The mission of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps is to comfort the wounded, care for the living and honor the fallen. Our job as a unit ministry team is to answer that call, here at Camp As Sayliyah or anywhere we are stationed.
Comprehensive Soldier fitness covers a wide array of needs, and the spiritual component of that concept is our domain. In it, we find needs unique to each individual that we must meet in equally unique ways. But, due to the nature of military service, there are certain areas that require special attention.
Combat can affect people in unexpected ways. It is a traumatic event that each person experiences and processes differently. Some individuals develop lasting symptoms that can be categorized as post-traumatic stress disorder. And, as someone whose mission is to comfort the wounded and care for the living, my duty is to help those suffering from post-traumatic stress.
I have found the role of religion to be very helpful to the wellbeing of service members and families when dealing with these issues. My education, experience and nearly three decades of active duty service have convinced me that pointing afflicted individuals toward resources outside of themselves -- like religion or Family -- is an effective way to help the healing process along.
This process incorporates an important element that can be found in many successful recovery programs: what I call the "God Factor." Alcoholics Anonymous, for example, invokes a "higher power". It is this belief in someone or something outside of oneself that is a vital component to a successful path to recovery. In the same way, such transcendence is highly beneficial for a service member who is dealing with issues of post-traumatic stress.
My first experience with this struggle came soon after joining the chaplain corps. During a training event, two Soldiers died when an armored personnel carrier rolled over. Several more were injured. I remember being in the field and informing their friends of what happened. Everyone in the unit was affected by what happened; and after few days later we held a memorial service to help bring everyone some closure.
Later, I counseled the driver of the APC. He had come to me with feelings of guilt over his friends' deaths, and was spending a lot of time reliving that day, finding things he could have done differently. Looking back on it, I think the deaths of those young Soldiers may have had a greater effect on the unit than I had realized. However, I believe the availability of professional counseling for those affected by the accident made a substantial difference in their processing of the event. And, I think it showed them the value of counseling as a tool, one that would be available to them after traumatic or stressful incidents in the future.
Since that time, I have seen Soldiers lost in combat and to other tragedies. I have counseled those who remained, walking them through pain and grief. Through all of that experience, my belief in the necessity of counseling for PTSD has only been reinforced. Chaplains should be aware of this important need, and service members and Families should be aware that help is available.
If you ever feel like talking about the things you have seen, or your thoughts and feelings, please do not hesitate to contact your unit ministry team. We are here to help.
Pro Deo et Patria -- For God and Country.
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