My personal reaction to being in a warfare situation is something I’ve always wondered about with a kind of morbid fascination. Of course, I like to think I’d turn into some super-soldier that’s really cool under fire, but that comes from Hollywood B.S. I have buried somewhere in my brain.

No matter what sort of person I would turn in the situation, the Psychological First-Aid (a.k.a. “buddy aid”) section of the military field manual is fascinating…

Chapter 8 – First Aid for Psychological Reactions

Introduction
During actual combat, military operations continue around the clock, at a constant pace, and often under severe weather conditions. Terrible things happen in combat. During such periods the soldier’s mental and physical endurance will be pushed to the limit. Psychological first aid will help sustain the soldier’s mental/physical performance during normal activities, and especially during military operations under extremely adverse conditions and in hostile environments.

8-1. Explanation of Term “Psychological First Aid”
Psychological first aid is as natural and reasonable as physical first aid and is just as familiar. When you were hurt as a child, the understanding attitude of your parents did as much as the psychological effect of a bandage or a disinfectant to ease the pain. Later, your disappointment or grief was eased by supportive words from a friend. Certainly, taking a walk and talking things out with a friend are familiar ways of dealing with an emotional crisis. The same natural feelings that make us want to help a person who is injured make us want to give a helping hand to a buddy who is upset. Psychological first aid really means nothing more complicated than assisting people with emotional distress whether it results from physical injury, disease, or excessive stress. Emotional distress is not always as visible as a wound, a broken leg, or a reaction to pain from physical damage. However, overexcitement, severe fear, excessive worry, deep depression, misdirected irritability and anger are signs that stress has reached the point of interfering with effective coping. The more noticeable the symptoms become, the more urgent the need for you to be of help and the more important it is for you to know HOW to help.

8-2. Importance of Psychological First Aid
First aid can be applied to stress reactions of the mind as well as to physical injuries of the body. You must know how to give psychological first aid to be able to help yourself, your buddies, and your unit in order to keep performing the mission. Psychological first aid measures are simple and easy to understand. Improvisation is in order, just as it is in splinting a fracture. Your decision of what to do depends upon your ability to observe the soldier and understand his needs. Time is on your side, and so are the resources of the soldier you are helping. Making the best use of resources requires ingenuity on your part. A stress reaction resulting in poor judgment can cause injury or even death to yourself or others on the battlefield. It can be even more dangerous if other persons are affected by the judgment of an emotionally upset individual. If it is detected early enough, the affected soldier stands a good chance of remaining in his unit as an effective member. If it is not detected early and if the soldier becomes more and more emotionally upset, he may not only be a threat to himself and to others, but he can also severely affect the morale of the unit and jeopardize its mission...

FirstAidAdvice.info – Army FM 21-11 First Aid for Soldiers Ch. 8