The 4 phases of soldiers in combat

[sapper]

Gentleman,

During my overseas escapades I have come up with a theory that I would like to submit for your perusal. It would be interesting to find out if there are similar experiences. Or better yet, if there is additions to this very general overview of the things that happen to soldiers under fire.

Phase I: Personal protection. During initial contact the soldier is not dealing with the adrenaline and heightened state of awareness. He generally will seek immediate, and not always rational, cover to hide from the threat. His primary concern is his personal safety. He rarely see's the enemy during the fire fight.

Phase II: He learns to better deal with the adrenaline and heightened state of awareness. He will be thinking ahead of the game, expecting contact and knows what he is going to do when it happens. The problem here is that he sometimes makes a visual on one of the enemy during the fire fight and makes it his personal objective to kill that one enemy. He will sometimes expose himself to get that one enemy and forget the enemy also brought friends.

Phase III: He has become accustomed the adrenaline and heightened state of awareness. He can tell what the enemy is trying to do from where the enemy is firing from, with what weapon system. Because he knows the terrain and the afore mentioned information he can maneuver against the contact and becomes a very effective tool during contact. Contact becomes less personal.

Phase IV: He can predict and maybe even sense contact and quickly gets the jump on the situation. He has mastered his adrenaline and heightened state of awareness and contact becomes almost business like.

[Pete S]

You need to read "On Combat" and "On Killing," both by Dave Grossman.

[sapper]

I have read both.

[The Reaper]

Sounds a lot like Grossman's thories, as well as SLA Marshall.

Do some searching, you will find that others have proposed this sort of progression.

TR