The Arctic Circle–an environment notable for volatile conditions like blizzards, shifting ice, variable terrain, and extreme cold–can be a harsh setting for people to endure, but a necessary one for Warfighters to train in.
With an increase in threat-level from foreign adversaries from cold climate zones, Soldiers are working to improve their readiness–the ability to perform all duties in any place–in cold conditions. Whether a Soldier is in a hot or cold setting, the environment can have a significant influence on warfare success. Appropriately managing nutrition in these environments is critical to maintaining Soldier readiness.
“The human body adapts to austere environments, which can affect health and military performance. As a whole, the Army has an interest in helping Soldiers prepare for the cold,” said Dr. James McClung, Chief of the Military Nutrition Division (MND) at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). “Our responsibility is to better understand the physiological nutrition requirements of Warfighters, which may be different from the civilian public.”