US special forces can become 'super soldiers' thanks to stimulants
Elite US soldiers may be equipped with nutritional supplements or stimulants to increase their endurance in harsh environments.
US special forces soldiers during training. Photo:USSOCOM |
The US Army Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is considering using nutritional foods or stimulants to boost soldiers' combat capabilities and endurance, helping them overcome normal human limits and become "super soldiers", according toTask and Purpose.
Although US special forces have support from many nutritionists and physical therapists, SOCOM still wants to increase the ability to withstand pain, recover from injuries and maintain physical fitness for this force in dangerous combat environments.
Ben Chitty, director of the Human Potential Project at SOCOM's Science and Technology Directorate, acknowledged that training and nutritional supplements have reached their limits and are unlikely to enhance the strength of US special forces soldiers. "We will look at the formulation and safety of the stimulants in consultation with the medical team before making a decision on this issue," Mr. Chitty said.
SOCOM's goal is to create "super soldiers" that can operate well in harsh conditions such as high altitudes or deep seas. The evaluation and testing process will focus on user safety, as well as limiting the potential for addiction, especially after revelations about the growing number of US Navy SEALs using drugs.
The constant deployment of combat forces has severely exhausted the physical and mental health of many US special forces soldiers, forcing them to rely on addictive substances to maintain their fighting ability. This has also caused many people to worry about the risk of substance abuse if SOCOM's "super soldier" program is deployed on a large scale.