The Danger of Target Fixation
I was talking recently with my brother, Dick Spivey, about his experiences flying F-84s during the Korean War. One incident in particular came to mind. As he told it:
“I reported to Luke Air Force Base early in 1953 to learn to fly the F-84 Thunderjet and master the somewhat intricate art of low level bombing and strafing. Strafing was especially complex with a flight of four aircraft orbiting a spot on the ground, maintaining separation, making tight, high- banked turns, and lining up on the target. Diving at 400 miles per hour, the ground rose quickly, giving us only seconds to bring our six .50 caliber machine guns to bear. The closer to the target, the more accurate the fire and better the gunnery score.
One day after a strafing exercise, I landed to find bullet holes in the underside of my fuselage. I had flown so close to the target that a ricochet from one of my own bullets had struck the aircraft. That night, at the Officers’ Club, I discussed this event with my roommate, and told him I was going to quit worrying about gunnery scores and focus more on flying. Even though he agreed with me, the next day he was killed when he flew his F-84 into the ground on the same kind of strafing run.”
(The mission of Luke Air Force Base in 1953 was to provide combat-ready pilots for duty in Korea. At that time the Arizona air base had the worst accident rate of any in the Air Force, reflected in the Commanding Officer’s stated view, “It’s cheaper to kill a pilot in training than in combat.”)
Lieutenant Dick Spivey. USAF
These pilots were dealing with a phenomenon now known as ‘target fixation,’ a term denoting the tendency to concentrate on a target while losing awareness of the surrounding situation. Unfortunately, this phenomenon does not occur only in combat. In everyday life each of us can become obsessed with professional and career goals at the expense of even more lasting concerns, such as the health and well-being of our families.
In the equally important spiritual realm, even Christians can evidence this tendency when they become fixated on good works while neglecting their relationship with God himself. Writing to the Church in Ephesus, the author of Revelation warned Christians then and now about an insidious form of ‘target fixation.’
I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. ~Revelation 2:2,4