Photo By Capt. Alvin Cade Jr | Paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,...... read more read more
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The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, recognized a trend in Paratrooper retention over the years and did a thorough analysis of what makes Paratroopers continue service in the Army. Paratroopers reported that they would like to continue service but wanted to be able to keep up with the physical demands of an airborne unit. The Devils in Baggy Pants are tackling the problem at its roots with a new modernization initiative, the Devil Paratrooper Optimization Program (DPOP).
DPOP is a holistic approach to building and sustaining unit readiness. Unlike traditional Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) techniques practiced amongst other units, DPOP shifts the Army’s reactive healthcare model to a proactive system focused on injury prevention and health optimization.
The Paratroopers within the brigade undergo a thorough quarterly screening process, beginning with a survey that includes questions on sleep, nutrition, pain levels, and family social support. The program then offers individualized assessments to include InBody composition analysis and one-on-one sessions with the brigade’s H2F team comprised of licensed physical therapists, dietitians, strength coaches, and Physician Assistants (PA).
Critical to the program success is the integration of the H2F team into the brigade staff. Unlike traditional H2F models, the H2F staff operate alongside the unit’s senior leaders. The H2F staff has the same visibility of the long-range training calendar (LRTC), allowing them to see major events such as airborne operations, and field training exercises months in advance. This enables the staff to proactively tailor nutrition plans, strength and recovery workouts, and physical therapy.
"We are modernizing warfighting," said Col. Joseph Dasilva, commander, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. "We can’t expect Paratroopers to give 100 percent in combat if we’re not caring for our Paratroopers year-round."
DPOP compares to the level of care of a Division I athlete. This is an essential element of warfighting. Top-tier collegiate athletic programs invest heavily in creating an ecosystem of total support in order for their athletes to perform at the highest level.
Athletes at these institutions have access to multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art training facilities, and a dedicated sports staff available around the clock. This allows them to maximize physical and mental performance on game day.
DPOP mirrors this elite model to prepare Paratroopers not just for their hardest day of combat, but for the crucial days that follow. A significant challenge for many veterans and their families is the transition from a combat zone to returning home. Without the adrenaline rush of a deployment, it is common for Soldiers to be left in a state that can feel like a downward spiral.
DPOP, however, is designed to prevent that spiral from ever starting. Paratroopers are enrolled in a mobile platform that tracks their health metrics and connects them directly with H2F professionals. The app features tools customized workout plans, sleep tracking, and nutritional logging tools that mirror commercial health programs. This gives Paratroopers personalized support at their fingertips. Equivalent apps can cost a Paratrooper anywhere from $40 to $80 a month.
With over 3,000 Paratroopers processed through DPOP to date, commanders can now access the dashboard that provides analytics and can be filtered by unit. This provides real-time trend monitoring such as average sleep of Paratroopers during training cycles and injury rates after training exercises. The data directly improves decision-making of commanders.
"Most Soldiers don’t even know what kind of help they need until someone sits down and talks with them about their individual goals," said Leanna Peters, H2F dietitian, who noted a significant decrease in skipped meals and excessive caffeine intake since DPOP's launch.
By treating DPOP as a key training event and not a check-the-box, the command has institutionalized the program. Every new Paratrooper is enrolled during in-processing and reassessed quarterly. During DPOP weeks, the brigade halts other non-essential training to focus solely on the program and tracked down to the individual Paratrooper.
By adapting to modern tools such as digital integration, DPOP has the potential to change total health and warfighting.
(U.S. Army story by Capt. Alvin Cade Jr.)
| Date Taken: | 02.05.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2026 11:33 |
| Story ID: | 560076 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 545 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, THE TACTICAL ATHLETE: A New Era of Warfighter Wellness, by CPT Alvin Cade Jr, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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