Tools of War: A Bulletproof Mind

Okay, this one is a bit of a departure from my usual ToW material, but I believe that it is no less valid than other "things that you take to the battlefield to win the war." Simply put, all the firepower, techno-wizardry, and nifty gear in the world is useless, or at least reduced in efficacy, unless you have a combat mindset.

LTC Dave Grossman is the premier source of knowledge when it comes to addressing the psychology of combat. As a former Army Ranger, police officer, and West Point professor of psychology, Dave Grossman has the background, education, and experience to decipher the mental intricacies inherent to a combat environment. Not only has he "been-there and done-that", he has also done extensive research into how we as warriors react when we go into combat, as well as how it affects us afterward.

In their own (very accurate) words:

Following his best selling, Pulitzer Prize nominated book On Killing, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, with Loren W. Christensen, present On Combat, a ground-breaking examination of what it takes to perform, cope and survive in the toxicity of deadly combat as a soldier in a foreign land, and a police officer in the mean streets of urban America.

Written by two warriors who have been there and done that, On Combat looks at what happens to the human body under the stresses of deadly battle — the impact on the nervous system, heart, breathing, visual and auditory perception, memory - then discusses new research findings as to what measures warriors can take to prevent such debilitations so they can stay in the fight, survive, and win.

A brief, but insightful look at history shows the evolution of combat, the development of the physical and psychological leverage that enables humans to kill other humans, followed by an objective examination of domestic violence in America. The authors reveal the nature of the warrior, brave men and women who train their minds and bodies to go to that place from which others flee. After examining the incredible impact of a few true warriors in battle, On Combat presents new and exciting research as to how to train the mind to become inoculated to stress, fear and even pain.

Expanding on Lt. Col. Grossman’s popular "Bulletproof mind" presentation, the book explores what really happens to the warrior after the battle, and shows how emotions, such as relief and self-blame, are natural and healthy ways to feel about having survived combat. A fresh and highly informative look at post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) details how to prevent it, how to survive it should it happen, how to come out of it stronger, and how to help others who are experiencing it.

On Combat looks at the critical importance of the debriefing, when warriors gather after the battle to share what happened, critique, learn from each other and, for some, begin to heal from the horror. The reader will learn a highly effective breathing technique that not only steadies the warrior’s mind and body before and during the battle, but can also be used afterward as a powerful healing device to help separate the emotion from the memory.

Concluding chapters discuss the Christian/Judeo view of killing in combat and offers powerful insight that Lt. Col. Grossman has imparted over the years to help thousands of warriors understand and come to terms with their actions in battle. A final chapter encourages warriors to always fight for justice, nor vengeance, so that their remaining days will be healthy ones filled with pride for having performed their duty morally and ethically.

This information-packed book plows new ground in its vision, in its extensive new research and startling findings, and in its powerful, revealing quotes and anecdotes from top people in the warrior community, people who have faced the toxic environment of deadly combat and now share their wisdom to help others.

On Combat is easy to read and powerful in scope. It is a true classic that will be read by new and veteran warriors for years to come.

There are so many things that are not taught to our warriors in their standard training....things like the fact that when the fit really hits the shan, it is entirely possible that you will soil yourself, not because you are a coward, but because that is the body's natural response to a life-or-death situation. Nobody told me about that, or about auditory exclusion (I would likely never hear the sound of my own weapon firing, or maybe just a muted pop-pop-pop), or that time might slow immensely, or a myriad of other things that, when experienced unexpectedly in a firefight, might distract my focus from the fight at hand.

Nobody told me about the fact that the body's natural fight-or-flight response, with all the tremors, tunnel-vision, etc that comes with it, can be attenuated by simply focusing on and controlling your breathing...because breathing and blinking are the ONLY two places where the sympathetic and para-sympathetic nervous systems overlap.

The NY Times did an excellent article, and I highly recommend that you read it.

The Bulletproof Mind lecture is primarily focused on law enforcement, but it is also applicable to the modern battlefield, especially as war-fighters are sent on increasing numbers of "peace-keeping" missions.



Of course, no discussion of LTC Grossman is complete without covering the Sheepdog analogy:

One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me: “Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident.” This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another.

Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.

Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin’s egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful. For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.
“Then there are the wolves,” the old war veteran said, “and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy.” Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

“Then there are sheepdogs,” he went on, “and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.” Or, as a sign in one California law enforcement agency put it, “We intimidate those who intimidate others.”

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath--a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.

I'm proud to call myself a Sheepdog. Be safe...

By: Steve