What would a soldier do to keep calm and cool if they’re hit by a bullet or shrapnel?
When you’re hit, you don’t need to act “cool and calm” anymore. You’re out of the fight, at least for the moment, and you’ve other things to worry about.
Although your buddies will hopefully take care of you, there are still a few things you can do to make their job easier:
- As soon as you’re hit, try to signal your comrades that you have a problem (of course, only if you’re still able to do so).
- Look if anyone else is wounded. If you’re not too f*cked up, help them!
- If you can still walk, don’t wait for someone to carry you away to a safe place but go there by yourself.
A wounded soldier from my unit in Kosovo is getting first aid from a comrade. (Photo: Visar Kryeziu, The Associated Press)
- Try not to scream. It’s really bad for the troops’ morale. Try cursing instead, cursing is fine!
- Take your rifle with you but give your ammo and grenades to your comrades who are still in battle.
- Tell the medics what happened. “Bullet in the leg” or “Shrapnel in the chest.” They don’t have x-ray vision and you can save them some time.
- Don’t play the tough guy. If they offer you a morphine shot, take it. Better, take two.
The only thing you shouldn’t do is to scream your head off and cry for your mother when all you have are a few grenade pellets in your butt. Otherwise, nobody gives a f*ck how cool and calm you are in such a situation.