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Personal violence in infantry combat.

J Yager

    Archives of General Psychiatry
    |February 1, 1975
    PubMed
    Summary

    Soldiers who engaged in unnecessary close-range violence in Vietnam, termed personal violence, were more likely to have prior arrests and volunteered for service. These acts stemmed from a complex interplay of individual, group, and situational factors.

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    Area of Science:

    • Psychiatry
    • Military Psychology
    • Combat Behavior

    Background:

    • Combat in Vietnam led to psychiatric examinations for soldiers who had killed.
    • The study investigated 'personal violence'—unnecessary close-range acts against persons during combat.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To examine the characteristics of soldiers involved in personal violence during the Vietnam War.
    • To identify precombat factors differentiating participants from nonparticipants in personal violence.

    Main Methods:

    • Surveyed 31 soldiers with combat killings and psychiatric evaluations regarding personal violence.
    • Compared soldiers who participated in or witnessed personal violence with those who did not.

    Main Results:

    • Fourteen soldiers reported engaging in personal violence; nine witnessed it.
    • Participants in personal violence were more likely to have volunteered for Vietnam service and reported higher numbers of killings (four or more).
    • Participants showed distinct precombat variable profiles compared to nonparticipants.

    Conclusions:

    • Personal violence in combat is influenced by individual, group, and situational factors.
    • Precombat history, including arrests and volunteer status, differentiated soldiers involved in personal violence.

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