Another mystery is when you hear about people surviving major trauma because they were 'fighters'. How does that happen? Surely most would fight for survival. How does one initiate this fighting will to survive? 
This has to do with the few cases where staying concious is crucial to surviving while help is on the way, for example during shock or freezing. Willpower makes the difference between fighting to stay awake and concious, and giving in to the drowsyness and letting yourself fall asleep.
However, this is merely ONE variable, that does not go for ONE kind of situation. One example of this is the winter drunkard in Norway - with a weak will, he might sit down in the snow, and fall asleep there. With a strong will he will remind himself the danger of that, and keep on walking home.
But you are right that this is not something people should apply to everything, it is a minor variable, and will only affect minutes at the time. It obviously also creates a very unfortunate "they shoulda fought better" mentality.
Also, you could check the docu out, youtube for "Ambushed", and sort for longer clips, it should be about an hour at least, and is about British troops in Afghanistan. It gives some remarkable insight on the brutal, unpolished,
medieval nature of modern warfare. Western society is notoriously deluded as to how savage modern combat is. (Relax, the docu isn't bloody or gory.) It also gives an insight in the practical ways of warfare. When was last you learned about the actual process of troop movement? Who makes the decision to move a "piece of chess" across the battlefield? The docu doesn't quite elaborate on it, but by paying attention, you get a sense of how cold and crude, and most of all practical and automatic it is.
Specifically the notable chronology of:
A whole platoon of soldiers are stationed right next to a Taliban base. NOTHING happens - for days. The Talibans are in no hurry to die, and the british troops are in ABSOLUUUTELY NO hurry to die - at all!
So it turns into instant stagnation. Who would have thought? It has nothing to do with brave/not brave, it's completely natural, and to be expected when you station troops somewhere without actual orders. So, the piece is placed, but it won't make contact by itself, it needs a nudge.
Next, the solution is both routine and simple: Place one man in that base, who outranks everyone, who is a bit of a loose-cannon, who wants to see blood spatter, who has no emotional connection with the troops, and just sit back and wait.
Their OWN command, will be very reluctant to dive head first into a Taliban nest. A commander who is eager about violence, and who has no connection with the troops, will have no problem making that decision. It seems these commanders are sortof "placed around", to get things moving. Interesting to see. The docu doesn't spell it out, that's why I describe it to you now, so you can notice in case you watch it
