Training To Give Your Life

[Big T]

  I'm not sure where I should have posted this, so hopefully this will do?! Also not sure if this has been talked about already (most likely has) but I could not find anything!...
 
  I remember a scene in "Fahrenheit 911" ( at least I think it was this film ) where there was a soldier home from overseas who suffered from some sort of depression and how he has been mentally harmed through his experiences.  He continued to mention how, while training to deploy over seas, they were trained to give up there lives almost carelessly, in other words, to die without fear?! and I found myself wondering, does this actually happen? Does anyone know from experience if there is any sort or preperation for dieing before being deployed overseas to fight?

(Does anyone else recall this? was this from the "Fahrenheit 911" movie?)

 

[Kat Stevens]

If you're asking if there's some form of brainwashing going on, the answer is no.  When you join, hopefully, you have already thought long and hard about the prospect of dieing in combat, and are ready to accept that possibility.

 

[48Highlander]

Don't listen to him.  The truth is, the CIA shows up during week 2 of basic training to zap you with their mind control rays.  That's also how you learn to march in step, bayonette babies, and napalm women and children.  Just ask Michael Moore, he'll tell you all about it.

 

[Big T]

Thank you for your mature response 48Highlander! Much appreciated! (Jerk)

I asked the question because the soldier that was suggesting this had happened, I was lead to believe was a REAL SOLDIER! with REAL EXPERIENCES! and REAL TRAUMA! so I asked the question because maybe there is such a thing as to be PREPARED for death?! Much like Kat Stevens had suggested! but in some sort of councilling or something for the soldiers?

I would appreciate it if you have nothing nice to say, then not to say anything at all! it does nothing to answer the question... Thank You

 

[48Highlander]

I would appreciate it if you'd stay away from the Michael Moore school of combat and politics.  Quoting Farhenheit 9/11 as your resource is generaly not a good idea around here.

Also, we generaly appreciate it when people think for themselves.  Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.

Cheers!

 

[Big T]

Didn't realize it was a stupid question I guess?

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Play nice children..............

 

[48Highlander]

Didn't realize it was a stupid question I guess?

Good enough.  I'm a sarcastic bastard most of the time, don't take it personaly.  The answer to your question is like Kat said, no, we don't get brainwashed to "kill people more easily" or to "throw our lives away carelessly" or to "die without fear".  Fear is a survival response, I wouldn't want to lose mine.

 

[Big T]

Thank You

 

[HollywoodHitman]

Oh God.

Do a search on here for "tinfoil hat"

Thank you,

COME AGAIN!

 

[Sub_Guy]

You can't train for that, it comes from within.  Either you have it  or you don't.  There are those who are willing to sacrafice everything they have and hopefully most of the CF feels this way.  Then there are those who don't give a damn, and take everything we have for granted, not realizing that everything they have,  is the result of someone sacraficing everything they had.   

 

[sironisix]

anyone who joined the army volunteered. most people who go on operations volunteered. its more than a job its a service of your country your regiment your platoon your section your fireteam buddy next to you. i will like to be there for them as i will like them to be there for me covering my back.

 

[HollywoodHitman]

Agreed as far as the volunteering thing goes. Thats the beauty of a professional army. Ours maybe small, but for the most part we all have a sense of duty, and will do what it takes to get the job done.

That being said, I don't know why anyone gets up in the morning and decides "I'm going to throw myself on a grenade today, so my buddies will know how much I care".......The sacrifice comes in a split second, without intent or thinking about it.......It just happens. Thats why many bravery awards are posthumous. There is a fine line between brave and foolish, but then there is also an instinctive reaction to a situation. If everyone does their job............Know what I mean? For every act of bravery that goes noticed in war, there are hundreds of actions every day, done by people who do not get recognized.

The time to hop on hand grenades is when you're young, and out with your buddies in the bar......Not in combat.

Cheers

 

[Donut]

There is an element of psychological conditioning in most military training, if you search this forum for LCol Dave Grossman, you'll find extensive discussion of his theories.

It's not so much "trained to give up there lives almost carelessly," as to make sure you kill competently and automatically.

DF

 

[axeman]

My drills shall be bloodless battles and my battles shall be bloody drills
is a quote fromsomeone bonaparte or some such .. its just mindless repition that lets you overcome your fears . you just get so into the rote training first goes the powder then the ball then .... and so forth then you just keep doing it ...

 

[GO!!!]

Also, keep in mind that Michael Moore is a master manipulator, and can misrepresent facts in such twisted ways that you forget what the original question was.

If you are into the whole Michael Moore docu-drama thing, go rent "Farenhype 9-11" which is basically a right of center rebuttal to Moore's largely ficticious drama of similar title.

Hope this helps

 

[Spr.Earl]

If you're asking if there's some form of brainwashing going on, the answer is no.   When you join, hopefully, you have already thought long and hard about the prospect of dieing in combat, and are ready to accept that possibility.

Got that right Kat.

 

[ghazise]

I remember that part of Farenheit 9-11, the young soldier was raised in Oregon (hippy country) by his feminist mother, with no male influence growing up, and I don't think he ever made it out of boot-camp, (I only saw the movie once in the theatre).  And his motivation for enlisting was to prove that he was a man, and he was absolutely appalled by the cadences of killing people. 
Ultimately soldiers and Marines are paid to put rounds down range, and those rounds are to kill.  And recruits need to be indoctrinated somehow,

 

[Big T]

 Hey all, I just wanted to post to say that I am not ignorant in the fact that when you sign up, you should already be in the right state of mind about the CF.  You should already be FOR the cause.. etc... I just feel that everyone has taken what I have posted all wrong! I now know it was a dumb question, but I only asked the question because of how odd I found it. If I truly believed this WAS happening, then I would not have posted the question at all.

 

[Big T]

There is an element of psychological conditioning in most military training, if you search this forum for LCol Dave Grossman, you'll find extensive discussion of his theories.

It's not so much "trained to give up there lives almost carelessly," as to make sure you kill competently and automatically.

DF

That sounds more realistic, thanks ParaMedTech