOM, “About POTFF,” accessed July 28, 2021; DOD Comptrol er, “Fiscal Year 2022 President’s Budget:
United States Special Operations Command,” May 2021, p. 151.
Notes: In various documents, domains have different names. Under “Types of Resources,” Human denotes individual
people, and Capital denotes physical assets.
Typical y, individual military departments fund and administer separate family readiness programs and
services under 10 U.S.C. §1788. USSCOCOM has an additional authority (under 10 U.S.C §1788a) to
expend up to $10 mil ion annual y from Major Force Program 11 funds for SOF-specific family support.
This authority limits funding to services that provide a “direct and concrete impact on the readiness of
special operations forces, but that are not being provided by the Secretary of a military department to the
immediate family members of members of the armed forces assigned to special operations forces.”
USSOCOM’s FY2022 POTFF budget request is $75.2 mil ion, of which $8.7 mil ion is under the family
readiness domain and $66.5 mil ion is for the remainder of the POTFF domains (see Error! Not a valid
bookmark self-reference.).
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Figure 2. FY2022 USSOCOM Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Budget Request for the
POTFF Program
(mil ions)
Source: USSOCOM, FY2022 Budget Estimates, DOD Comptrol er, “Fiscal Year 2022 President’s Budget: United States
Special Operations Command,” May 2021, pp. 151-158.
Notes: Family readiness funds are governed by limitations under 10 U.S.C. §1788a.
Congressional oversight of POTFF has focused on the balance of program spending across domains and
associated impacts on SOF unit, individual, and family readiness. Provisions in the House-passed Fiscal
Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (FY2022 NDAA) would expand USSOCOM’s authority
to fund family support programs and would require assessments of programming under the human
performance domain (see Table 1).
Table 1. Selected FY2022 NDAA Legislative Proposals
House-passed H.R. 4350
Senate Armed Services Committee-passed S. 2792
Section 563 would expand family support programs to
No similar provisions
survivors of SOF servicemembers who died in a combat-
related incident.
Section 569C would require the USSOCOM Commander to
assess the effectiveness of POTFF efforts under the human
performance domain.
Section 569D would require a GAO review of POTFF
activities and outcomes under the human performance
domain.
Source: Congressional Research Service
Discussion
Section 563 of the House-passed bil would expand eligibility for POTFF family support under 10 U.S.C.
§1788a to immediate family members (i.e., spouse and child(ren)) of a servicemember who died in a
combat-related incident. The determination of a qualifying incident would use the same criteria as defined
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for a combat-related disability under 10 U.S.C. §1413a(e)(2). This provision does not include any
additional budget authority. Family members of those who die in combat-related incidents are also
eligible for other survivor benefits provided by the military departments and the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
USSOCOM uses servicemember survey responses and program participation rates to evaluate efficacy of
POTFF programs. A 2016 review of POTFF evaluation metrics by the MITRE Corporation found that
“there are not enough data to link the program to specific outcomes. However, the literature review and
information gained during site visits provide reasonable supporting evidence that the program should
have a positive effect.” USSOCOM has since reported that it is continuing to work with academic
partners to collect and analyze data, develop tools for optimizing performance across al domains, and
apply standardized assessment metrics.
USSOCOM has attributed several positive outcomes to programs conducted as part of the human
performance domain, to include decreased injuries during training; improved speed, agility, power,
strength, and body composition; increased access to preventative care (physical therapists/strength and
condition coaches); and a 75% return to operational status for individuals within the Warrior Care
Program. Sections 569C and D of the House-passed bil would require USSOCOM and the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct assessments focused on the sufficiency and efficacy of
programming under the human performance domain. The provision specifies that these reports shal
include an assessment of “the unique needs of members of special operations forces, including women
and minorities.”
The Senate committee-passed bil does not include provisions related to POTFF programs. The Senate
may consider these or other proposals during the FY2022 defense authorization and appropriations
process.
Author Information
Kristy N. Kamarck
Robert Pedrigi
Specialist in Military Manpower
U.S. Army Fellow
Disclaimer
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