Caffeine has been consumed by people around the world for over one thousand years. When consumed in amounts commonly found in beverages, foods, and drugs, it has measurable effects on certain types of human performance. The most commonly observed effect of caffeine is increased alertness.

Military personnel face many situations in which extended alertness is required. These include sentry duty, deployment-related activities, emergency air transport, long-range flying missions, radar and sonar monitoring, submarine duty, and combat. As part of their duties in these situations, individuals are often required to perform complex cognitive tasks. The performance of these tasks may be compromised during periods of extended wakefulness. 

Providing the opportunity and environment for adequate sleep would be ideal, but impractical for continuous military operations. The use of caffeine could help alleviate sleep deprivation-induced impairments in cognitive function in military situations.

The Committee on Military Nutrition Research of the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board was asked by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) to prepare a brief report that would assist the Department of Defense in transitioning civilian and military caffeine research to military application. Specifically, the USAMRMC indicated that the intent is to provide a pharmacological/dietary supplement strategy to significantly counter performance deficits in special circumstances when doctrinal and behavioral solutions (adherence to appropriate work-rest cycles, naps, etc.) are not possible or break down.