NORFOLK, Va. — U.S. troops need more sleep.
That's the bottom line from a troubling new study that finds that military personnel are sleeping less than six hours a night—despite the Defense Department (DOD) recommending seven hours or more.
A 2021 DOD study on sleep deprivation and readiness pointed out that, among active-duty personnel, fatigue appeared to be more the rule than the exception.
The 2017 crashes involving the Navy destroyers McCain and Fitzgerald are prime examples, where the after-accident investigations found that crew overwork and severe fatigue were contributing causes.
Now, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report shows that for over a decade, DOD surveys have found that the majority of service members report sleeping less than six hours a night, despite DOD recommending seven or more.
"I could kill someone because I'm not getting the right sleep," one anonymous motor vehicle operator/service member told the GAO.
An unnamed fixed-wing pilot said he "could tell cognitive abilities decreased due to lack of sleep."
"That's very alarming. One of the things we looked at is the lack of sleep and if people are getting less than seven hours of sleep, they're going to work with the equivalent of driving while drunk," said GAO Defense Capabilities and Management Team Director Diana Maurer.
In an interview with 13News Now, Maurer said it's vital that the military ensures that troops get proper sleep.
"When people are sleep deprived for long periods of time, their ability to make clear and quick and accurate decisions becomes degraded," she said.
The report recommends that all branches of the military keep records of future fatigue-related research projects and that commanders be given the authority to deal with fatigue issues.