MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – I Marine Expeditionary Force is strengthening Marines’ readiness through Operational Stress Control and Readiness Generation IV training, a program that equips leaders to recognize, manage and prevent combat and operational stress among Marines.
OSCAR Gen. IV is the latest evolution of the Marine Corps’ approach to stress management. It aligns with the Total Fitness model by integrating mental, physical, social and spiritual resilience into daily leadership practices. The program reinforces the role of leaders at every level in maintaining both the well-being of their Marines and the effectiveness of their units.
“Our mental health is just as important as physical health,” said Carissa Tourtelot, the preventative behavioral health director for I MEF. “While Marines learn skills like first aid and tactical combat casualty care, OSCAR focuses on ‘mental first aid,’ enabling Marines to recognize and respond to stress injuries just as effectively as they would with a physical injury.”
Rather than treating stress as a reactionary issue, OSCAR Gen. IV emphasizes proactive, small-unit leadership through early intervention and peer engagement. At the team level, the program integrates trained peers, chaplains and medical personnel into a unified support network that enables timely conversations and accountability. The “Warrior Toolkit” further equips leaders with guided discussion tools to address stress in real time across garrison and deployed environments. Through constant application, leaders are better positioned to foster a culture where Marines are supported early and effectively.
“Open-ended conversations are the heart of behavioral health,” said Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcelo Carrejo, a behavioral health technician with 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing stress and anxiety. Much of mental health work involves asking reflective, open-ended questions.”
To ensure this support extends beyond the unit level, OSCAR Gen. IV training connects Marines with a network of institutional resources designed to provide continued care. Participants are introduced to Marine Corps Community Services behavioral health programs, Support the Enlisted Program, and a range of additional resources available across the force. These assets provide a continuum of care, ensuring that if a Marine’s needs exceed peer-level support, a direct path to professional assistance is already established.
“OSCAR is one of the many tools that are available to leaders to build grit and resilience,” said Sgt. Maj. Rodney Nevinger, senior enlisted leader of I MEF. “It helps ensure Marines that are facing challenging situations are connected with the people and resources needed to shepherd them through that challenging time, so when we need that Marine or Sailor, they are ready.”
By integrating OSCAR Gen. IV across the force, I MEF reinforces that resilience is readiness, ensuring Marines remain prepared, disciplined, and ready to respond to any challenge.
To find your unit’s OSCAR representative visit https://pendleton.usmc-mccs.org/news/building-resilience-to-cope-with-stress or contact your local chaplain at https://www.imef.marines.mil/Resources/I-MEF-Resiliency-Resources/. Resilience starts with the individual, but it is sustained by the team.