Sorry it’s been a while since
my last post I have been busy researching, teaching and training. Hopefully I
can get my butt in gear and make more frequent posts in the near future.
In today’s post I would like
to endorse a few books that I have read which are written by world renowned psychologists’
and author Lt. Col. Dave Grossman on the topic of the psychology of killing and
combat.
I am a firm believer that
combat is 90% mental and only 10% physical. Most people who fail to recognize
this fail when it comes to protecting themselves or loved ones.
The person who has not mentally
trained themselves to harm or take another persons life will not be able to
when crap hits the fan, it’s that simple.
This has been well documented
throughout history during the war, and with law enforcement personnel who
hesitate firing there weapons when they are legally justified to.
There have been some great
advancement’s in the last decade when it comes to training law enforcement and
military personnel with combat psychology training.
As for training civilians in
the psychological aspect of combat many trainers still lag in this area or have
the naive idea that physical tactics alone will get the job done.
Many trainers as well believe
that you cannot mentally prepare or train someone to harm or kill another. This
can be proven false by just looking at the new training procedures which have
been implemented by law enforcement, FBI and military agencies within the last
decade and how it has increased kill ratio stats.
Regardless of where you stand
on the subject I would like you to give these few books a try. Now before I
give you the links for these let me explain that I do not endorse anyone that I
don’t believe in. I have personally read these books and have found that they
have a wealth of information inside them. In my personal and humble opinion I
believe they should be in everyone’s personal protection library.
I have also used these books
as reference guides in my “How To Control Fear Special Report” which you can
purchase at http://tactselfdefense.com/tact-fear-management/
for only $7
Click on the links and
you will be directed to Amazon.
Mental toughness is essential
for elite human performance and especially in high stress situations. While
mental toughness is a singular value in both military and law enforcement
training and missions, too often, there is a disconnect between talking about
and actually training it. Warrior Mindset defines mental toughness and
describes its critical need and function in the face of the performance
degrading effects of combat, mission or response stress. Warrior Mindset provides
the psychological skills that comprise mental toughness to optimize
performance, success, safety and survival in the field.
The good news is that most
soldiers are loath to kill. But armies have developed sophisticated ways of
overcoming this instinctive aversion. And contemporary civilian society,
particularly the media, replicates the army's conditioning techniques, and,
according to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman's thesis, is responsible for our rising
rate of murder among the young.
Upon its initial publication, ON KILLING was hailed as a landmark study of the techniques the military uses to overcome the powerful reluctance to kill, of how killing affects soldiers, and of the societal implications of escalating violence. Now, Grossman has updated this classic work to include information on 21st-century military conflicts, recent trends in crime, suicide bombings, school shootings, and more. The result is a work certain to be relevant and important for decades to come.
Upon its initial publication, ON KILLING was hailed as a landmark study of the techniques the military uses to overcome the powerful reluctance to kill, of how killing affects soldiers, and of the societal implications of escalating violence. Now, Grossman has updated this classic work to include information on 21st-century military conflicts, recent trends in crime, suicide bombings, school shootings, and more. The result is a work certain to be relevant and important for decades to come.
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 afterwards 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, not
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 ploughs 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.
Remember There’s No Such
Thing As A Dirty Fighter Only An Educated One.
Norm Bettencourt
