Your mission as a soldier in a survival situation is to stay alive. As you can see, you are going to
experience an assortment of thoughts and emotions. These can work for you, or they can work to your
downfall. Fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, guilt, depression, and loneliness are all possible reactions to
the many stresses common to survival. These reactions, when controlled in a healthy way, help to
increase a soldier's likelihood of surviving. They prompt the soldier to pay more attention in training, to
fight back when scared, to take actions that ensure sustenance and security, to keep faith with his fellow
soldiers, and to strive against large odds. When the survivor cannot control these reactions in a healthy
way, they can bring him to a standstill. Instead of rallying his internal resources, the soldier listens to his
internal fears. This soldier experiences psychological defeat long before he physically succumbs.
Remember, survival is natural to everyone; being unexpectedly thrust into the life and death struggle of
survival is not. Don't be afraid of your "natural reactions to this unnatural situation." Prepare yourself to
rule over these reactions so they serve your ultimate interest--staying alive with the honor and dignity
associated with being an American soldier.