[lit-ideas] Re: In the Name of Efficiency [was: Punitive Expeditions, Helm's World, Psychotic Expeditions, Pasifistic Expeditons, Experience War, Who are you calling crazy?, Honor: A History, etc.]

  • From: David Ritchie <ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 18:38:10 -0700


On May 9, 2006, at 5:08 PM, Judith Evans wrote:

I don't know how far the "boot camp" notion extends to all
military practice but do know that (e.g.) the Royal Scots Dragoon
Guards have a tremendous "family" and "brother" feel, that all
the officers who'd left in the year prior to Desert Storm 'phoned
up to ask if they were needed *even though they did not want to
go and fight in that war*. But I would not describe their
attitude as


LH> They are taught that civilians barely have sense enough to
get
LH>out of each other's way. We are taught not worry about the
LH>dumb things they say and do

but then -- as I suggest in my reply to you -- perhaps they don't
quite have "boot camp". Training does vary between regiments and
types of soldier. Regiments differ.


I agree that there are differences, but British training does aim at breaking down civilian identity, see for example:

http://www.pipss.org/document46.html

<x-tad-bigger>"Essentially, basic training takes the civilian identity of each individual, breaks it down under constant pressure and rebuilds it as a soldier. It is a time of unique psychological vulnerability, especially for adolescent men and women whose personalities are still forming. NCO instructors have a crucial role in this process, reinforcing behaviour that confirms individuals’ new identities as soldiers and condemning that which does not."

Perhaps the point you are making is that it is important that our countries train military folk who are not hostile towards civilians? But surely you would agree that some stereotyping and hostility are psychologically likely outcomes of this training; young people have passed through a liminal experience, now think themselves improved, look back on their old selves as lesser beings? Eventually, they mature.

One of my memories may be worth recounting. At the end of a highland games there was a tug of war between the Abbotsford police team--the champions, from Canada-- and a team of U.S. Marines. Abbotsford won easily, a matter of technique. Then came THE moment. Abbortsford's women's team challenged the Marines. They also won. Again a matter of technique. The Marines went into a frenzy of punitive push ups. And then they got up and shook hands and acted like good sports. This must have been hard. The point is that the way Marines are sometimes characterized--sometimes leading with the outside, rather than the inside, of the head--is quite unjust. They assessed the situation, did their best, behaved with great civility.

On the outside and the inside of the head, you might find the end of this interesting:

http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/sasgene.htm

David Ritchie,
Portland, Oregon

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