Sheepdog Tip of the Day, Before Combat tip 129
In addition to traditional marksmanship, what is being taught ... is the ability to shoot reflexively and instantly and a precise mimicry of the act of killing on the modern battlefield. In behavioral terms, the man shape popping up in the soldier's field of fire is the "conditioned stimulus," the immediate engaging of the target is the "target behavior." "Positive reinforcement" is given in the form of immediate feedback when the target drops if it is hit. In a form of "token economy" these hits are then exchanged for marksmanship badges that usually have some form of privilege or reward (praise, public recognition, three day passes, and so on) associated with them.
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, On Killing
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Additional Resources
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