SCN · August 6, 2026 · 5 min read
The Real Physical and Emotional Stress Serving In The Military
Real insight from a strength coach who was in combat zone.
When it comes to the learning and education within strength and conditioning, there’s a lot that the textbooks often miss. How to deal with overbearing sport coaches, convincing an athlete to eat something before their workout, and figuring out how to deal with the less motivated. Best practices for staying in shape while deployed to a combat zone is also something that, to my knowledge, doesn’t get covered in the average textbook or intern curriculum. While I’m certainly not the only strength and conditioning coach to experience an overseas deployment, I hope that sharing my experience can be helpful for those in our tactical community
I joined the Mississippi Army National Guard in 2017, and was commissioned as a field artillery officer in 2019. After some time on the gunline and Fire Direction Center, I was sent overseas as a Fire Support Officer attached to a fellow Mississippi Guard infantry unit. The first several months were fairly quiet, but following the attacks against Israel in late 2023 I was at bases that got attacked regularly for a while. Figuring out how to stay physically fit while being more stressed than I’ve ever been wasn’t easy, but I did my best to make it work. Having real world experience has helped me make better workouts and training for those that might be in similar situations, and I hope that by sharing my experience others might be able to do the same
One thing that has been most helpful is understanding how varied gym equipment can be. I spent time at six gyms across three different bases while overseas, and each had their own limitations. One gym was about 80% machines, with a few crossfit style racks and barbells. Another gym only had a handful of machines, bars, and dumbbells, all while being in a more confined space. The bigger and more established bases also have bigger gyms and plenty of options, but when the majority of those living at the base work the exact same hours it can get insanely crowded very quickly and stay that way for hours at a time. All that to say, you never know exactly what equipment you’ll have access to, and being able to remain flexible and adaptable will make a big difference
Another note about the gyms is that it’s entirely possible to completely lose access, either due to an attack taking it out or a commander shutting down the facility. You might think that closing a gym is crazy no matter the situation, but if limiting casualties becomes a big enough concern then limiting large meeting spaces takes precedent. If a large enough missile attack is likely then you might have to leave the base entirely for a time, leaving you stuck in or very close to your vehicle for hours or days at a time. In those more extreme instances you’re probably going to be more concerned about staying alive rather than spending any time or energy on physical fitness, I just want to highlight how varied each situation can become
If you ever get the chance to create workouts for those headed downrange, it’s important to remember how quickly and intensely situations can change. When I first arrived overseas I had plenty of time to train, read, and most anything else I wanted outside of a few daily tasks. However, as previously mentioned I was in an area that ended up becoming impacted due to nearby conflicts, and suddenly I was very busy. Again, flexibility is the biggest thing, and it’s important to be aware that military personnel might go from being consistent in the gym to going weeks without a workout due to their job taking precedence. I was having a great time doing some real bodybuilding style training for a month or so, then after a sudden break I had to focus on getting in shorter sessions just to keep myself sane and my body moving well
The importance of being able to execute your job cannot be overstated, and should be heavily considered depending on the population you’re training. Using field artillery as an example, if I’m on the gunline and my job is to move artillery shells that are over 100lbs, I need to ensure that I’m always capable of doing so. Getting a deadlift PR or a sick arm pump might be fun, but if it's at the expense of what really matters while deployed then it’s not worth it. Essentially, treat it the same as working with athletes that are in season; physical training is important, but not the main thing
Important to note, not everyone overseas is going to be in that exact situation, and plenty of jobs are less physical than combat arms. Being an officer, I personally did not have to work nearly as physically hard as my enlisted brethren, but I did need to ensure I could sprint to our vehicle or a bunker at a moment's notice. While tactical strength and conditioning coaches are often kept in the dark on exact deployment locations, it’s important to be aware of how this could limit physical training to more forward deployed military members
Speaking of the differences between different locations, food is a surprising variable. The more established bases have more options and are relatively consistent, whereas the more forward areas are much more limited and varied. The first two bases I was at provided two meals a day, six days out of the week. Anything else had to come from the small and limited local market, or bought off amazon and hopefully arrived between two and four weeks later. Some other members in my unit had to go establish a new ‘base’, I believe all they had were MRE’s for a time. Nothing that you can do about it, just be aware that their ability to recover might be limited due to limited food
Another often missed consideration is the amount of sitting, standing around, and overall time spent in tight and uncomfortable positions. I know that there are many considerations when new vehicles and other military equipment are being designed, but I can guarantee that comfort has never been a consideration. Shortly after arriving, I found myself starting each of my workouts with yoga or other forms of stretching. After missions I would often complete some kind of mobility or low intensity session to help get my body moving better, the impact from sitting around so much very much impacted my mobility. I’ve previosly felt that doing full body lifts with full range of motion is often enough regarding mobility, but I truly had to make it more of a focus while overseas
Of course, I have to discuss stress and the impact it makes. Now I will say that this was my first and only deployment, and my combat experience is totally different from what vets from earlier conflicts experienced. With that said, even before things got crazy I could already notice an impact. If you’ve ever moved, especially a longer distance or to a place you barely know or maybe even haven’t seen, you know there are many small things in that process that add up. Now imagine you’re moving, but you don’t have any say on when you leave, when you return, or even how much you can bring with you. As a matter of fact, you’re not even going to know when you leave until a few days prior. All this, while not being entirely certain on if the place you’re going is safe or if it will become dangerous
Now the travel and leadup is just one part, but I share to help you better understand that there are many small stressors that most don’t think about. Being separated from friends and family, not just by distance but immense time difference, is really hard. Unless you’re higher ranking you never really have time to yourself, which was certainly difficult for me. Whether there is real and serious danger or not, there are plenty of reasons a deployment can be hard. All that to say, stress is an important consideration no matter how safe or intense a deployment is supposed to be
Another often forgotten impact is what happens once everyone comes home. I personally spent much of my deployment rather stressed out, which if you can believe it is not ideal for personal wellbeing. You don’t have to be a genius to understand that being that way for months will create short and long term impacts, and it certainly took longer than I expected before I could train at the same intensity that I was used to. Without getting overly specific, I would simply say that those working with tactical athletes need to consider that some people will adjust quickly and easily after returning home, while others might need a lot of patience and grace for a while
I hope that this has been a helpful perspective! The members of our nation's military, and likely any military, are full of men and women that are very brave, but also love to downplay stress or any other negative feelings. As strength and conditioning coaches it’s important for us to ensure we know when to push our athletes, as well as when to pull them back. I hope that this can help others make more informed decisions for their tactical populations, and help those without a similar experience better understand what our military members go through
About the Author
John Burke is a strength and conditioning coach, gaining a wide range of experience since 2016. Currently based out of Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA, he has worked with a diverse range of athletes, including youth, high school, collegiate, professional, and tactical populations. John currently holds the SCCC (Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified) from the CSCCa. He earned his Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Midwestern State University, and his Bachelors in Kinesiology from Mississippi College. He also served in the US Army with the Mississippi Army National Guard for 9 years, serving as a Field Artillery Officer for 7 of those years.
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