Commando Psychology

This was forwarded to the Chapter attributing the following as a quote from a book titled "Term Limits" by Vince Flynn. Although we refer to ourselves as "Green Berets" or "Special Forces soldiers", others just think of us with the generic and in-correct term "Commando". Ask yourself how many times you have heard on the television or radio that "so and so, some celebrity" died and you think out loud "So? who gives a rat's ass?" then someone in hearing distance will ask you "You don't like so and so? He/She was a famous person!" So you have to clarify: "He/she represented values diametrically opposed to mine. The world is better off with that oxygen stealing scum bag pushing up daisies."

The men we recruit to become Special Forces COMMANDOS are a unique breed. Dr. Mcfarland, would you please give our guests the psychological profile of the average commando." The doctor started to speak with clinical neutrality.

"The typical COMMANDO is a man with an above average to high IQ who is extremely fit. He is a man who on the surface seems hard, callous, and emotionally indifferent. In truth, he is an extremely emotional and compassionate person. He is often obsessed with winning. He hates to lose, but is rarely willing to cheat or lie to win. He holds himself to a very high standard of honor and integrity and despises people who lie and lack character. He would, without thought or hesitation, give his life to save the life of a fellow commando. His biggest fear is that he will have wasted his life by not pushing himself hard enough."

"He despises people who live their lives unjustly. He dislikes politicians and bureaucrats and displays an open animosity towards them. He is trained to kill in a lethal and efficient manner and, over time, comes to accept it as a just and reasonable way to solve a problem. If you can convince him that a person is bad enough, he will pull the trigger with a clear conscience. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but for the most part this is the norm."

General Heaney let his arm drop down on the table. "I have been involved in the Special Forces for over thirty years, and I couldn't begin to count how many times I've heard one of my fellow commandos say that they would love to kill this Congressman or that Senator. You see, we are not only taught how to kill, but for our own sanity, we are taught to look at killing as a justifiable action in a world where there are good and bad people, where the bad people are not supposed to win. "Think for a minute about what we ask a commando to do. We send them to do some very ugly things, and we tell them they are doing it to protect the United States of America. As commandos, we rationalize that we are ridding the world of a bad person, that we are protecting America."