Command, combat and psychological trauma: Commanders and the psychological protection of soldiers exposed to combat and trauma

This thesis is the first to explore how commanders have or have not psychologically protected soldiers from the trauma of combat. While existing research primarily focuses on the psychological after-effects of combat, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), little attention has been paid to the psychological impact of combat as it actually occurs. This research highlights fear as a factor in a soldiers’ ability to cope on and after the battlefield. Using a Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM), this study interviewed combat veterans of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and therapists who have worked with soldiers to explore the consequences of command failure did to protect soldiers in those combat environments. The thesis proves that the relationship between command and combat produce consequences for the individuals in terms of psychological impact but also influences mission success. A unique data set underpins the voices of those who fought in these wars and suffered at the time and later because of poor command. This augments the literature on Moral Injury but also postulates the need for a new category of understanding.