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Effective decision-making in the military relies on robust data, yet service personnel (SP) and commanders often lack objective physiological information about physical performance, relying instead on subjective tools, for example, driver hours logbooks, to assess fatigue. Wearable technology promises the real-time provision of relevant physiological data to inform decision-making.1 2 Work is ongoing to develop monitoring technology to monitor the potential risk of heat illness,3 which is supported by Joint Services Publication 375.4 We are aware of several unreported projects at unit level which have used wearable technology aiming to improve SP performance. However, decentralised initiatives often lack a strong evidence base or Subject Matter Expert involvement, leading to potentially costly endeavours and limited benefits. On the other hand, more centralised initiatives may be disconnected from ground-level requirements and face adherence or compliance challenges. A detailed understanding of the perceived needs of commanders and SP, and buy-in at the unit level, are therefore crucial for the adoption of any technology to be effective.