Though hundreds of meters away, the catastrophic explosion sent a powerful shock wave through the operations center. As the battle staff watched the aerostat monitors in horror, injured civilians staggered away, covered in dust and blood, while shattered bodies littered the street. Burning and charred vehicles stood everywhere as soldiers, thrown to the ground behind concrete barriers, struggled to their feet.

The commander shot a quick glance at the sergeant major, who sprinted out the door to alert the tactical command post to get ready to roll. In a steady, hard voice, the boss called out, “Everybody, listen up. Take a deep breath, and count to 10.” For a brief space, silence enveloped the room as the staff collectively paused, each man and woman gathering their thoughts. The colonel spoke again. “OK. Battle captain, Battle Drill 3 is in effect. Execute. I’m going to the scene. XO, you’re in charge,” he said to his executive officer.

Now six months into the 2005 rotation, the staff jumped into action in a carefully rehearsed mass casualty drill. There was much to be done and little time to do it if lives were to be saved. Field ambulances were ordered to the scene, while aeromedical evacuation officers and troop medical clinics were alerted. Quick-reaction forces were directed to the site, as all units went to Force Protection Condition Delta. Additional towers were manned as subordinate units reported in, ready in case other attacks happened. The executive officer reported to higher, keeping them informed as the tragedy unfolded.

Minutes later, the colonel and command sergeant major arrived at Entry Control Point 1 on Route Irish, the most dangerous road in the world. There, they found lieutenants and sergeants bringing order from chaos. Combat medics were already triaging and treating the wounded as infantrymen secured the scene.

Explosive ordnance disposal specialists soon arrived to inspect and render safe any unexploded ordnance. In oppressive heat, burdened with body armor and equipment, the team worked tirelessly to save those who could be saved. It wasn’t the first time this had happened in Baghdad. It would not be the last.

The Stress Response

In times of crisis, and never more so than in combat, the commander’s role is magnified and amplified. Perhaps nothing is more stressful than combat. A good commander mitigates the stress that all are feeling, encouraging, focusing and demonstrating self-control and clearheadedness. Other commanders shout, threaten and lose their composure, adding to the stress of the moment and stripping confidence from their subordinates.

How can leaders prepare for these moments? The first step is to learn to master yourself. The leader feels what every other soldier is feeling—fear, apprehension, confusion, even panic. These can infect the unit unless leaders suppress those emotions to focus on the task at hand.

Leaders who cannot control themselves cannot control others. The best way to learn this kind of self-control is to put yourself in stressful situations and practice. Here is where combat training centers, simulations, battle drills, command post exercises and rehearsals pay off. Knowing and practicing your craft is the best preparation for leadership in combat.

Inherent in this process is learning from your mistakes, because you’ll make plenty. The best leaders don’t make the same mistakes twice, and, as they progress, they make fewer and fewer. Self-assessment and the ability to take criticism and honest feedback are key here. Check your ego at the door and reflect on what went right and what went wrong. Listen to your subordinates and weigh their inputs. Then apply those lessons.

Good Decision-Making

An important part of leading in combat is possessing the ability to make good decisions under stress. Here is where “reps”—the repetitive exercise of decision-making under simulated combat conditions or in combat itself—are priceless. Any leader, when faced with a new situation, will consciously or unconsciously recall similar events and exercise reason from there to arrive at a solution for the present problem. The greater the databank of past experiences, the better equipped you will be to decide and act. Never be afraid to decide. Trust your gut—that intuition comes from years of experience. It got you where you are today.

All too often, leaders will issue orders, then wait for results. It’s far better to be active in execution.

Get out of the headquarters. Go see for yourself. Let your soldiers see you, and experience their problems, risks and stressors firsthand. Never micromanage, but ask, “What do you need? What do you think?”

Be ready to modify and adapt decisions as new information comes in or conditions change. Update your bosses regularly and cross-talk on your left and right—the enemy knows where our seams are and will work to exploit them.

Set Up for Success

All this may seem like common sense, and it is. But it’s not so simple when you are months into a combat deployment, you are chronically tired and short on sleep, your body is feeling the wear and tear of years of overuse and your operating environment is one of extreme cold or extreme heat, intense stress and the weight of command. Taking casualties and suffering setbacks can sap your reservoirs of resilience and confidence. Mastering yourself, and being at your best for your soldiers, may not be so easy under these conditions.

Here are a few tips that can help:

• Build a rest plan into your battle rhythm. It’s absolutely critical. You can only go on four to five hours of sleep per day for so long before sleep deprivation kicks in and destroys your ability to make clear, well-founded decisions.

• Exercise, even on deployment. Physical conditioning is one of your best allies.

• Pay attention to what you eat and when. Stay hydrated. Shower at every opportunity, because often, you can’t. Wash your hands often.

• Watch your deportment. Soldiers don’t like to approach the boss if they are cranky or ill-tempered—and you need unfiltered information to make good decisions.

• Understand that you are going to win some and lose some. Don’t get carried away when you win. Don’t lose yourself when you don’t. Wars are rarely over by Christmas.

• Always, always be positive. It’s contagious.

• Remind yourself often why you do what you do. It’s important. It’s rewarding. And it’s a privilege. You get to be around soldiers every day. To lead them and help them be successful is a blessing and an opportunity awarded only to the very few.

The Army goes to great lengths to select and develop its leaders. They carry a special burden and responsibility to the nation and the soldiers they lead. Soldiers deserve our very best, and never more so than in combat. If you are a leader, it’s on you to live up to that standard. Make it your own.

Col. R.D. Hooker Jr., U.S. Army retired, is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, Washington, D.C. A career infantry officer, he commanded a parachute infantry battalion in Kosovo and the Sinai, and a parachute brigade in Baghdad. His latest book is The High Ground: Leading in Peace and War.