The Human Element in Combat

Abstract

The dominancy in combat depends on several factors including objectives, strategies, weapons and materials, technology, numbers of soldiers, and of course, the human element. More specifically, cohesion, e.g. interpersonal bond of an organization in order to sustain their will and commitment to each other, their unit, and the mission, plays a major role in this regard. Importantly, defining the objectives and purposes of the battle, appropriate and timely logistic support, structural organization with regard to individual characteristics, and leadership would influence military cohesion. Furthermore, motivation and control, surveillance and conformity, commonality of values and societal factors play important role on the small unit cohesion. However, civic education is most effective in the soldiers’ contribution and resistance within and after a battle. Then commanders and leaders construct the bases of cohesion in their unit by assessing the individual psychological state, societal condition, and spiritual characteristics to obtain success during a confrontation. In this literature review, several psychological aspects of cohesion are outlined. JAMM International expects receiving expert opinions from military systems in respect of their own cultural and organization characteristics, and requirements for a discussion. Keywords: Combat Disorders; Psychology; Military Medicine; Cohesion