How Does Search for Meaning Lead to Presence of Meaning for Korean Army Soldiers? The Mediating Roles of Leisure Crafting and Gratitude

Many studies demonstrate that finding meaning in life reduces stress and promotes physical and psychological well-being. However, extant literature focuses on meaning in life among the general population (e.g., college students or office workers) in their daily lives. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of how individuals living in life-threatening and stressful situations obtain meaning in life, by investigating the mediating roles of leisure crafting and gratitude. A total of 465 Army soldiers from the Republic of Korea (ROK) participated in two-wave surveys with a 2-week interval. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that the direct effects between the search for meaning, presence of meaning, leisure crafting, and gratitude were significant, except for the direct relationship between the search for meaning and the presence of meaning, and between leisure crafting and the presence of meaning. We tested indirect effects using a Monte Carlo approach and found that leisure crafting and gratitude sequentially mediated the relationship between the search for meaning and the presence of meaning. Our findings highlight the importance of the motivation behind searching for meaning, the proactive use of leisure time, and gratitude for individuals in stressful situations and controlled lifestyles. Finally, we discuss the implications and limitations of this research and future research directions.

Jews as Lithuanian Army Soldiers in 1918–1940 (a quantitative analysis)

Even though the subject of military service of Jews in the Lithuanian army in the years 1918 to 1940 is not completely new in historiography, many aspects hitherto covered in academic literature remain relevant to this day. The statistics for Jewish soldiers in the interwar Lithuanian army are without doubt one of those aspects. That is why in this article the aim is not just to identify the scale of participation by the Lithuanian army’s Jewish soldiers in the Lithuanian War of Liberation, but also to analyse statistical data relating to Jewish soldiers serving in the interwar Lithuanian army in peacetime.

Effects of prior deployments and perceived resilience on anger trajectories of combat-deployed soldiers

Background Problematic anger is frequently reported by soldiers who have deployed to combat zones. However, evidence is lacking with respect to how anger changes over a deployment cycle, and which factors prospectively influence change in anger among combat-deployed soldiers. Methods Reports of problematic anger were obtained from 7298 US Army soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. A series of mixed-effects growth models estimated linear trajectories of anger over a period of 1–2 months before deployment to 9 months post-deployment, and evaluated the effects of pre-deployment factors (prior deployments and perceived resilience) on average levels and growth of problematic anger. Results A model with random intercepts and slopes provided the best fit, indicating heterogeneity in soldiers' levels and trajectories of anger. First-time deployers reported the lowest anger overall, but the most growth in anger over time. Soldiers with multiple prior deployments displayed the highest anger overall, which remained relatively stable over time. Higher pre-deployment resilience was associated with lower reports of anger, but its protective effect diminished over time. First- and second-time deployers reporting low resilience displayed different anger trajectories (stable v. decreasing, respectively). Conclusions Change in anger from pre- to post-deployment varies based on pre-deployment factors. The observed differences in anger trajectories suggest that efforts to detect and reduce problematic anger should be tailored for first-time v. repeat deployers. Ongoing screening is needed even for soldiers reporting high resilience before deployment, as the protective effect of pre-deployment resilience on anger erodes over time.

“The taste of a man’s adventure” or Przewóz by Andrzej Stasiuk

Przewóz (Transit) is a novel dominated by the Bug river – we flow down its stream as the story flows onward. The narrative interweaves many strands, the motif of the ferryman – the boatman named Lubko, and his customers from 1941 is complemented by the memories of the narrator, who is an autobiographic creation here. The novel’s wartime events (June of 1941) are located by the author in his native Polesie, where he spent his childhood holidays at his grandparents’ house. On the one side are Russians, on the other – Germans, who are running away, crossing the Bug by a pontoon bridge, while the swamp by the river swarms with Home Army soldiers, refugees, Jewish siblings... Chaos, darkness, tense waiting for an invitation to the boat. Any moment now the Bug will become the Styx, and Lubko will be transformed into Charon.

Musculoskeletal disorders and the physical activity of territorial army soldiers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of self-reported musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among Polish territorial army soldiers during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate whether there was a relationship between occupational physical activity (OPA), leisure time physical activity (LTPA), and MSD. Methods The study used a cross-sectional design with a sample of 373 territorial army soldiers ages 18–55 who had not previously suffered from COVID-19 and were not convalescents. The symptoms prevalence data was collected using the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. OPA and LTPA data was collected using the Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR). Results The OPA, LTPA, and total physical activity (PA) among the studied soldiers was very diverse and the mean level of PA was relatively high. A total of 56 and 40% of territorial army soldiers had experienced pain or other discomfort in one or more of nine body regions during the past 12 months and during the past 7 days, respectively. The most common MSD among Polish territorial army soldiers were low back pain, followed by pain in the neck and knees. Conclusions The study revealed that the OPA of the studied soldiers, especially vigorous-intensity and high vigorous-intensity OPA, was associated with a higher prevalence of MSD in several regions of the body, i.e. the lower back, elbows, wrists or hands, hips or thighs, and ankles or feet. Along with the increase in energy expenditure on total PA, a greater percentage of respondents experienced low back pain. Vigorous and high vigorous-intensity PA may contribute to the occurrence of MSD.