Unarmed and Dangerous: The Holistic Preparation of Soldiers for Combat

Abstract

Within the U.S. military, incidents of suicide and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) continue to escalate unabated despite efforts to provide reactive, posttrauma treatment. A new focus on proactive, preemptive physical, mental, and moral/ethical training is required prior to combat. Methods pioneered and validated in the early 1990s are available and are ready for implementation, but the military must use a holistic, focused strategy to do so.