Sheepdog Tip of the Day, After Combat tip 13
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the warriors who respond with guilt and nausea when they kill in combat. There is also nothing wrong with the warriors who are psychologically prepared to kill and do not experience such powerful emotions. But if you had the option, which would you choose? It is largely a 20th Century affectation, a modern, self-inflicted psychic wound, to believe that you will be mentally destroyed or emotionally harmed by the act of killing during lawful combat. I am convinced, based on interviews with hundreds of men and women who have had to kill, that if you tell yourself that killing will be an earth-shattering, traumatic event, then it probably will be. But if you do the rationalization and acceptance ahead of time, if you prepare yourself and immerse yourself in the lore and spirit of mature warriors past and present, then the lawful, legitimate use of deadly force does not have to be a self-destructive or traumatic event.
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, On Combat
Sheepdog Tip of the Day services:
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Other killology services:
Bullet Proof Mind for the Armed Citizen Seminar
The Killology web site
Additional Resources
For PTSD, Shepherd Resource Group.