Psychological Effects of Combat

It is our duty to each soldier

who makes up our armed forces

to know exactly

what price they will pay in the combat situations they face.

Every individual we send to represent us in combat

is worthy of our doing our homework

and consciously deciding that a particular war or 'action' is warranted.

We owe them at least this much.

Here is the first paragraph from the introduction to the Psychological Effects of Combat by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman & Bruce K. Siddle.

An examination of the psychological effects of combat must begin by acknowledging that there are some positive aspects to combat. Throughout recorded history these positive aspects have been emphasized and exaggerated in order to protect the self-image of combatants, to honor the memory of the fallen and rationalize their deaths, to aggrandize and glorify political leaders and military commanders, and to manipulate populations into supporting war and sending their sons to their deaths. But the fact that these positive aspects have been manipulated and exploited does not deny their existence. There is a reason for the powerful attraction of combat over the centuries, and there is no value in going from the dysfunctional extreme of glorifying war to the equally dysfunctional extreme of denying its attraction.

The whole is an excellent read. May they all come home complete.