Creating a bulletproof mindset

  • Published
  • By Patrick Ruth
  • 711th Human Performance Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Members from Team Wright-Patterson gathered inside AFIT's Kenney Hall to get a glimpse inside the mindset of Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dave Grossman, a former West Point Psychology Professor, Airborne Ranger infantry officer and paratrooper. Lt. Col. Grossman, director of the Warrior Science Group, an organization centered on the understanding of killing in war and its psychological costs, spoke to Airmen on the need to prepare your mind for combat and not just your body.

"I always tell our warriors to believe in who they are and believe in what they do," he said. "They must also know that their cause is just, and their sacrifices were for a noble and worthy purpose. I've spoken to some of the Army's Wounded Warrior Battalions, and when I told them that, they began to weep. Nobody ever had the moral courage to tell them that. Understanding this is the foundation of resiliency and living with what we as warriors have to do."

He urged those in attendance to get rid of the macho man image so ingrained in our military for generations, and to seek help after being exposed to a traumatic event. "John Wayne was the ultimate macho man," said Grossman. "He could take on the entire Japanese army on Monday and the North Vietnamese Army on Tuesday, but I have a secret for you. John Wayne was an actor."

"We've got to create an environment in which it is OK for them to get help that they need," Lt. Col. Grossman said during his presentation that he also gives to law enforcement agencies and medical associations around the world. His message strongly emphasized the significance of reaffirming the importance of their work, whether they are police officers, medics or warriors.

He also warned against the negative affect the media and other external sources have on the minds of military personnel and what they can do to "bulletproof" their minds. "The media wants you to throw a pity party for yourself," Grossman said. "If you've been told for a lifetime that combat will destroy you, then it will. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy." He went on to say to "never judge yourself by your worst day. Take pride in your good days and seek help when you need it."

In trying to find a healthy balance between throwing a pity party and living as a macho man, one thing that all Airmen have to deal with is stress. Grossman explained that, while stress may appear harmful, it is not necessarily a bad thing. Stress can come from a person's family, job, health and from combat, but the truth is that dealing with these stressors everyday will make us stronger. It is only when we pretend that these stressors do not exist that we put ourselves in danger.

According to Grossman, the main factors that affect our ability to deal with any post-traumatic stress issues are forewarning and cognitive therapy. "Forewarned means forearmed," Grossman said. "If you've been warned that things will happen, they won't blindside you."

Grossman gave some specific examples about people he knows who have experienced a traumatic event in the line of duty and later had flashbacks or episodes that were triggered by sounds or dreams. In the actual event, these people experienced tunnel vision, memory gaps (blackouts), memory distortions (which could sometimes even meet the definition of hallucination), slow-motion time and a host of other extraordinary symptoms. Afterward, they might re-experience the event, with all emotional intensity that they felt the first time. The people who were best able to deal with these episodes were the ones who had been told that such things are normal and to expect them to happen.

A useful tool for the audience was the breathing exercise demonstrated by Lt. Col. Grossman that helps people control their emotions and keep themselves calm. The technique is called square breathing and it involves breathing in through one's nose for four counts, holding for four counts, expelling the air through one's mouth for four counts and holding for four counts. According to Grossman, doctors teach this breathing technique to children as a way to help them control their temper. The doctors tell the children to breathe in as if they are smelling a flower and to breathe out as if they are blowing out a candle.

Colonel Grossman highlighted the warrior spirit that makes up the Armed Forces especially as they are faced with fighting a war on two fronts. He concluded by saying how warriors protect the lives of people they do not know not only because it's their job, but because they do it out of love. "For most of us, the ultimate manifestation of love is not to sacrifice one's own life, but to lead a life of sacrifice," he said. "This war, at this point, is being fought by 100 percent wartime volunteers. Every person raised their right arm to fight in a time of war. This is the greatest group of patriots since the American Revolution."

The lecture was part of the 711th Human Performance Wing's Warfighter Lecture Series, which is designed to bring warfighter issues to the forefront and assimilate the mission of the lab to that of the end user. Lt. Col. Grossman is the author of "On Killing," which was nominated for a Pulitzer Price; is on the U.S. Marine Corps Commandant's required reading list; and is required reading at the FBI Academy.