The individual at war and a short reflection on OODA loops. (Letters 7.2)

Although I found @ty-ty's (Letters 7.0) an insightful and very deep exploration of the usage of the OODA loop model (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act), I need to assert that it is a very simple, maybe the simplest model of decision of them all and, it is its simplicity that makes for it's strength when time is short or conditions are stressfull and there need not be a human adversary involved. Although the creation of this model is attributed to a military man. it is in no way exclusive to military application. Although it was, in its origin an approach for fast decision making while in air combat, since it's inception during the Second World War, this decision model has been explored in all areas of human activity that require decision making.

( Image: marinha.pt )

After reading, re-reading. thinking and re-thinking about @jeff-kubitz extensive comentary to the same (Letters 7.0), in (Letters 7.1), I am forced to go into a derivation that does not directly relate to the matter at hand, so I can then reenter the discussion of what constitutes perception and consciousness.

One does find that in epistemology of the military and martial that thought is not what keeps one alive or worse, injured, as reaction. The removal of conscious thoughts and a pure switch to automatic and more powerful, faster subconscious is a guarantor of surety to success. The observation that the subconscious left do what wants, or calculates to be the choice in a situation, notably self preservation could be distilled directly contact and interaction of the soul.

I am forced to strongly disagree with this view, and to find it based upon popular beliefs induced by the movie industry. There is no such thing as the removal of conscious thoughts while in war and that is the reason for the existence of Shell Shock, Combat Fatigue, PTSD, call it whatever eufemism you want. I would also like to point out that, if you go brain dead into military combat, you will come out very much dead.

The part the subconscious plays in any form of combat, let's change the theme to Judo or basketball, for example, because I don't much like the former, is related to conditioned reflexes that you acquire by constantly training the same coordinated actions over and over again, either individually, or as a team. Having said this, and implying that unconditioned reflexes always play a part, you should never face an opponent if you are not in the full use of your perceptual and decision making abilities. Even though there are pharmaceutical products that enhance these capacities, that are considered doping in sports and stimulants in a war setting, it's important to observe what happens to someone in it's natural, not chemically enhanced state when put under intense, life threatening, or, life changing, stress.

Biology describes that, at high levels of stress, our body is flooded with natural endorphines and, most importantly, adrenaline. Whatever the physical and chemical process, considerations about fight or flight, or whatever mambo-jambo psychology says happens, what you feel are four effects that you don't observe in your regular, everyday life. The first is increased sensual perception: you hear better, smell previously unnoticed smells, you feel what happens behind your back through your skin, and you get a power up to your physical strength, feeling less pain; the second is, your point of view tends to change and you can see things from outside yourself, usually from above, and you see better, too; the third is time dilation, as everything starts to flow in slow motion; and the fourth, that is what matters most for my point, you rationalize everything, think faster and, if well trained, you take better decisions.

I can assure you that nobody wants disconnected dimwits in war, as they are most likely to get themselves suicided by stupidity. Saying anything to the contrary would be to deny centuries of exploration of the best way to select the best soldiers and officers, and that, is always a measure of their capacity to handle decisions in a mature, balanced and cold manner. From your post, I also must deduce you have never been put into a split second decision situation in the very end of a basketball game, nor to a really life threatening situation, and that, makes me very happy for you, as statistics say you live longer if you undergo less stress during your life. To be able to take good decisions in a tight spot, is fundamental.

Now... Let´s change to some happier subjects. :)

@hefestus 08.03.25