On Combat

[Stewie]

Has anyone here read the book On Combat?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

Was it worth reading?

[1sgkelly]

no, but I did stay in a Holliday Inn last night, and 23 years US Army.

[Stewie]

no, but I did stay in a Holliday Inn last night, and 23 years US Army.

So what the hell is that supposed to mean?

[RBrodowski]

no, but I did stay in a Holliday Inn last night, and 23 years US Army.

Funny stuff.

[jerrymaccauley]

I have read it and consider it " must reading" for all police officers. The psychological implications of deadly force and officer survival are usually overlooked by trainers and officers alike. Until the aftermath, when we deal with the trauma. Even with all of the posturing that O.com members express here, the points made by Grossman are on target. His previous book was "On Killing" and traced the evolution of training soldiers and officers to use deadly force when necessary and survive the physical, psychological and religious conflicts that ultimately surface. Get the book. And no, I don't get a commision.

[Delta784]

Has anyone here read the book On Combat?

Was it worth reading?

Keep in mind it was written by someone who has never been in combat.

[locke1419]

When I was in the academy i was lucky enough go to a seminar he was giving and I recommend every book he has wrote as well.

[jerrymaccauley]

Keep in mind it was written by someone who has never been in combat.

Just to keep it perspective, I have been in combat and didn't understand what I went through either. It was extremely 'on the mark' in my opinion. Don't discredit the research on that basis alone.

[1sgkelly]

So what the hell is that supposed to mean?

Joke, haven't you ever seen the comercials?

[Stewie]

Joke, haven't you ever seen the comercials?

I have not

Also thanks for the comments about the book, its pretty expensive for being paperback so I wanted to know what you guys thought of it.

[jerrymaccauley]

It's about 350-400 pages and if you're a student or an officer, you'll get a lot of research material from it. Personally, I think it's a great investment.

[Delta784]

Just to keep it perspective, I have been in combat and didn't understand what I went through either. It was extremely 'on the mark' in my opinion. Don't discredit the research on that basis alone.

Maybe I'm "old school", but I'm of the belief that you should actually experience something, before you pontificate about it in a book. It's akin to a civilian writing a book called "On Being a Street Cop".

[Magnum314]

Maybe I'm "old school", but I'm of the belief that you should actually experience something, before you pontificate about it in a book. It's akin to a civilian writing a book called "On Being a Street Cop".

Maybe, but if that civilian has poored over thousands of detailed reports, interviews, trained and studied countless scenarios with leading experts and then is intrusted by military leaders and police leaders alike, I'd say he might have a little insight. Just because one has been through combat doesn't mean you know anything either. What kind of combat, under what conditions and what duration could disqualify anyone who hasn't been every particular situation by the above thinking.

Understand, he's not teaching combat tactics. He's teaching psychology, and as a professor of psychology at West Point, I think he's probably qualified to have some input on what's happening in that arena.

So I take it after you read the book you didn't like it? Or maybe when you went to hear him speak you didn't agree with what he had to say? I'm curious as to which it was.

After I heard him speak and read some of his material I believe he was right on the mark for thought preparedness and made me consider things that I may not have.

You are correct, we can learn a lot by our own experiences, but we can also learn much by the experiences of others. He has taken the experiences of many others and compiled the findings together to give a comprehensive overview of the commonalities.

[Delta784]

Maybe, but if that civilian has poored over thousands of detailed reports, interviews, trained and studied countless scenarios with leading experts and then is intrusted by military leaders and police leaders alike, I'd say he might have a little insight.

Very little. Enough to write a book about it? We'll have to disagree there.

[RBrodowski]

I haven't read it, but I've heard its a pretty good book.

You can write a decent book on the subject just by research...but it depends on how your write it. If you say, "This person in this situation did this and felt this and did this to get over doing that..." then I believe its alright. If you turn around and say, "This is what you have to do when that happens..." then you better have some real life experience to back it up.