Introduction. The new warriors, the new paladins -- section I. The physiology of combat : the anatomy of the human body in battle -- 1. Combat : the universal human phobia -- 2. The harsh reality of combat : what you don't hear at the VFW -- 3. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system : the body's combat and maintenance troops -- 4. Fear, physiological arousal and performance : conditions white, yellow, red, gray and black -- section II. Perceptual distortions in combat : an altered state of consciousness -- 1. The eyes and the ears : auditory exclusion, intensified sound, and tunnel vision -- 2. Autopilot : "you honestly don't know you're doing it"--3. A grab bag of effects : visual clarity, slow motion time, temporary paralysis, memory loss, dissociation and intrusive thoughts -- 4. Memory loss, memory distortions, and the role of videotaping : you are absolutely convinced it happened -- 5. The Klinger study : a parallel study in perceptual distortions --^ section III. The call to combat : where do we get such men? -- 1. Killing machines : the impact of a handful of true warriors -- 2. Stress inoculation and fear : practicing to be miserable -- 3. Sucking up bullets and continuing to fight : you've never lived until you've almost died -- 4. Making the decision to kill : "I killed someone, but someone lived" -- 5. Modern paladins bearing the shield : "go tell the Spartans ... " -- 6. The evolution of combat : the physical and psychological leverage that enables killing, in war and peace -- 7. The evolution of combat and domestic violent crime -- section IV. The price of combat : after the smoke clears -- 1. Relief, self-blame and other emotions : "my world was turned inside out" -- 2. Stress, uncertainty, and the "four Fs" : forewarned in forearmed -- 3. PTSD : reexperiencing the event, and fleeing from the puppy -- 4. A time to heal : the role of critical incident debriefings in preventing PTSD --^ 5. Tactical breathing and the mechanics of the debriefing : separating the memory from the emotions -- 6. What to say to a returning veteran, and what to say to a survivor -- 7. Thou shalt not kill? : the Judeo/Christian view of killing -- 8. Survivor guilt : life not death, and justice not vengeance -- Conclusion -- Appendix A. Erasmus' twenty-two principles on how to be strong while remaining virtuous in a dangerous world -- Appendix B. Board of advisors for On combat.