Operational Stress Control and Readiness Program (OSCAR)

1. OPERATIONAL STRESS CAN ADVERSELY IMPACT 
READINESS BOTH IN GARRISON AND IN COMBAT BY CONTRIBUTING TO 
MENTAL HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO NON-EAS ATTRITION. 
MENTAL HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS ARE THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF 
NON-EAS ATTRITION; YET, CURRENT MANNING PROVIDES FOR ONLY A 
SINGLE PSYCHIATRIST AND A SINGLE HM PSYCH TECH IN EACH DIVISION 
WHILE WINGS/GROUPS HAVE NO PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED MENTAL HEALTH 
PROFESSIONALS. 
2. 2D MARDIV DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED AN ORGANIC OPERATIONAL 
STRESS CONTROL AND RESTORATION (OSCAR) PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE 
MENTAL HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN PARA (1). OSCAR 
INCLUDES SNCOS, CHAPLAINS, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN 
A FULLY INTEGRATED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM PROVIDING PROACTIVE 
MANAGEMENT FOR OPERATIONAL STRESS AND RELATED MENTAL HEALTH 
PROBLEMS. BASED ON FAVORABLE RESULTS DURING A 1-YEAR ASSESSMENT, 
OSCAR WAS INSTITUTIONALIZED WITHIN 2D MARDIV IN FEBRUARY, 2001. 
3. THE MARINE REQUIREMENTS OVERSIGHT COUNCIL (MROC) WAS BRIEFED 
ON THE OSCAR INITIATIVE AND RECOMMENDED EXPANDING IT AS DESCRIBED 
IN THE REFERENCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, CMC DIRECTED THE IMPLEMENTATION 
OF A 2-YEAR OSCAR PILOT AT EACH OF THE 3 ACTIVE DIVISIONS. 
4. HEALTH SERVICES, HQMC, WILL PERFORM THE FOLLOWING: 
A. CHARTER A MARINE CORPS/NAVY INTEGRATED PLANNING TEAM (IPT) TO 
IMPLEMENT OSCAR PILOT PROGRAMS. HQMC PARTICIPANTS IN THE IPT WILL 
INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PP&O, I&L, P&R AND MCCDC. THE IPT 
WILL COORDINATE WITH DIVISION AND MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY 
COMMANDERS FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES: 
(1) BRIEF THE OSCAR PROGRAM AND PROVIDE CMC'S INTENT 
(2) IDENTIFY MANPOWER SOURCING FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM 
(3) TAILOR THE COMPOSITION OF EACH OSCAR TEAM TO THEIR RESPECTIVE 
DIVISION'S REQUIREMENTS 
(4) DEVELOP GUIDANCE AND POLICY TO IMPLEMENT EACH PROGRAM 
(5) ESTABLISH A STUDY PLAN TO MEASURE THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT AND TO 
GUIDE FUTURE PLANNING. 
B. DEVELOP PROCEDURES TO COLLECT PERTINENT DATA ABOUT THE OSCAR 
PILOT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO REVIEW ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND UTILITY TO 
THE OPERATING FORCES. 
C. EVALUATE THE OSCAR PILOT PROGRAM AFTER IMPLEMENTATION FROM 
INFORMATION GAINED THROUGH DIVISION PROGRAMS, STUDY PLANS, AND DATA 
COLLECTION PROCEDURES TO BRIEF THE MROC ON A WAY AHEAD TO HELP OUR 
MARINES OVERCOME THE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATIONAL 
STRESS. 
5. YOUR ATTENTION, COOPERATION, AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT 
INITIATIVE ARE ESSENTIAL TO ITS SUCCESS. 
6. SEMPER FIDELIS, W. L. NYLAND, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, ASSISTANT 
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.