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Outbreaks of respiratory illness in basic training1 and on operations2 affect the health of service personnel, but illness and isolation also impact training and operational outcomes. Continuing to train when unwell with infections such as SARS-CoV-2, adenovirus, enterovirus and influenza risks increasing viral load and subsequent long-term health sequelae.3 Individuals require protection from exertional activities, such as those encountered during training, while populations require protection by isolating infectious cases to prevent onward transmission. Far from being a training constraint, data from the management of three adenovirus outbreaks associated with multinational military training4 in the UK from February to April 2024 demonstrate that the judicious application of force health protection measures is a long-term force multiplier.