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Scientific Literature Supports Some Deployment Transition Center (DTC) Practices, but Others Are Contraindicated

• The DTC program consists of a rest and relaxation component, an after-action interview to provide feedback for leadership, a psychoeducational component on successful transitions from a deployment to home that is very similar to the Army's Battlemind program, and a component that is similar to several posttraumatic debriefing programs studied in civilian populations.
• The Army's Battlemind program has been shown to produce small reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression symptoms, and sleep disturbance symptoms post-deployment among those with combat experiences; elements of the DTC program that borrow from Battlemind may be beneficial.
• Psychological debriefing programs — a primary prevention program involving groups of nondiagnosed individuals discussing and emotionally processing stressful incidents — have been well studied in a variety of populations and repeatedly been found to be either ineffective or harmful to participants. U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and World Health Organization treatment guidelines for traumatized populations specifically recommend against these programs because of the lack of efficacy and potential for harm.

Most DTC Attendees Were Satisfied with the Program

• Eighty percent of DTC participants believed the program was a worthwhile experience, and 74 percent believed they were better prepared for reintegration after completing the program.

DTC Did Not Improve Measured Post-Deployment Outcomes

• A comparison of DTC attendees and a control group of airmen showed no evidence of significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, frequency of depression symptoms, binge drinking, or social conflicts attributable to DTC.