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Developing the warrior spirit in soldiers is vital to the Army as we move into the 21st century. This is one of the objectives during the Benning phase of the Ranger Course.
What do I mean by the term "warrior spirit"? Above all, it is a state of mind. A soldier with the warrior spirit thinks aggressively, always seeking ways to close with and defeat the enemy. He is confident that he is tough enough to meet the enemy on any level. He is less concerned for his personal safety and more concerned with inflicting as much pain as possible on the enemy. In training, this soldier focuses completely on ways to improve his unit's ability to fight. He draws his satisfaction from continually developing his fighting prowess. He takes it personally when he loses in training because he knows it is unacceptable to lose in combat. In sum, the warrior spirit drives a soldier to fight and win, or die trying.
Although this is a personal definition, it is close to the doctrinal definition of the "warrior ethos" found in the newest update of Field Manual 22-100, Leadership:
The will to win with honor. Despite a thinking enemy, despite adverse conditions, you accomplish your mission. You express your character-the BE of BE, KNOW, DO-when you and your people confront a difficult mission and persevere. The warrior ethos is the will to meet mission demands, no matter what, the drive to get the job done whatever the cost.
In recent years, the focus within the Army has been on technological advances and skills (particularly in relation to its plans for Force XXI and Army After Next). But these advances have brought about a decline in the development of the warrior spirit. The many peacekeeping deployments-with the necessary emphasis on following strict rules of engagement and preventing the outbreak of hostilities-have further contributed to the weakening of the warrior spirit.
This decline in the warrior spirit is hard to measure objectively outside of combat. Part of my analysis comes from personal observations during nine years in infantry units. It is also based on the consensus of the combat arms officers and noncommissioned officers I have talked to on the subject. One objective measure is that most...