ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Select them well, train them better! Psychological Combat Readiness in the German Army Special Forces
1. Kommando Spezialkräfte, Calw, Germany
2. Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
3. Bundeswehr, Berlin, Germany
4. Universitat der Bundeswehr Munchen, Neubiberg, Germany
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Abstract
Introduction: Psychological Combat Readiness (PCR) refers to a mindset designed to enhance the mental performance and operational preparedness of military and law enforcement special forces. The concept comprises five core components: Psychological Stability, Hardiness, Functional Work Attitude, Comradeship and Team Orientation (Cohesion) and VUCA competence—characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The first part of the present study aimed to investigate the trainability of PCR during the basic Special Operation Forces (SOF) training phase of the German Army Special Forces Command (KSK). In particular, it examined whether PCR predicts tactical and military performance parameters such as Close Quarter Battle and hand-to-hand combat training. The second part of the study explored whether PCR could predict commando eligibility in the KSK. Results: The training of PCR showed significant changes in Hardiness and Functional Work Attitude for the experimental group after 15 and 24 months. In addition, the training compared to the control group showed significantly higher scores in the CQB-competency and hand-hand-combat ratings. Furthermore, Hardiness as well as Comradeship-and Functional Work Attitude were positively related to the CQB and hand-to-hand combat performance. The second part of the study showed Hardiness and Comradeship and Team Orientation significantly predicted commando eligibility. Discussion: Findings from the study support an integrative model describing PCR as a multidimensional, dynamic, and trainable construct. It plays a central role in the basic training and final qualification of special forces personnel. The results reinforce the notion that psychological components such as Hardiness, Functional Work Attitude, and Comradeship and Team Orientation strengthen collective performance and cohesion in high-risk environments. These insights provide empirical evidence for the relevance of psychological factors in military contexts and offer concrete directions for refining selection and training procedures. Overall, the integration of psychological training modules into special forces education proves both meaningful and performance-relevant, positioning PCR as a key resource for enhancing individual preparedness and team effectiveness in complex operational scenarios.
Summary
Keywords
Combat Readiness2, Functional work attitude7, Hardiness6, Human Performance Optimization4, Performance Psychology3, Psychological Combat Readiness1, Special Forces5, Unit Cohesion8
Received
23 December 2025
Accepted
17 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Mair, Michels, Da Silva, Renner and Wesemann. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Pablo Mair
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.