Abstract

In the Israeli military, evacuation and rescue helicopter crews include pilots, medical rescue teams and flight engineers, and all are considered combat fighters since they evacuate people from fighting zones under life-threatening circumstances. Military combat flight engineers are responsible for a wide range of actions from technical operations to the evacuation of injured people; thus, they are exposed to the harsh and highly distressing sights of casualties. These sights, combined with the exposure to life-threatening situations, increase the risk of developing distress such as PTSD. In an attempt to help return to full functioning as fast as possible and to reduce the likelihood for distress, the Israeli military mental health department started interventions following traumatic events in recent years. This chapter discusses several surveys conducted over the years on this population by the Israeli Air Force and presents the prevention program intended to build resilience.