Deterring Combat Flow and Absorption: The Need for the COMMARFORCOM to Provide Ethics-and Morals-Based Training for Operational Leaders in Order to Deter the Effects of Combat Flow and Absorption on Their Decision-Making
Abstract
The course of time and war demonstrates that combat flow and absorption remain as much a threat to the fitness of a leaders mind as the enemy. From the Vietnam War through the War in Iraq, ethical and moral dilemmas concerning the treatment of the defenseless continue to plague combat leaders. Combat flow and combat absorption are interrelated physical and mental states that develop within a leader in a combat environment. Combat flow is a physical state in which a leader is fully engaged in the present combat moment. Combat absorption is the mental effect resulting from combat flow. The Commander, Marine Forces Command (COMMARFORCOM), needs to include ethics- and morals-based training as a core function in pre-deployment training and continue to use as a core function in an operational campaign to deter the effects of combat flow and absorption on leaders decision-making in a combat environment. It is recommended that psychologists be employed as operational advisors to the subordinate commanders in a non-combatant status and call them Behavioral Science Advisor Teams (BSAT). The BSATs will be responsible for ethics- and morals-based training for operational leaders in order to deter the effects of combat flow and absorption on their decision-making.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 29, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1087313
Entities
People
- Beth-anne Canero
Organizations
- Naval War College