Saint Laurent Nouan

Military personnel in New Caledonia have faced increased operational challenges and stress since the riots in May 2024, leading to concerns about heightened operational wear and tear, a mental state caused by chronic stress and job-related demands. This observational study aims to assess the level of operational fatigue linked to the crisis and identify organizational and human factors that might protect against this fatigue to better support resilience in future crises. The study compares two groups of military personnel those present in New Caledonia at the start of the crisis in May 2024 and still there in April 2025, and those who arrived in the summer of 2024 and are present at the time of the study. Participants will complete questionnaires twice over two months to evaluate stress, burnout sub-scores, and protective factors related to operational wear and tear. Participants will undergo an initial inclusion visit, provide consent, and complete a questionnaire in April 2025, followed by a second questionnaire two months later. The study will measure operational wear and tear through these self-reported assessments without any intervention. Participation is voluntary, and results will help understand stress impacts and inform better support strategies for military personnel.