Aggression

S

StevenPreece

Active member
Aggression is a tool that is instilled into us in basic training. It is ruthless at the highest level and needs to be controlled. Hence the saying controlled aggression.

However, that said, its a dangerous thing when it overspills amongst the ranks and beyond. At times it can be like playing with fire.

Inevitably this does happen from time to time.

Back in the 80's when I served in the marines I had problems controlling the aggressive fire that burned inside me. It took me some 13 years after leaving the service to calm the storm. I did this through martial Arts.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to incorporate various martial arts into basic training? What do you think?

Steve
 
well.move out from under the rock, they already do incorporate it.
i.e. "Semper Fu" in the Marines.
and im sure that the army has one.
 
FULLMETALJACKET said:
well.move out from under the rock, they already do incorporate it.
i.e. "Semper Fu" in the Marines.
and im sure that the army has one.
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Check StevenPreece's profile he was in the British Royal Marines, not the USMC (Uncle Sams Misguided Children).
 
Guys, I am a former Royal Marine.

Inevitably we were taught Ju Jitsu, but not to blackbelt level. I boxed and I was as violent as they came.

After I left the marines I still had the beligerant mentality I personally developed as a marine and found it hard to control the aggression on civvy street. Eventually it was Aikido and more so Ninjutsu that calmed the fire that burned inside me for so long. These are powerful arts without aggression. They taught me how to control my aggression and in truth how to stop venting it on others.

Regards

Steven Preece
Ex Marine, Boxer, Blackbelt in Ninjutsu and Author

Also: Rndsafe: Sorry for any book plugs, but my life is in there and it is difficult not to refer to them.
 
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This may sound odd but the training in aggression while I was in forces gave me an air of self confidence. I could walk up to a problem and quitely and cofidently take it over, with a mixture of humour and the self confidence.
 
LeEnfield said:
This may sound odd but the training in aggression while I was in forces gave me an air of self confidence. I could walk up to a problem and quitely and cofidently take it over, with a mixture of humour and the self confidence.
Click to expand...
So could I, but when I was P*ssed I was dangerous.

Steve
 
I was aggressive before I joined.
I am assigned to a bullsh1t unit that doesn't have room for aggression. Sucks.
 
By the time I came out of the forces I had seen enough to know just what could happen if you did not keep a lid on it. I was in job where i had to deal all levels of the public and i found that just your bearing could do most of your work for you. To change the subject slightly I will bring in another topic. One of the members of staff we had was always getting assaulted by public. We put all sorts of plain clothes officials around to monitor just what went on around him and none of them could ever find fault in the way he did his job and a couple where even there when he got assaulted. Now it brings up the question can we smell fear on a person even if we don't know it and it is that that makes some people react in this way. Now I had a German shepherd dog that could smell fear on a person from about 100 yards and she then went into an aggressive mode, now do we still have this ourselves I wonder.
 
It is a deep story wolf. I really did find the transition from being a marine to turning into a civilian very difficult. When we walk out of the main gate for the last time, on paper we are civilians, but mentally nothing has changed and we are still marines. Some may find the transition easy, but for others, including me, it can be extremely difficult. I think writing about it, really helped me to cope with it.

Al the very best

Steven Preece
Author of
Amongst The Marines and Always A Marine
 
True, you learn aggression.
If the training is balanced you should also learn the tools to suppress said aggression when needed.

Ofcourse you will have som problems with the transition from frontline soldier to civvie life.
Nothing strange with that.
Infact I´d be very surprised if you didn´t experience some sort of difficulties.
It´s all up to the man walking out those gates.

//KJ.
 
This is lifted almost verbatim from my Navy Personnel Management course notes. (Psychology)

There are three common types of aggression.

The type of poorly controlled aggression we seem to be discussing here is most often the result of deep seated fear within the aggressor. It's the old "I thought he was going to hit me, so I hit him first" syndrome.

The other less common type of aggression is seen in those who suffer from anti social personality disorder (Sociopaths). This is not a learned trait, but a psychological disorder and should be dealt with by the appropriate civil mental health services.

The third type is most often seen in the services e.g. the big nasty DI. This not a true form of aggression but a "game" employed as a training aid, (Controlled aggression). It is vitally important that persons employed in training positions are carefully screened to ensure that they display no characteristics of the sociopathic aggressor.

Persons showing signs of sociopathic aggression should be referred for psychological assessment and undergo counselling. If found to be sociopathic, they should b recommended for dismissal on psychological grounds.
 
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I have met many of those big nasty DI after my service and a nicer bunch of blokes you couldn't wish to meet. Now it is just as well that I never shot any of the buggers as at times i was sorely tempted
 
Senojekips hit it on the money; there is a drill sergeant unit that shares the same office building as mine and they are very courteous and a hoot to be around, but step out of line and kiss your butt goodbye. For some reason they love messing around with new LTs...
 
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