Killing in war takes a huge psychological, moral, and spiritual cost to the human who does so and witnesses it. For American or western service members in particular where the greatest majority of religious faith is that of the Judeo/Christian faith tradition, it is imperative then to understand the basics of this worldview in terms of warfighting and the appropriate bounds of killing another human being.

I felt a twinge of guilt that I wasn’t as engaged in the lives of the men and women who work for me and that I work with as I should be. I had let the tyranny of the work schedule and wanting to succeed professionally start to overtake one of the most important aspects of leadership…taking care of your people. We like to say in the military or at least the Marine Corps: “Mission First…People Always.” I wish it was exactly like that but confess that sometimes I don't get this right...

Have you ever seen a movie that depicted a soldier defecating in his pants in combat? Or can you imagine years after combat bouncing your grandchild on your knee when they ask, "Grandpa, what did you do in the war? The very last thing you will probably want to say is, "Well, grandpa crapped himself!" The problem however is that when this kid grows up, ends up in combat, and has messed his pants, he'll ask himself, "what's wrong with me? This didn't happen to grandpa. I must be a coward!"