1. Purpose. This guide provides instruction for all service members on the conditions of combat and how they can begin to prepare themselves and subordinates for combat.
2. Scope. This guide begins by addressing the face of combat (those conditions that every warfighter will face in battle). It then discusses some key factors to successful leadership in combat conditions. Finally, it covers how you, as a member and leader can begin to train and educate yourself and fellow service members for success in combat.
3. Applicability. This guide is intended for educational & instructional purposes only. It is primarilyfor members operating a leadership capacity, but is intended for use by all members in all MOSs & Ratings.
4. Recommendations. Comments and recommendations on the contents of the guide are invited and will aid in subsequent guide revisions.
Your Personal Characteristics
• YOU ARE PROPERLY MOTIVATED. You have made a positive decision to train yourself. Self-motivation is perhaps the most important force multiplier in learning or achieving anything. Doing whatever is necessary to learn is motivation. You have it!
• YOU SEEK TO IMPROVE YOURSELF. You are enrolled to improve those skills you already possess, and to learn new skills. When you improve yourself, you improve others, and more importantly, the organization.
• YOU HAVE THE INITIATIVE TO ACT. By acting on your own, you have shown you are a self-starter, willing to reach out for opportunities to learn and grow.
• YOU ACCEPT CHALLENGES. You have self-confidence and believein your ability to acquire knowledge and skills. You have the self-confidence to set goals and the ability to achieve them, enabling you tomeet every challenge. • YOU ARE ABLE TO SET AND ACCOMPLISH PRACTICALGOALS. You are willing to commit time, effort, and the resourcesnecessary to set and accomplish your goals. These professional traits willhelp you successfully complete this distance learning course.
Preparing & Reviewing To prepare yourself, you should constantly review what you learned in the guide. The following suggestions will help make the review interesting and challenging.
• CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Try to recall the entire learning sequence without referring to the text. Can you do it? Now look back at the text to see if you have left anything out. This review should be interesting. Undoubtedly, you’ll find you were not able to recall everything. But with a little effort, you’ll be able to recall a great deal of the information.
• USE UNUSED MINUTES. Use your spare time to review. Read your notes or a part of a study unit, rework exercise items, review again; you can do many of these things during your spare time of each day.
• APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED. It is always best to use the skill or knowledge you've learned as soon as possible. If it isn'’t possible to actually use the skill or knowledge, at least try to imagine a situation in which you would apply this learning. For example make up and solve your own problems. Or, better still, make up and solve problems that use most of the elements of a study unit.
• USE THE “SHAKEDOWN CRUISE” TECHNIQUE. Ask another service member to lend a hand by asking you questions about the course. Choose a particular subject and let your buddy “fire away.” This technique can be interesting and challenging for both of you!
• MAKE REVIEWS FUN AND BENEFICIAL. Reviews are good habits that enhance learning. They don’t have to be long and tedious. In fact, some learners find short reviews conducted more often prove more beneficial.
PART ONE (1)
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMBAT
This guide is designed to give all members, or equivalent, an overview of what combat is like. Realize that no written word can ever do justice to the actual horrors that you may one day face in combat both in a virtual and real environment. In keeping with the increased emphasis on war fighting, we hope to get you & your fellow brothers-in-arms thinking about the challenges they may face if called upon to fight in combat.
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
• Identify four elements of combat experienced by Guy Sajer.
• Identify the common elements of combat
Common Elements of Combat
Reality of Combat
Challenges facing you in combat today are the same as those faced by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines throughout the ages. As it relates, “the human dimension is central in combat, and combat will invariably inflame and be shaped by human emotions. Combat is an extreme trial of moral and physical strength and stamina. Any view of the nature of war would hardly be accurate or complete without consideration of the effects of danger, fear, exhaustion, and privation of the men who must do the fight.” These effects will vary for every person. What may break the will of one warfighter, may only serve to strengthen the resolve of another.
Physically and Mentally Demanding
Everyone is a warrior, a potential combat leader. You may be in combat tomorrow. Regardless of how well you or your unit is trained, you must harden yourself for your first action. You do not need to experience combat in order to understand the essential requirements for perform and leading in combat. However, it is your fundamental responsibility to physically and mentally prepare yourself and your subordinates for battle. Every service member needs to understand what combat will be like before they experience it, and then they will have an idea of what to expect. Listed below are common elements of combat.
In order to mentally understand combat, this chapter has graphic accounts of a German soldier who experienced the brutal reality of war on the Russian Front during World War II. Read this inpreparation for your study of combat.
Private First Class Eugene Sledge’s Combat Experience
Reference Sheet - #1
The table below references important information to understand and develop.
PART TWO (2)
FEAR OF COMBAT
Introduction
We all have experienced fear. In combat, fear can dominate the situation unless you and your subordinates can control it. Extreme fear brings out your instinct for self-preservation. Survival is a very strong drive, which generally will be a priority concern to any warfighter.
In this chapter you will learn about specific sources of fear and how they affect our mental and physical reactions in combat.
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
• Identify each of the specific sources of fear in combat.
• Given a scenario, determine the source of fear being demonstrated.
• Identify the automatic body reactions to fear in combat.
• Identify the psychological reactions to fear in combat.
• Identify the extreme reaction to fear.
• Identify the general conditions that stimulate fear in combat.
Specific Sources of Fear
Peacetime training may not prepare yourself and fellow subordinates for the reality that combat is often a matter of kill or be killed. Some of the specific sources of fear in combat are:
• Possibility of being killed, wounded, or captured
• Fear of killing
• Noise and sights of combat
• Apprehensive that you might not “measure up” as a warrior under fire
• Fatigue
Possibility of Being Killed,Wounded, or Captured
This is a natural source of fear and always will be present in you and your subordinates. It may lead yourself or your subordinates to run away from battle or to do irrational things in battle. There is no sure way to knowing whether yourself or which subordinate may be subject to such an extreme reaction to this fear until you get into combat.
Fear of Killing
This fear is not uncommon. Our society is a peaceful one by nature. We are raised to respect the rights of all human beings and to have respect for life. To forget these facts is to ignore a reality of our culture.
Noise and Sights of Combat
These elements have a traumatic shocking impact upon the senses. This causes confusion and a sense of chaos that can become particularly unnerving. No peacetime training can completely prepare you and your subordinates for the carnage and emotional impact of combat. To ignore this aspect of combat is to create a lack of understanding that could prove totally debilitating to yourself and others.
Apprehension That You Might Not “Measure Up” as a Warrior
The apprehension that you might not “measure up” as a warfighter under fire or let your buddies down may be common among yourself and others. Everyone wants to be successful. Their fears may play on this desire, and they may be deathly afraid of letting you or their fellow brothers down. This particular fear may serve as a positive factor by keeping yourself, others and your unit cohesive during battle. It could be detrimental if the fear overcomes the desire to succeed.
“When fire sweeps the field, nothing keeps a man from running except asense of honor, the bound obligation to the people right around him, of fear of failure in their sight, which might eternally disgrace him.” - Men Against Fire,S.L.A. Marshall
Fatigue
Both mental and physical fatigue is a source of fear. As you become exhausted, your ability to reason may begin to deteriorate. As you become more and more tired, you may become indecisive and slow in carrying out orders. When confronted daily and constantly with the stress of combat coupled with fatigue, you and your subordinates may feel helpless and unable to continue the fight.
“There is no doubt that troops, however well-led, can only take the stress of battle for so long-then they break. Any commander, at any level, who tries to overdraw the account is courting disaster…the mental and the physical constantly interact. Therefore, physical fatigue, hunger, disease, thirst, and above all, the stress of adverse climatic conditions, can reduce the physical state of the warrior to such an extent that his will to fight is broken.” - Determination in Battle, MajGen T.S. Hart
Effects of Fear
Conditions That Stimulate Fear
Overcome Own Fears
Though you share the same risks and fear, you must be able to overcome your own fear, and provide the leadership necessary to achieve success in combat. The troops you lead are your own. You have lived, trained, sweated,and grown into an effective fighting unit together. Before you face a violent brutal, and cunning enemy, you must understand the conditions that stimulate fear, inspire confidence, and courage in your subordinates.
“In peace we learn how to lead companies, battalions, regiments, even divisions and armies. We learn in books and by maps how one fights and wins battles, but we are not instructed in the thoughts, the hopes, the fears that run riot in the mind of the front line soldier.” - Battle Leadership, Captain Von Schell
Three Conditions
There are three conditions that stimulate fear: • Unexpected
• Unknown
• Feelings of helplessness
Unexpected
Enemy actions that appear as a surprise will have a powerful impact upon yourself and your subordinates. Being surprised by the enemy has been described as causing the “will that controls fear to sag and crumble.” When your subordinates begin to sense that they do not have control over their situation, they may begin to panic. At such moments, you must exert a strong influence upon them to maintain control over the unit’s actions.
Unknown
Your subordinates will worry about what they have not seen and what they do not know. You will have a tendency to think the enemy is much greater in strength or ability, but really is not. Do not be deceived as to enemy strength or capabilities through exaggerated impressions.
Feelings of Helplessness
YOU must prevent this from taking hold. Act directly and inspire the response against the enemy. Everyone has a job that must be accomplished. Ensure that everyone is doing what must be done. Action is a way to prevent this condition from taking hold. Keep your troops busy.
Example
The following example shows how the reassuring presence of a leader is invaluable:
“He was firing from behind a log. His face was grey, his eyes were dull and without hope. He stopped firing and looked around. ‘It didn’t do any good,’he said. His voice was flat, and he was speaking to no one in particular. ‘I got three of ‘em, but it don’t do any good, they just keep coming.’ Platoon Sergeant Casimir Polakowski, known as Ski, said, ‘What the hell are you beefing about? You get paid for it don’t you?’ The kid managed a grin. As Ski crawled on down the line, the boy, now a man was once more squeezing ‘em off.” - Guadalcanal Diary,Richard Tregaskis
Leadership Role
Additionally, the first shock of realizing that the enemy actually intends to kill you is a powerful factor that everyone will face. Until this threshold is crossed, and yourself as well as your subordinates become accustomed to functioning under fire, you must act decisively to ignite the confidence and individual actions that will transform fear into an aggressive response.
Your presence as a leader and warfighter has tremendous value in overcoming fear particularly at night, adverse weather, or during lulls in the action. During these times, imagination runs wild and your subordinates think they may be alone or isolated.
PART THREE (3)
STRESSES OF COMBAT
Introduction
Killing the enemy that is trying to kill you is only half the battle. To yourself and your subordinates, enduring discomfort, fatigue, and the other hazards and stresses of combat is what must be done so that they can succeed in combat.
This chapter will discuss the stresses of combat and provide you, as a leader and as a warfighter, with solutions to minimize their effect on yourself and your subordinates.
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
• Identify the sources of stress in combat.
• Identify the key indicators of fatigue.
• Given a scenario, determine the source of stress that is affecting one's character.
Sources of Stress in Combat
Common Sources of Stress
The most common sources of stress in combat are:
• Fatigue
• Discomfort
• Casualties
• Boredom
Best Fatigue
As you become increasingly tired, you will lose the ability to make decisions rapidly. You will become more easily confused, disoriented, and ultimately, ineffective. You must understand the effects of fatigue on yourself and your subordinates, and when to provide for rest, especially amidst the chaos of battle.
Indicators of Fatigue
Listed below are some key indicators of fatigue:
• Reckless disregard for the safety of self or fellow teammates
• Excessive caution or unwillingness to expose oneself to risk
• Failure to fire weapons
• Lack of concern for the condition of weapons or other equipment • Lack of concern for personal cleanliness
As a leader, develop a sleep plan for your unit to ensure that everyone, including yourself,get a minimum of four hours of sleep per day, situation permitting. Rest is a preventive treatment that keeps senseless casualties from occurring.
Discomfort
Everyone who adversely suffers from the effects of being wet, cold, hungry, thirsty, or weary will determine their ability to fight well. Warfighters tend to develop a high tolerance for enduring the extremes of weather without much support. However, there is a point where morale is affected and your unit’s actual ability to fight becomes questionable.
As leader, at the first opportunity, provide dry clothing, protection from the elements, food, and water.
Example
The following excerpt from Battle at Bestby S.L.A. Marshall, describes how taking care of yourself and your subordinates pays its dividend in combat:
Casualties
Seeing a fellow brother-in-arms “go down” has a traumatic impact upon you and your subordinates. Combat is brutal and casualties are to be expected. The shock of seeing your buddies wounded or killed, and the possibility that it may happen to them adds to the fear and apprehension of the survivors. It increases your subordinates reluctance to take risks and obey you. How individuals respond after their unit has taken casualties is a key indicator of the effectiveness of their training, self-disciple, and preparation for combat.
Care of Wounded
Proper care for your wounded has a great effect upon morale. Assure your subordinates that if they are hit, their fellow brothers-in-arms will take care of them. There is an unwritten code among service members that if wounded and unable to fend for yourself, another service member will come to your aid.
During a Firefight
Your subordinates need to recognize that the quicker they take the objective, the quicker their fallen comrades get help. Stopping to take care of your fellow brothers-in-arms during an assault will bog down the unit. During an assault, your subordinates cannot stop to aid a fallen comrade. The Corpsman will take care of the casualties in the best possible manner, until you are able to send for help.
At the first opportunity, leaders and comrades should look for casualties. Every subordinate must be accounted for. Dead and wounded are removed from the combat area as soon as possible.
Boredom
In combat, every person should fight inactivity and boredom with the same tenacity used against enemy troops. The boredom that inactivity produces can negatively impact subordinates if they become complacent.When the time for combat comes, this inactivity may result in a less effective unit.
Keep your subordinates occupied by delivering intelligence briefs, reviewing the rules of engagement, reading necessary tactical guides, and rehearsing immediate action drills during lulls in the pace of operations. By doing so, you prevent disciplinary problems by turning your subordinate's thoughts away from themselves to the work at hand.
PART FOUR (4) SUCCESS IN COMBAT
Content
The focus of this chapter is to teach you the important factors of leadership so you can perform better as a leader in both peacetime and in combat. The way that you respond to these leadership challenges is crucial to achieving combat success.
Scope
A leader must know some of the factors of combat leadership. These factors are by no means isolated to combat. They are not vastly different than those leadership challenges that you face in peacetime. As as leader, you can control the lives of up to hundreds of warriors. They look to you for instruction and guidance. Your most casual remark will be remembered. Your clothing, vocabulary, and method of leadership will be imitated.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to
• Identify factors that affect success in combat over which you have little influence.
• Identify factors that affect success in combat over which you can influence.
You will learn: • Factors That You Cannot Influence
• Factors That You Can Influence
Factors That You Cannot Influence
Types of Factors
There are two fundamental types of factors that affect success in combat:
• Factors over which you have little or no influence that you must try to understand, endure, and explain to your subordinates.
• Factors that you can influence directly through your leadership.
Factors Difficult to Influence
The following are factors of combat success over which you have little or no influence:
• Political guidelines and rules of engagement
• Availability and quality of replacements
• Location, weather, and terrain
• Public reaction and support
• Type of conflict
• Enemy action
• Duration
Political Guidelines and Rules of Engagement
Political guidelines and rules of engagement are those directives passed by higher headquarters or government organizations designed to help control events in a sensitive, political world situation. Your responsibility is to:
• Understand and enforce the proper application of these rules.
• Ensure yourself and your subordinates abide by them.
• Pass through the chain of command information that might be useful incorrecting deficiencies with rules of engagement procedures.
Availability and Quality of Replacements
Availability and quality of replacements are governed by the importance and priority of your unit’s mission.
Location, Weather, and Terrain
Weather and terrain will vary and may be extreme depending on the theatre of operation.
Public Reaction and Support
Public reaction and support is the popular support of the American people. This support guides our elected officials as they decide whether the use of armed force is appropriate to a situation. The recent use of force in Afghanistan generally had the support of the American public. Conversely, when American public support faltered for our involvement in Vietnam, our elected officials found that they had to end U.S. military involvement.
Type of Conflict
Our elected officials determine the type of conflict. When we are committed to a conflict, we do not have control over where or what type of conflict it is.It may be a peacekeeping mission, hostage rescue, conventional operations in Asia, or cold weather operation in Norway--“any clime or place.”
Enemy Action
Enemy action is something that you do not control because the enemy, reacting to whatever you do, has an independent will and will try to impose his or her will on you just as you attempt to do the same.
Duration
The duration of a conflict will be as long as the enemy feels that there is a chance of winning or surviving, either politically at the strategic level or militarily at the tactical level. For defeat, you must reduce the enemy’s will to fight. This can happen very quickly or it can be drawn out. Ultimately, you have little control over the duration of a firefight, battle, or war.
Factors That You Can Influence
Factor you can Influence
he factors of combat success that you are able to influence are:
• Morale
• Motivation
• Discipline
• Espirit de corps • Proficiency
Morale
Morale is the mental and emotional condition (enthusiasm, confidence or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the functions or tasks at hand. The squad leader who taps into this valuable resource and keeps it in the forefront throughout the adverse conditions of combat will always prevail.
Motivation
Motivation is a byproduct of morale. If your subordinates are enthusiastic about being part of the fighting force and have confidence in their leaders, then they will have the incentive to drive on through adversity.
Discipline
Discipline is defined in the dictionary as “to bring under control.” In combat we speak of discipline, in troops we speak of the warfighter's ability to disregard the natural tendencies of self-preservation, and at times, put them in harms way if necessary.
Esprit de Corps
Esprit de corps is the unit’s spirit. It describes how devoted and loyal they are to the team.
Proficiency
Proficient is being knowledgeable and skillful in your craft. Imagine a unit being so confident in their ability to perform that it affects all of the afore mentioned factors. Now you have a unit ready to fight.
PART FIVE (5)
MORALE AND MOTIVATION
Introduction
Scope
Morale and motivation is the cornerstone of discipline, Esprit de corps, and proficiency. If you instill high morale and motivation in your subordinates, this can lead to success of combat.
Content
In this chapter, you will learn specific factors that will help you build morale and motivate your subordinates.
Learning Objective
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
• Identify the morale indicators that relate to individual or unit morale.
• Given a scenario, determine the morale indicators that are/are not present.
• Identify the motivation factors that enable warfighters to persevere in combat.
• Given a scenario, determine the motivation factors that are/are not present.
In This Chapter
This chapter contains the following topics:
• Characteristics of Morale
• Specific Indicators of Morale
• Characteristics of Motivation
• Factors That Influence Motivation
Characteristics of Morale
“Morale makes up three quarters of the game; the relative balance of manpower makes up only the remaining quarter.” - Napoleon Bonaparte, 1804 A.D.
Characteristics
Morale is the confident, resolute, willing, often self-sacrificing, and courageous attitude of a warfighter to accomplish the tasks expected by the unit. Morale is based upon:
• Pride in the achievements and aims of the unit
• Faith in you as leader
• A sense of participation in the unit’s work
• Devotion and loyalty to the other members of the unit
• Confidence in the ultimate success of the unit “Whichever army goes into battle stronger in soul, their enemies generally cannot withstand them.” - The Greek Warrior, Xenophonmore than two thousand years ago.
Fluctuation in Morale
Morale tends to fluctuate even among the best warriors. It must be your constant concern, because it is the foundation of discipline. You must recognize the extreme importance morale has to the combat effectiveness of your squad.
Example
Specific Indicators of Morale
Indicators
Some specific indicators of morale are: • Response to shortages
• Care of equipment and weapons
• Rumors
• Excessive quarreling
• Personal hygiene
• Standards of military courtesy
• Personal conduct • Appearance
Response to Shortages
Always be alert when your unit experiences shortages of anything,particularly food, water, clothing, oil, ammunition, medical supplies, or even mail. When this occurs, note how your subordinates react. Do they share what is available instinctively, or do some hoard what they have?
The unit with high morale and strong unit cohesion will divide what is available and become an even stronger outfit because of it. The unit that does not have this quality is not acting cohesively as a team and will disintegrate quickly.
Attempt to correct shortages and ensure everyone gets equal portions.
Care of Equipment and Weapons
Failure to properly maintain equipment and weapons indicates that the subordinate:
• Does not care
• Is becoming excessively fatigue
• Has lost all discipline
On the other hand, if you fail to provide the means to keep your subordinates gear properly maintained, you can erode their morale.
It may be necessary to implement a maintenance schedule to ensure that equipment is maintained in a combat environment. During this time, it maybe easier to project when equipment may need to be replaced or repaired.
Rumors
Lack of information is common in combat. Rumors can plant the seeds of fear that will grow steadily and reduce your and your unit’s morale. When rumors spread, this can indicate that your subordinate have lost faith in their chain of command.
You must be a source of facts to your subordinates. When you keep your subordinates informed, you cultivate their trust and confidence.
Excessive Quarreling
Cooperation, mutual trust, and confidence in one another’s ability can be adversely affected when your subordinates quarrel amongst themselves. Excessive quarreling is a sign that something is wrong that must be fixed.
Find the source of irritation before it affects unit efficiency. Direct your unit’s energy toward the enemy, not each other.
Personal Hygiene
If you allow the standards of personal hygiene to drop, it will quickly affect the morale and health of your entire squad. Poor hygiene is an indicator of poor discipline and will affect the entire unit’s morale—no one wants to live in filth. Regardless of how miserable the circumstances may actually be, we must do what we can to make conditions habitable.
Always designate areas, cat holes, etc., and ensure that you and your subordinates use and maintain them.
Standards of Military Courtesy
Units that have pride and confidence in their leaders maintain high standards of military courtesy at all times. Changes show that poor discipline and lack of respect may indicate low morale.
Lead and they will follow. If you maintain a high level of professionalism and demand the same from your subordinates, military courtesy will not suffer.
Personal Conduct
Moodiness, sullenness, quiet withdrawal, or any sudden unexplainable change in one of your subordinates behavior may indicate that something is wrong and there may be cause for concern.
Be alert for behavior that is out of character and correct it as positivity as possible.
Appearance
If a subordinate begins to look sloppy, a behavioral problem may be the cause.Likewise, if conditions prevent your subordinates from washing, shaving, or obtaining clean uniforms for prolonged periods, morale can drop.
Become aware of the tendency of some warfighters to take on a “salty” attitude and appearance. A tolerance for sloppy appearance in the field may lead to an equally sloppy attitude regarding attention to detail and basic field discipline. This may be the warfighter that carelessly overlooks the trip-wire and gets your whole unit blown away.
Characteristics of Motivation
Psychological Factors
Motivation answers the question, “Why do warriors fight?” Motivation is based on psychological factors such as needs, desires, and impulses that cause a person to act. For example, a United States Marine's commitment and pride in the unit and the Corps is generally the basis for combat motivation.
Effects of Motivation
A motivated warrior will do what needs to be done and will know the right thing to do. With effective leadership and attentive concern for maintaining high morale, motivation will also be high. However, motivation is much more than just an indicator of morale. It is a key element that must be understood by everyone in your unit. In combat, motivation has special significance to warfighters.
Example
Factors That Influence Motivation
Motivating Factors
Numerous historians, sociologists, and psychologist have studied behavior under fire in an effort to find why we fight as we do. In explaining what motivates a warfighter to persevere in battle, many experts have concluded that the following facts are significant:
• Unit cohesion
• Tradition
• Commitment
• Aggression
• Patriotism
• Rewards and Punishment
• Social identity
Unit Cohesion
Cohesion is perhaps the most powerful motivational factor in combat. Common experiences and shared hardships stimulate and foster closeness among individuals in a unit. The result is a unit that is able to maintain tactical cohesion and achieve success in combat. If your subordinates know their mission, it is their faith in you and their fellow brothers-in-arms that will carry them over the top charging into the teeth of the enemy.
“Four brave men who do not know each other will not dare to attack a lion. Four less brave, but knowing each other well, sure of their reliability and consequently of mutual aid, will attack resolutely. There is the science of the organization of armies in a nutshell.”- Battle Studies, Col. Ardant du Picq
Tradition
Warrior values and attitudes are stressed from the first day and are constantly reinforced. We are told over and over again: “a warrior never quits;” “a warrior never surrenders;” “a warrior never retreats;” “Warriors never leave their dead and wounded.”
These values become ingrained into the very being of every warrior.
“The average Marine, if such a condition exists, is definitely not the lad represented on the recruiting poster. More likely he is a small, pimple-faced young man who, because it has been so skillfully pounded into him at bootcamp, believes he can lick the world.” - The Last Parallel,Cpl Martin Russ, USMC
Commitment
Warriors have fought and units have won because of commitment. More often than not, it is a commitment to a leader and to a small brotherhood where the important values are mutual respect, confidence, discipline, and perseverance;shared hardships, dangers, and victories. These values will lead a warrior to make almost any sacrifice for his brothers-in-arms in the unit.
“Men take a kind of hard pride in belonging to a famous outfit even when doing so exposes them to exceptional danger. This is an essential element in the psychology of shock troops.” - Fear in Battle,John Dollard
Aggression
Compassion for the enemy and noncombatants is a characteristic that is not uncommon among warriors on the battlefield. However, you must recognize that an aggressive fighting style is our trademark. Seek to maintain this determination and initiative as long as necessary to accomplish the mission and overcome the enemy. Understand that you will bolster the confidence of your warriors by accomplishing the mission at the lowest possible cost in casualties.
Patriotism
Every warrior must be convinced of the rightness of their country’s cause. This is usually a significant factor in the decision to join the armed forces. Patriotism serves as a foundation for motivation. In combat, it is an important leadership responsibility to sustain the strength of this foundation. As casualties occur and the fight becomes difficult, your subordinates will look to you for reassurance that the sacrifices borne are necessary to the well-being of the country.
Rewards and Punishment
The purpose of our system of rewards in combat is intended to reflect the recognition of everyone as warriors. This recognition of heroic efforts and sacrifices on behalf of your fellow subordinates is an important leadership responsibility. When it comes to combat, there is no amount of pay, or any medal that can adequately reward any warrior for risking their life to achieve a particular objective. When warriors who have experienced combat are questioned, they tend to respond that their greatest “fear” was being perceived as less than adequate in the eyes of their fellow brothers-in-arms. Their only “reward” was the respect, praise, and recognition, which came from within their unit.
Social Identity
Social factors affecting the warrior's primary group (fire team, squad, or platoon) are significant aspects of achieving combat motivation. Warriors often will identify with friends who are from their home state or from the same geographical area. This helps to build the unit’s cohesion. When the social identify of several warriors stimulates and fosters closeness among the individuals in a unit, the result is a unit that is able to maintain motivation and achieve success in combat.
PART SIX (6)
DISCIPLINE, ESPRIT DE CORPS, AND PROFICIENCY
Introduction
Scope
Discipline, esprit de corps, and proficiency are significant factors that you as a leader can develop in your subordinates. These along with morale and motivation will influence your success in combat.
Content
In this chapter, you will learn about discipline, esprit de corps and proficiency,and how they relate to morale and motivation.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
• Identify the types of discipline.
• Given a scenario, determine the type of discipline being demonstrated.
• Identify the indicators of unit esprit de corps
• Given a scenario, determine the esprit de corps indicator being demonstrated.
• Identify the areas of proficiency in which warfighters can train to prepare for combat.
In This Lesson
This lesson contains the following topics:
Characteristics of Discipline
Defined
Discipline is the willful obedience of orders.
Displayed in Situations
Discipline is exemplified by a situation where the individual has been taught to sacrifice their interests for the common good, and respond from a sense of duty which is more important than individual rights or wants.
Prompt Response to the Mission
When the moment comes for a leader to send his subordinates into harm’s way, there is no room for discussion. Discipline ensures prompt accomplishment of assigned missions and spawns initiative, which guides your subordinates actions in the absence of order.
Foundation for Discipline
Morale and motivation provide the foundation for discipline. More than being a simple mechanism for maintaining order, discipline is the essential condition within a unit that allows it to overcome the extreme fear and fatigue of combat.
Types of Discipline
Three Types
There are three types of discipline:
• Self
• Unit
• Imposed
Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is the most important quality to develop in your subordinate. Self-discipline means that the individual has a sense of personal duty to their unit, fellow subordinates, and nation. This type of discipline will hold your subordinates study against anything the enemy may throw at them, because they have affirm inner conviction that they will not let their fellow subordinates down.
Unit Discipline
Unit discipline is the behavior that results from the expectations of the subordinates in your squad. It arises from a form of peer pressure where a subordinate knows that for an individual to belong one must uphold the standard. This quality of discipline will hold the subordinate steady while in the company of other fellow warfighters.
Imposed Discipline
Imposed discipline is behavior that is motivated primary by your immediate supervision. “Do it because I said so!” It is a direct order to perform. This discipline influences your subordinates to accomplish unpleasant or inconvenient tasks. Under extreme combat conditions you may be required to resort toimposed discipline. Imposed discipline lacks the permanence of unit discipline and the special strength of self-discipline.
Demonstration of Discipline
How Demonstrated
Your subordinates demonstrate discipline through
• Initiative
• Self-reliance
• Self-control
• Obedience
Initiative
Leadership is based upon a concept of trust and confidence in each person's quality of self-discipline. The modern battlefield has become an extremely deadly place. As the destructive power of weapons has increased, it has become increasingly more difficult to maintain positive control. The responsibility of your subordinates in such situations is clear—they must support their fellow brothers!
Warfare requires intelligent leaders with a penchant for boldness and initiative down to the lowest level. It is each servicemember's duty to take initiative as the situation demands.
Self-Reliance
During long periods of monotony and apparent lack of enemy contact, or long hours of darkness when imaginations run wild and fears begin to overwhelm you, discipline will steady your nerves and allow you and your subordinates to deal with the frightening conditions of combat.
Self-Control
Discipline enables your subordinates to maintain control of their emotions during times of extreme stress. When you see a fellow brother suddenly killed and immediately recognize your own peril, your self-control enables you to continue to act.
Obedience
Obedience is when your subordinate responds without question. When all of your subordinates respond to your orders as a team, a sense of unit is created where by every one recognizes that their role is to contribute to something more important than any one individual. An unorganized mob of troops is useless in a crisis. The strength to overcome the extreme crisis of combat is greatly affected by your squad’s ability to response as a team. A squad is capable of dealing with the chaos of combat only insofar as the individual warfighters actions are part of the total squad effort
Esprit de Corps
Characteristics
Esprit de corps is the unit spirit and character of the group, not the individual. It is the common spirit reflected by all members of the unit and provides group solidarity. It implies devotion, loyalty to the unit and all for which it stands, and a deep regard for the unit’s history, traditions, and honor.
Esprit de corps is the unit’s personality and expresses the unit’s will to fight and win in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds. Esprit de corps depends on the satisfaction the members get from belonging to a unit, their attitudes toward other members of the unit, and confidence in their leaders.
Indicators
Listed below are indicators of esprit de corps:
• Expressions from the troops that show enthusiasm for and pride in the unit
• Good unit reputation among other units
• Strong competitive spirit
• Willing participation by the members in unit activities • Pride in the history and traditions of the unit
Ways to Improve Esprit de Corps
Listed below are ways you can improve unit esprit de corps:
• Be the symbol of the fighting spirit you want to develop.
• Start new people off right by ensuring their welcome into and reception by the unit. Train your men as a team.
• Develop the feeling that the company as a team must succeed.
• Instruct them in history and traditions.
• Develop your warriors to the very finest physical condition and train them to perfection in military skills.
• Recognize and publish the achievements of the unit and members--reinforce all successes.
• Use appropriate and proper ceremonies, slogans, and symbols.
• Use competition wisely to develop a team concept; try to win in every competition.
• Employ your unit according to its capabilities. • Use decorations and awards properly.
• Make your men feel that they are invincible, that no power can defeat them, and that the success of the unit and country depends on them and the victory of their unit.
Example
Preparation for Combat
What you need to know to be considered proficient at your job will depend on your billet, rank, and occupation. Generally, there are four areas in which all service personnel can train to prepare for combat. Listed below are those items:
• Friendly capabilities
• Enemy capabilities • Face of combat
• Mental and physical fitness
Friendly Capabilities
This is not limited to knowing yourself and your job. This includes knowing your brothers, equipment, and weapons. Know the techniques of combat (battle drills) and the tactics that are used by a unit of your size.
Enemy Capabilities
Know your enemy’s capabilities, including their troops, weapons, equipment,tactics and techniques to the extent possible.
Face of Combat
The goal of this course is to help you understand the battlefield environment. Although it is not possible to realistically recreate the battlefield in training, you and your unit should learn as much as possible about the actual conditions of combat during training
Mental and Physical Fitness
Combat is both physically and mentally demanding—it is the single biggest challenge that a person can face. Your training should allow for this. There is no “easy” time during combat, and there should be no “easy” time during training.
PART SEVEN (7)
TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN COMBAT
Introduction
This chapter is designed to relate the challenges of building and maintaining a unit that is capable of excelling in combat. You will learn how to better train your troops to control their reactions to combat and successfully face the challenges of combat.
This chapter puts emphasis on how training helps in building and maintaining morale and motivation, discipline and esprit de corps , and the environment for combat.
Building Morale and Motivation
Belief in the Mission
Belief in the mission is the source of morale and motivation. Developing this belief involves not only developing your unit’s confidence that the job must and will be accomplished; it also involves a deeper understanding that their individual sacrifices and efforts are necessary and relevant.
Four Methods of Building Morale and Motivation
The following are four methods of building morale and motivation:
• Instill confidence
• Consider job assignments
• Provide adequate rest, food, and quarters
• Concern with the welfare of your subordinates
These four serve as examples, but they are not the only methods that you can employ.
Instill Confidence
You must maintain a positive attitude while cultivating trust and confidence in your troops. They must have confidence in their:
• Abilities
• Leaders
• Training
• Equipment
Leadership “from the front” is particularly effective. Your subordinates will always respond when they see that you are willing to take the same risks and to demonstrate the proper standards.
Consider Job Assignments
Risks must be shared within a combat unit as much as possible. When making particular assignments remember to:
• Alternate assignments and rotate dangerous duties.
• Resist the urge to rely on any particular singular person or unit.
• Assign missions to your troops that are equal to their knowledge or capabilities i.e., a radio operator must be physically strong enough to handle the load.
Provide Adequate Rest, Food, and Quarters
Fatigue from lack of food and inadequate sleep will erode the morale and motivation of your unit quickly. This can lead to weariness, hunger, and poor judgment. Try to rotate security watches, position your troops in teams of two, three or four, and share rations when necessary. Keep your troops warm, dry, and well rested whenever possible.
Concern With the Welfare of Your Subordinates
Aside from providing food, rest and quarters, you must also be concerned with attention to duty. You must check to see that positions and weapons are properly located, equipment and weapons are maintained, and that you attend to the numerous other details that make a unit combat effective. This requires that you have discipline and develop a habit of training and critiquing so that “lessons learned” do not have to be relearned.
Maintaining Morale and Motivation
Five Methods of Maintaining Morale and Motivation
The following are just five of the many methods used to maintain motivation:
• Establish positive, optimistic, and realistic attitude
• Know your subordinates • Provide a break in the routine
• Keep your subordinates informed
• Tend to administrative matters
Establish Positive, Optimistic, and Realistic Attitude
Your squad will look to you at the most critical times to see how you are reacting to events. It is important that you realize this and maintain your composure whatever the circumstances. Convey to your troops that you are confident any job can be done. It is not necessary to hide reality from them.
Know Your Troops
Your troops should feel comfortable turning to you for help. Always be willing to listen. Be aware of who gets mail, who does not, and what reaction it causes. You should know:
• Who is married
• Who has kids
• How many siblings they have
• What special circumstances they are under
You can never have too much information about your subordinates, however, always respect the confidentiality of your subordinates.
Provide a Break in the Routine
When possible, provide an opportunity for relaxation and recreation. At Con Thien in 1967 during a prolonged period under enemy artillery fire, one unit held a tobacco-spitting contest judging accuracy and range. Everyone participated and some humorous situations resulted. Any type of break (especially humorous) from the constant rigors of combat provides an outlet for frustration, prevents boredom, and stimulates competition and teamwork within your squad.
Keep Your Troops Informed
Include subordinates in the decision-making process whenever possible. You never have all the answers, and some of your troops may have some good ideas. Listening to your troops does not require you to use their ideas, but it will improve their morale to know that you are willing to listening to them.
Tend to Administrative Matter
Combat does not eliminate the various administrative events that impact upon your troop's allotments, pay, and other administrative matters that go awry. Ensure that your subordinates are properly taken care of administratively, especially relative to pay. If administration is fouled up, the individual who is affected may suspect that other things are fouled up as well, and may begin to lose confidence.
Maintaining Discipline
Introduction
Discipline and esprit de corps are the cornerstones of any military. It is essential that you as a leader are able to impart these characteristics to your subordinates.
Five Crucial Elements in Maintaining Discipline
The following are five crucial elements for maintaining both self and unit discipline:
• Health
• Equipment and weapons
• Tactical
• Military courtesy and behavior
• Keep your troops occupied
Health
Check the physical condition of your troops. Health inspections, changes in clothing, hygiene enforcement, and overall personal cleanliness must be continuous. Proper care for cuts, blisters, minor wounds, rashes, or other conditions directly reflect a unit’s level of discipline. A unit’s health discipline or lack of, will affect its ability to fight.
Equipment and Weapons
Continuous concern for proper maintenance is essential. Ensure adequate means exist to properly care for weapons and equipment, and that proper action is being taken. Priority of work should always provide for care of equipment and weapons first, then routine care of human needs.
Tactical
Constantly be concerned with the tactical disposition of your squad. Ensure that your troops do the small things that may sometimes be overlooked. Here are some examples:
• Wear helmets when and where they are required
• Secure tactical jackets and vests
• Carry weapons outboard and in condition one when moving tactically
• Maintain light and noise discipline
• Police trash after eating
Military Courtesy and Behavior
Your subordinates should not lose their military bearing and courtesies just because they are in the field. As their leader, you have certain expectations as to how they should deal with you. The same holds true for your superiors. Combat may not require “spit and polish,” but it does not remove you from the obligation that you have toward your seniors. Discipline is what separates your squad from a mob of armed civilians.
Keep Your Troops Occupied
Much of your time in combat is spent waiting to cross the Line of Departure, in the defense, or for the order. The unknown will hang heavily on your unit unless you are able to focus their attention elsewhere. Weapons cleaning, rehearsals, inspections, classes, sports, or improving positions may come in handy at this point. The busier your troops are, the less opportunity they will have to become fearful.
Building Esprit de Corps
Five Methods of BuildingEsprit de Corp
The following are five methods of building esprit de corps:
• Engage your troops in competition
• Teach and maintain traditions
• Maintain high unit standards
• Demonstrate concern for your troops
• Foster “team” thinking
Engage Your Troops in Competition
Warriors are competitors. Whatever the event or sport, they like to be challenged and they like to win. If you engage your troops in competition against another unit, your troops will band together to overcome the challenge, which will build esprit de corps.
Teach and Maintain Traditions
The traditions that the military teaches you from the day you enter recruit training are extremely important to what the fighting force is today. Examples such as; Belleau Wood, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Chosin Reservoir are representative of numerous places where the Marine Corps has triumphed over adversity. By constantly reemphasizing your unit history and tradition to your troops, you impart to them the esprit de corps of millions of troops who have served before them.
As General John A. Lejeune said in 1921, “the most vital thing is to make the men feel they are invincible, that no power can defeat them, and that the success of their country’s cause depends on the victory of their organization.”
Maintain High Unit Standards
High standards come from teaching your troops, and then consistently correcting them. Negligence on minor details invariably leads to a breakdown of control and discipline.
As LtGen A. S. Collins, Jr. (Retired) writes in the book "Common Sense Training" “In time of war keeping standards up is even more important, because the result of indifference is reflected in the casualty figures.”
Demonstrate Concern for Your Troops
Troops in battle will expect few things of you. Listed below are some critical things that they will expect:
• A clear idea of what is expected from them
• Ammunition
• Water
• Food
• Medical care
• Mail
Always provide for their comfort before your own. When troops realize that you have their interests in mind, their esprit de corps will soar.
Foster “Team” Thinking
As a leader, your squad consists of three fire teams, each with its own personality and capability. During physical training (PT), have your fire teams compete against one another. Then let the losing team do the winner’s afternoon cleanup that day. Whenever possible, have the team function as a unit. As the members learn to rely on each other, they will become more of a team.
PART SEVEN (7)
BUILDING AND MAINTAINING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR COMBAT
Introduction
A major league baseball team would not think of beginning the regular season without first playing several preseason games under actual conditions. Can you expect your troops to go into combat without providing them the same type of realistic training?
This lesson will discuss the need for and means of achieving realistic combat training.
Conditions of Combat
Realism of Actions
Introduce realism into all aspects of your training. Here are some examples of elements of a realistic training exercise:
• Resupply of chow, water, and ammo should all be done tactically
• Movement to and from positions carried out as if the enemy were watching
• Casualties, including the commander, should be assessed
• Cover, concealment, and camouflage should be stressed continuously
• Use multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES) gear whenever possible to demonstrate the importance of fire and movement and defilade
Example
An example of realism of action is written in "Common Sense Training" by LtGen Arthur S. Coffins, Jr., USA (Retired): “General Mahin…emphasized the importance of speed of execution as a unit moved into contact…Resupply of ammunition was often practiced but seldom seen as units hiked down a road at night. The only sounds breaking the stillness would be the crunch of boots on gravel, the swish of fatigues, or a grunt as a pack was shifted. Suddenly a supply point at each side of the road would loom out of the darkness. As each man passed, a bandoleer of ammunition would be swung over his shoulders as he ducked his head. At the same moment he would reach out to take the grenades handed to him and pass full stride down the dark road. I have never seen any training more realistic. No noise, nothing flashy – just professionals at work.”
Realism of Conditions
When you train for combat, the more nearly you can approximate the sights, sounds, and conditions of combat, the better prepared your troops will be when they are in combat for real. Also remember that combat does not stop for rain, snow or dark. Your squad must be able to endure adverse weather conditions.
Live Fire
Live fire, in and of itself, is very productive. It familiarizes your men with their weapons, and teaches them to rely on, and trust, their fellow troops.But what about the ability to identify the sounds of combat? The difference between the sound of incoming and outgoing mortars and artillery? How about the crack of overhead machinegun fire? Is it close enough to be effective fire, or is it passing well overhead? Answers to these questions will prove valuable to our efforts in combat, for noise is one of the most frightening aspects of combat. Obtain enemy weapons and fire them, so that our Marines will be able to tell the difference between our weapons and theirs. Use artillery simulators and smoke pots to familiarize your men with the literal “fog” of war.
Example
An example of realism of condition is illustrated in 'Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller' by Burke Davis
“Bad news only increased the tempo of Puller’s training. He cornered Colonel Pedro Del Balle, the great gunner who commanded the 11th Marines: ‘Colonel, you’ll be starting artillery training next week. I want you to let me know when you’ll fire. I want to get my troops under it as often as I can…’Every day afterward, when the men of 1/7 were in the field and the 11th Marines were firing, shells streamed overhead, until the whoosh of flying metal became as familiar as rifle fire. There were many bursts nearby, but no accidents. Puller’s was the only battalion with such training.”
Realism of Conditions
When you train for combat, the more nearly you can approximate the sights,sounds, and conditions of combat, the better prepared your troops will be when they are in combat for real. Also remember that combat does not stop for rain, snow or dark. Your unit must be able to endure adverse weather conditions.
Knowledge on Both Sides
Knowing Your Enemy
Capabilities of Enemy
Knowledge of the enemy capabilities can contribute to success in combat by diminishing some of the unknowns about the enemy. Listed below are three elements of information about enemy capabilities we want to obtain: • Weapons
• Vehicles
• Tactics
Example
In Stress in Battle, British Army Review, Col Jeapes points out, “If you know that of an AK-47’s burst of fire only the first round or two will pass near you–the weapon kicks upward so badly that any more rounds in a burst will pass well overhead–you will be a little less worried by the noise.”
Knowing Friendly Capabilities
Knowing the weakness of our own (friendly) capabilities is also important to successful combat leadership. Identifying gaps in training, capabilities, and experience can be crucial to formulating a workable plan. Knowledge of your troops and the equipment they carry can be a deciding factor in combat.
Capabilities of Friendly Forces
The following are four elements of information about friendly capabilities that you as a leader should focus on:
• Weapons and equipment
• Tactics and techniques
• Physical fitness
• Mental fitness
Weapons and Equipment
Do all of your troops realize that their rifle is much more accurate firing on semi-automatic than on burst? Perhaps they do, but as a combat leader, ensure that your troops know their weapons inside and out, and the proper procedures for operating their weapons. This knowledge will allow them to employ their weapons to maximum effectiveness. It will also build in them the confidence that, when called upon, their weapons will do the job that they are designed to do.
Tactics and Techniques
Techniques of combat are straightforward. They are things you do by practice through drill and reinforce with experience, such as:
• Shoot a rifle
• Call for fire
• Immediate action
Tactics are an art form. Tactics involves choosing from your “bag” of tricks. As a leader, you are a tactical leader on the battlefield and have to adjust your unit’s actions to:
• Terrain
• Friendly capabilities
• Enemies capabilities
Fitness
Types of Fitness
The two types of fitness that affect warfighters in a combat environment are • Physical
• Mental
Physical Fitness
Combat is physically grueling. The demands made on your unit are going to be extreme and vary with the environment in which you are operating. Routine physical training at home is not going to prepare your troops for the oppressive heat and humidity of Okinawa, or the extreme cold of a Norwegian winter. Demanding, but creative, combat-oriented physical training will serve as a better way of getting your troops into shape.
Mental Fitness
Map exercises, tactical exercises without troops (TEWT’s), and professional reading, all help to prepare you and your troops for decision-making in combat. These forms of training are not exclusive to officers and NCOs. They are ways of practicing war-fighting intelligently, without having to bring your entire squad to the field.