PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Martin Bricknell TI - MIlitary Combat Mental Health Framework AID - 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001439 DP - 2020 Apr 22 TA - BMJ Military Health PG - bmjmilitary-2020-001439 4099 - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/early/2020/04/22/bmjmilitary-2020-001439.short 4100 - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/early/2020/04/22/bmjmilitary-2020-001439.full AB - This paper describes a framework for understanding military combat mental health based on the possible mental ill-health consequences of exposure to ‘potential trauma events’ for members of the armed forces and after their military service as veterans. It uses a life course approach that maps an individual’s mental well-being against four ‘states’: fit, reacting, injured and ill. It then considers five categories of factors that influence the risk of mental illness from this exposure based on research evidence; prejoining vulnerability, resilience, precipitating, treatment and recovery. This framework offers a structure to debate current knowledge, inform policy and therapeutic interventions, provide education and to guide future research into the subject.