Aggression

[StevenPeece]

Aggression is a tool that is instilled into us in basic training. It is ruthless at the highest level and needs to be controlled. Hence the saying controlled aggression.

However, that said, its a dangerous thing when it overspills amongst the ranks and beyond. At times it can be like playing with fire.

Inevitably this does happen from time to time.

Back in the 80's when I served in the marines I had problems controlling the aggressive fire that burned inside me. I wrote about this in Amongst The Marines.  It took me some 13 years after leaving the service to calm the storm. I did this through martial Arts and wrote about it in my second book.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to incorporate various martial arts into basic training? What do you think?

Steve

 

[Slim]

First and foremost I would say that there generally isn't time to have an in-depth study of the martial arts during basic. If you do study MA then you know that to achieve what you are refering to takes many years of study and discipline to achieve. basic is normally 10 weeks.

Sound like enough time to you?

 

[StevenPeece]

Slim, you're right.  It took me 4 years to make blackbelt. 

10 weeks isn't enough.  It would have to be ongoing.  I guess cost would have a lot to do with it too.

It was just an idea.


Steve

 

[geo]

valuable idea
an idea that should be built upon - MA is, in part, philosophy based.
Might not be very easy to get the young u'ns to stop and listen to the theory that's under the hood but, over a career, all bases can be covered.

 

[Guy. E]

I find/ think the thing about general aggression, is that it is as complex as the person who has it. You for example found how to resolve your 'problem' by studting a discipline of MA. Personally, I find the best ways to over come what ever.. aggressive or other mood i might be in by going to my garage and wrenching on any of my various vehicles listening to loud fast music. Some people may find that knitting is a great way to calm them down.

All that being said, I do think that MA could successfully be incorporated to general training just the same as a ruck' march even if just for basic discipline and fitness.

On the other hand, this is just a semi uneducated opinion without any real personal military experience.

 

[geo]

Guy,
you have to consider that, if you are just coming out of a fight, you don't always have the oportunity or convenience of retiring to the garage to hammer away at a wreck.

You have to control the how much / how far you can turn your aggression "on" for a given situation.... and there isn't a garage in the world that will give you that discipline.

 

[Guy. E]

That is very true. For the duration of that post I forgot about the "theater of operations".

Thanks.

In which case i completely agree. The discipline is invaluable and a good exercise after being worked up be it sparing or routines would be just as helpfull.

 

[StevenPeece]

Guys, the point I was trying to make was that aggression is something brought to the forefront in your training.  It is controlled and chanelled during military operations.

However, some times this powerful tool inevitably proves ruthless amongst the ranks, usually when there is no enemy to fight with or if alcohol is involved.  When I served I was somewhat aggressive at times and consequently got myself into a lot of trouble because of this.  This often occured when we were socializing after returning from tours of duty abroad.

After I left the marines, I had a problem where a lot of alledgedly tough civilian men wanted to test their fighting skills on me.  I never backed down and took on all oncomers at one point.  My aggression saw to it that I won the day.  However, I needed to move away from that life style and from that reputation and as fate would have it I spent a lot of years working away from home, which allowed me to move out of the circles I mixed in.  Eventually I found myself in the world of the Ninja where aggression is seen as a sign of weakness.  The art helped to subdue the fire that burned inside me for so long and also helped me to move on with my life and to put my violent past behind me some 13 years after leaving the marines.  This is what I wrote about in my second book.

Has anybody here had any similar experiences?


Steve 

 

[geo]

Went from Infantry to Field Engineer.....

 

[StevenPeece]

If you view the synopsis for both of my books on Amazon you will possibly agree that I know what I am talking about when it comes to this subject.  However, since I moved into Ninjutsu I have managed to win the fight over my own aggression.  Thankfully.

I'm sure there are many men on this site who have had similar violent pasts to mine.

Steven Preece

 

[geo]

Steven,
I think it is great that you were able to get control of yourself.
It's a sad state of affair that a lot of our young troops lose control 1st of all
and need to get a grip on things.

Welcome back

Chimo!

 

[Sh0rtbUs]

To be honest, I've only been in for a little over 2 years, and aggression has never been a big thing. It just doesn't seem part of the culture that I've been introduced to so far...

I've little respect for those who cant control their emotions, and although i haven't experienced this, there ARE some around me who seem to have joined with a pre existing aggressive tendency. I don't think the Army gave it to them, but i DO think it helped them justify it.

I too have some experience in Martial Arts, and I've got enough scars from simple scraps to know that it really is a weakness. Violence should never be a solution to anything, rather something you are forced to resort to when all else fails.

 

[StevenPeece]

Shortbus, I agree with you.  Violence shouldn't be the solution.

However, I joined the marines just after the Falklands war and walked into a culture of violence and aggression.  May be it was the aftermath.  Possibly.  I experienced a very violent reception at my first commando unit and experienced some very very violent behaviour.  From then on I fought fire with fire.  I never looked for it but I embraced it when it appeared. 

As the years went on my behaviour became more shocking and excessive.  I wasn't the only one, but I was out of control when alcohol was involved.  This seemed to bring the aggression to the forefront.

However, from a marine point of view and a battle situation, this aggression is channelled.  During a battle situation, the momentum keeps going forward, on the way through you may run out of ammo, if you do you use your bayonet or anything else and your high level aggression to tear the opposing enemy apart.  It doesn't stop until you come out of the other side and it is over or you are dead.  This is know as controlled aggression.

Outside of the battle situation and inside life amongst the ranks, aggression can overflow amongst you.  This is uncontrolled aggression.

Martial arts didn't teach me how to fight.  It taught me how to stop fighting and how to subdue and control the fire that burned inside me for so long.  It took me 13 years after I left the marines to get to this stage of my life and I am relieved about that.

I feel I have been fortunate to be able to write about the uncontrolled side of life in my first book and my journey through life to eventually letting go of my beligerant mentality in my second book.  Thankfully, I'm still in one piece.  I've lived a lot and been lucky enough to be able come out the other side to tell the tale.  Hopefully others will learn from my experiences.

Best Regards

Steven Preece
Ex Marine, Boxer, Blackbelt in Ninjutsu and Author. 

 

[gatorjumper]

are you a ninja preacher or a book salesman

 

[The Gues-|-]

are you a ninja preacher or a book salesman

perhaps an aggressive ninja preaching book salesman.  Please don't hit me if I don't buy your book. :warstory:

 

[StevenPeece]

Sorry guys.  Its difficult to refer to my experiences without referring to my books.  My life is in there.


Regards

Steve

 

[geo]

Don't sweat it Steve,

You had thoughts & ideas and you put them to paper..... something that a number of us probably wanted to do at one time or another..... and didn't!

Hats off to you for having the drive and determination to see your project through.

 

[StevenPeece]

Thanks mate.  I appreciate it.


Regards

Steve

 

[Guy. E]

Your probably just a little more then proud of your books too.

 

[StevenPeece]

I suppose it is an acheivement and yes I am quite proud of being an author.  However, I wrote the books to move on from the past and they helped me immenseley to do this.

Have any of you read them?  If anybody has they can ask me any questions about them and I will answer them truthfully.



Regards

Steve