Warriors in combat – what makes people actively fight in combat?

Abstract

This article discusses what it is that makes some soldiers overcome the challenges and suffering of combat to such an extent as to master rather than being overcome by it. It adds insights to the combat motivation literature emphasising the properties of combat while presenting a theoretical definition of the difference between soldiers and warriors. The implications of the existence of warriors for organising, recruitment, selection, motivation, leadership and training, equality, cost and employment are discussed, and it is found that there are two basic ways of organising warriors, the most prevalent being into Special Operations Forces. The paper concludes with reflections on the circumstances in which even warriors refuse to fight.