Don would set up explosives to simulate artillery coming in on us. That was great. When I was under mortar attack by the Taliban, it kind of felt the same, so I kind of knew that my heart rate would go up and I was prepared for it a little bit.
I think this is where DND has to step up and start from day one with a soldier and train them to deal with mental stress. Also, tell them it's okay to feel scared. It's okay for this. It's okay for that. Rely on your training, because a lot of the tough-guy attitude comes from people saying, “Don't be such a wuss. Suck it up.” That's great in the moment when you're under attack or something, but in training, I believe the mental attitude needs to be fostered that you toughen through repetition. That's a training thing, and that's a budget thing, because that kind of training is expensive. It's also just a concept that we seem to have lost in the last seven years or so.