Schriever Space Force Base sits at 6,200 feet above sea level. The air is thin. The oxygen is scarce. The reservist who lives at sea level drives to Colorado for drill weekend. The body is not prepared. The altitude attacks.

Your nose bleeds. Your head pounds. Your lungs burn. Your vision blurs. You are dizzy. You are nauseous. You cannot think clearly. The 310th Space A wing mission requires precision. Space operations require focus. The altitude steals both.

The active duty airmen who live in Colorado have adjusted. Their bodies have changed. Their red blood cell count is higher. Their lungs are stronger. Their sleep has adapted.

The reservist has none of these advantages. You arrive on Friday night. You are sick by Saturday morning. You recover on Sunday. You drive home on Monday. You repeat the cycle next month.

For the strategic framework on high-performance altitude adaptation, read NEW YORK AIR FORCE TACTICAL ARCHITECTURE: FROM COCKPIT TO COMMAND.

What Altitude Does to Your Body

At sea level, the air contains 21 percent oxygen. At 6,200 feet, the air contains 16 percent oxygen. The difference does not sound like much. The difference is everything.

Your blood oxygen saturation drops from 98 percent to 92 percent. The 6 percent drop does not seem significant. The body disagrees.

The first 24 hours are the hardest. Your body produces extra red blood cells to carry oxygen. The production takes time. The production takes three days. You are only there for two.

Your sleep is destroyed. At altitude, you stop breathing multiple times per night. The condition is called periodic breathing. The brain wakes you up to restart breathing. You never enter deep sleep.

Your fluid balance shifts. The body loses water faster at altitude. You breathe more. You urinate more. You sweat less. The dehydration is silent. The dehydration is dangerous.

For the complete guide to understanding how altitude destroys performance, read From Battle Ready to Burned Out: What the Maryland National Guard Won't Tell You About Cellular Logistics.

Why Nosebleeds Happen at Altitude

The air in Colorado is dry. The humidity is low. The nasal passages dry out. The blood vessels in the nose are fragile. The dry air cracks the vessels. The vessels bleed.

The nosebleed has three causes.

• First, low humidity. The Colorado air has less moisture. The nasal passages cannot stay wet. The tissue cracks.
• Second, pressure changes. The drive from Denver to Schriever involves elevation changes. The pressure changes stress the blood vessels.
• Third, dehydration. The dehydrated body has less fluid in the blood vessels. The vessels are more fragile. The vessels break more easily.

One scoop of Cellular Hydrate – Electrolyte Formula every morning at altitude. One scoop every afternoon. The hydration keeps the nasal passages moist. The moist vessels do not crack.

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Why Dizziness Happens at Altitude

The brain requires oxygen. The brain consumes 20 percent of the body's oxygen. The brain is sensitive to oxygen deprivation.

The dizziness has three causes.

• First, hypoxia. The brain is not getting enough oxygen. The brain compensates by slowing down. The slowing causes dizziness.
• Second, dehydration. The dehydrated brain is smaller. The smaller brain moves inside the skull. The movement causes dizziness.
• Third, inner ear fluid changes. The inner ear controls balance. The fluid in the inner ear changes at altitude. The balance system is confused.

The 310th Space Wing reservist who feels dizzy at altitude should not operate equipment. The reservist who feels dizzy should sit down. The reservist who ignores dizziness will faint.

For the recovery framework that addresses altitude sickness, read Weekend Warrior, Weekday Wreck: The North Carolina Guard Logistics Solution No One Gave You.

The 310th Space Wing Reality

The 310th Space Wing operates satellite control systems. The work requires precision. The work requires focus. The work requires clear thinking.

The reservist who is hypoxic cannot think clearly. The reservist who is dehydrated cannot focus. The reservist who is dizzy cannot be precise.

The altitude is not your enemy. Ignoring the altitude is your enemy.

The active duty space operators at Schriever live at altitude. Their bodies have adapted. Their red blood cell count is higher. Their lung capacity is larger. Their sleep has normalized.

The reservist cannot adapt in two days. The reservist must prepare before arrival. The reservist must recover after departure.

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The Oxygen Optimization Protocol

The Oxygen Optimization Protocol has five phases. Each phase addresses a specific altitude challenge for the 310th Space Wing reservist.

Pre-Acclimatize Before You Arrive

The body cannot adapt in two days. The body can prepare in two weeks.

Hydrate for two weeks before drill. One scoop of Cellular Hydrate every morning. The hydrated body tolerates altitude better.

Iron-rich foods. Red meat. Spinach. Beans. The body needs iron to produce red blood cells. The red blood cells carry oxygen.

Avoid alcohol for three days before drill. Alcohol dehydrates. Alcohol impairs altitude adaptation. The reservist who drinks before coming to Colorado will suffer.

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The First 24 Hours at Altitude

The first 24 hours are the most dangerous. The body is shocked. The oxygen is low. The symptoms are real.

• Do not exercise on day one: The body needs oxygen for basic functions. Exercise steals oxygen from the brain.
• Hydrate aggressively: One scoop of Cellular Hydrate every four hours. The body loses water faster at altitude.
• No alcohol: Alcohol worsens hypoxia. Alcohol worsens dehydration. Alcohol worsens every altitude symptom.
• No caffeine after noon: Caffeine dehydrates. Caffeine disrupts sleep. The body needs sleep to adapt.

Rest at first sign of symptoms. Nosebleed? Sit down. Dizzy? Sit down. Headache? Sit down. The reservist who pushes through will crash harder.

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Optimize Sleep at Altitude

Sleep is impossible at altitude. The body stops breathing. The brain wakes up. The cycle repeats.

The sleep protocol has four rules.

1. Elevate your head: Extra pillows. The elevation reduces nasal congestion. The reduced congestion reduces breathing pauses.
2. Use a humidifier: The dry air cracks nasal passages. The humidifier keeps the passages moist. The moist passages bleed less.
3. Nasal saline spray: Before bed. Upon waking. The saline keeps the nasal tissues healthy.
4. No screens before bed: The blue light suppresses melatonin. The reservist who needs sleep cannot afford to sabotage it.

For the cap that you wear before bed, secure your Spiritual Minded Military Cap.

Fuel the Altitude Body

The body burns more calories at altitude. The body needs different fuel. Carbohydrates are your friend at altitude. The body uses carbohydrates more efficiently than fat at altitude. Pasta. Rice. Potatoes. Bread.

Iron is essential. The body is producing red blood cells. Red blood cells require iron. The reservist who skips iron will not adapt.

Hydration is non-negotiable. Cellular Hydrate every morning. Cellular Hydrate every afternoon. The reservist who hydrates performs. The reservist who does not hydrate suffers.

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Recover After Returning to Sea Level

The reservist drives home. The altitude is gone. The symptoms are not gone. The recovery takes three days. The body needs time to return to baseline.

Hydrate aggressively. One scoop of Cellular Hydrate every morning. One scoop every afternoon.

The body has sleep debt from altitude. The debt must be repaid. Do not exercise immediately. The body is still recovering. The reservist who runs on Monday will crash on Tuesday.

For the complete Air Force Reserve perspective on altitude recovery, read Robins Air Force Base Briefing: Why GA Air Guard Airmen Wear Their Allegiance.

The Spiritual Component of Altitude Adaptation

The spiritual pillar is the core of Comprehensive Airmen Fitness. The spiritual pillar brings the mental, social, and physical pillars together.

Lt. Col. Tammy Dotson of the 21st Space Wing said, “The spiritual pillar gives you optimism; it helps you adjust to the adversities of life." Altitude sickness is an adversity. The spiritual pillar helps you adjust.

The spiritual pillar has three components for altitude adaptation.

You are not the only reservist suffering at altitude. The 310th Space Wing has hundreds of airmen. The reservist who connects with others suffers less. The symptoms will pass. The body will adapt. The reservist who has hope will not despair.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." — Philippians 4:13

For the Choose To Be Sober shirt that declares your commitment to the spiritual pillar, secure it today.

For the full spiritual warfare doctrine on altitude adaptation, read The Sovereign Protocol: Elite Gear & Fuel to Enhance Military Performance.

What Colorado Air Force Reserve Leaders Need to Know

The reservist who is hypoxic cannot perform. The reservist who is dizzy cannot operate equipment. The reservist who has a nosebleed is distracted.

The leader who ignores altitude sickness accepts lower performance. The leader who addresses altitude sickness builds a unit that performs.

The 310th Space Wing cannot afford to lose experienced space operators. Space operators take years to train. The leader who does not protect his operators from altitude sickness will lose his operators.

The Oxygen Optimization Protocol is not a suggestion. The Oxygen Optimization Protocol is a performance tool.

Conclusion: Breathe Easy at Altitude

The nosebleeds are preventable. The dizziness is preventable. Altitude sickness is preventable.

The Oxygen Optimization Protocol is the solution. Pre-acclimatize before you arrive. Rest on day one. Optimize your sleep. Fuel your body. Recover after departure. Strengthen your spiritual pillar.

The 310th Space Wing reservist who follows the protocol will breathe easy at altitude. The reservist who ignores the protocol will suffer.

The choice is yours. The protocol is available. The enemy is watching.

The Remnant does not transition. The Remnant re-enlists.

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