brain·wash·ing (brân¹wòsh îng, -wô shîng) noun
1. Intensive, forcible indoctrination, usually political or religious, aimed at destroying a person's basic convictions and attitudes and replacing them with an alternative set of fixed beliefs.
2. The application of a concentrated means of persuasion, such as an advertising campaign or repeated suggestion, in order to develop a specific belief or motivation.
Where as the military certainly does try to motivate individuals, to imply "we" are brainwashed is excessive. If that were true, we could throw out the UCMJ, reports of violations would cease, and military pilots would stop leaving for a more comfortable life in the civilian sector. Seriously, talk of CRM being equated to brainwashing can only exacerbate the problem of a less than enthusiastic acceptance of CRM training by aircrew and is detrimental to the success of a quality program.
>>> "Heinle, Todd" <heinlet_at_12medgrp.rnd.aetc.af.mil> 05/27 1:43 PM >>>
Form: Reply
Text: (37 lines follow)
In response to your posting below, I just want let you know that I take
exception to your comment that "In the military you are brainwashed,
period." I have been in the US Air Force for the past 11 years, most of that
time (6 ½ years as a C-130 navigator, 3 years as an instructor at the
navigator school, and as an aerospace physiologist for the past year or so)
has been free of what most individuals would class as "brainwashing." I
guess that my problem with your statement is that is an over-generalization
about the military that uses a term with very negative overtones.
Personally, I feel that I am better trained and more open-minded for having
spent time in the military than I would have been had I stayed as a
civilian. I may be the exception, which is not to say exceptional, and much
of this may be due to the extensive traveling associated with the C-130.
I apologize if this seem to be a bit overboard on the response, but your, to
my mind, glib comment was out of line.
If the CRM definition is to be "brainwashing" then the negative overtones
must somehow be "washed" out, because after all, isn't much of the
"training" that is conducted just brainwashing (behavior modification, child
rearing, etc) by another name.
Capt Todd E. Heinle
Aerospace Physiologist
Randolph AFB, TX
Paul,
You may well be right, but what kind of bunch are we if we can't be
honest. I do not have to please someone by telling a lie about basic
facts. In the military you are brainwashed, period. Since the military
have a CRM program, the definition will be erroneous if we do not talk
about brainwashing. If you really have a problem with this otherwise
correct term then give me one. Keep in mind the Dr. Morphew wants a
concise definition.
Original text: (99 lines follow)
From: AMADOU$I_at_SMTP (AMADOU, IBRAHIM) {AMADOU_I_at_casa.gov.au}, on 5/26/97
8:14 PM:
Paul,
You may well be right, but what kind of bunch are we if we can't be
honest. I do not have to please someone by telling a lie about basic
facts. In the military you are brainwashed, period. Since the military
have a CRM program, the definition will be erroneous if we do not talk
about brainwashing. If you really have a problem with this otherwise
correct term then give me one. Keep in mind the Dr. Morphew wants a
concise definition.
Thanks
>----------
>From: Paul Sherman[SMTP:paul.sherman_at_mail.utexas.edu]
>Sent: Tuesday, 27 May 1997 1:56
>To: crm-devel_at_db.erau.edu
>Subject: RE: CRM Definition
>
>Regarding Dr. Amadou's CRM definition:
>
>"Brainwashing" is quite a pejorative term -- might there be a way to get
>your meaning across without using such a loaded word?
>
>I don't believe that the various training departments would agree with your
>terming CRM remediation "brainwashing". Nor would trainers like seeing this
>as part of their job descriptions.
>
>Paul Sherman
>
>
>At 03:49 PM 5/26/97 +1000, you wrote:
>>What is CRM?
>>
>>Crew Resource Management (CRM) is a dynamic human to human "systems"
>>process applied to some environment and consisting of an optimum and
>>efficient use of part or all human resources available to carry out a
>>mission under particular circumstances and in a team approach way. The
>>mission preparation consists of raising in the first instance, the
>>awareness of team members about the specifics of the operation, then the
>>sustenance of such awareness up to mastery through various
>>psycho-socio-linguistic stages, spanning from behavioral modification
>>and conditioning, to brainwashing, counseling and a comprehensive and
>>adaptive training in situation awareness, communication, decision-making
>>and leadership, continuously in a team approach mode.
>>
>>Hope this will help.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Dr. Ibrahim Amador
>>Airways Engineering Specialist
>>Airways Surveillance & Regulation Branch
>>Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia
>>GPO Box 2005
>>CANBERRA CITY, ACT 2601
>>Australia
>>
>>
>>>----------
>>>From: M. Ephimia Morphew[SMTP:emorphew_at_s.psych.uiuc.edu]
>>>Sent: Sunday, 25 May 1997 8:14
>>>To: crm-devel_at_db.erau.edu
>>>Subject: CRM Definition
>>>
>>>Hello all,
>>>
>>> I am in pursuit of a well accepted, up-to-date definition of CRM
>>>for publishing a feature on the Industry CRM Developers in the next issue
>>>of Human Performance in Extreme Environments.
>>>
>>> I would appreciate it greatly if someone could provide me with such
>>>an accurate, most widely accepted, and up-to-date definition of CRM. Also
I
>>>would request that you allow me to cite you in the body of the text
>>>referring to the definition.
>>>
>>> Thanks much,
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Ephimia
>>>
>>>____________________________________________________________
>>>M. Ephimia Morphew,
>>>President, The Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments
>>>HPEE, 2156 Harbortown Circle, Champaign, IL 61821
>>>emorphew_at_s.psych.uiuc.edu, (217) 359-3469
>>>
>>>Human Perception & Performance Lab, Beckman Institute
>>>405 N. Mathews Ave., Rm B500, Urbana, IL 61801,ph:217-244-4461
>>>fax:217-244-8371
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
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