The Dynamics of Keeping Soldiers Engaged

You know it’s a funny thing and I think that any soldier would have a tough time articulating that, you know, what is the dynamic that keeps soldiers engaged? A very tight quarters, you know, very difficult environment, you’re eating rations, it’s not like you’re sitting down eating pizza, watching the Sunday Night Football. I’m not sure but, you know, the sense of camaraderie and closeness seems to get more pronounced and tighter the more difficult the situations become. And I think it’s because you share a common goal. You share a common military culture but you also share really crappy conditions and that kind of brings you together. And then you’ve got your guys that are just jokesters and keep you laughing and people bring instruments over. Myself, being the quartermaster, spirited instruments in. We had a banjo player and a couple of guitar players. They would play. We played cards and dice and told jokes and, you know, did physical fitness and ran, anything to keep yourself sort of occupied. And I have to say, by and large, my recollection is there was no internal conflict in that very small camp which was only 200 meters by 150 meters, our 3 Command camp and everybody got along swimmingly well. That’s not to say everyone got along all the time because that simply wouldn’t be true but I would have to say that, by and large, the soldiers thrived and they find ways to cope and they find ways to get along. So it works out remarkably well.