I enjoyed the article, but find it curious that the writer says the basis for research into the startle reflex for combat comes from a 1939 laboratory experiment. There are some fairly well known examples of people working with the startle reflex prior to 1939.
Moshe Feldenkrais developed a series of techniques by jumping out at unsuspecting people in Palestine(now Israel) Based on his observations of the unplanned reactions of the people he surprised, he worked out techniques from their reactions. This is prior to him becoming one of the first Judo black belts in Europe.
http://www.feldenkrais-wien.at/article-4.htm warning some strong language.
Willaim Fairbairn observed the reactions of his men in high stress situations, such as shootouts, preparing to raid a kidnapper's hideout, etc. in 1920's-30's Shanghai. The bent knee stance, or battle crouch came about after noticing that men would drop into a lower stance, minimizing their size, as they snuck up on a suspect's location. The story goes that after a successful raid, his men all walked into wires strung across an alleyway, for use as clotheslines. No one had noticed the wires on the way in, as they were crouched down in an instinctive crouch.
Again, interesting article, thanks for posting.