One of the ways I practice Peace is by being a hospital chaplain. Often my work is supporting the patients involved in traumatic events and their families. It’s work that I was surprised to find as rewarding as I do and at which I am quite competent. If you’re going to have a job after retirement, I hope yours will please you as much as mine does me.
We recently had some events with men in their mid-thirties who put themselves into quite dangerous situations. They overestimated their ability to accomplish whatever daredevil feat they had tried and failed to accomplish. Most likely they were thrill seeking, trying to feel alive and maybe, competent. I chose daredevil deliberately, because I’m not sure these are the kind of activities you go into expecting to or caring if you survive. Too many of these men are living on – teetering on – an edge, undertaking activities that could maim or kill them.
As I was visiting one man, slowly recovering, he spoke to me about his veteran status and missing his buddies who had died. The penny dropped. With the warm weather and the onset of what is known at the hospital as “trauma season,” there have been what felt like thoughtless and violent events — and I have been finding some of those traumas increasingly hard to deal with. At one point, I had wondered if I might title this article (understanding the irony of my writing about Peaceful Community) Gunfight at the No-K Corral. It’s been an emotional challenge to bear witness to the physical damage done by these accidents. Yet I always marvel at the incredible way our medical teams deal with these often quite horrific circumstances. These medical professionals are talented, thoughtful, respectful, and manage to pull off quite miraculous results. They have my full respect and gratitude. My job, as chaplain, is to comfort the patients, the team, and the families who are grappling with trauma.
In order to cope with my discomfort with these traumas, I have people with whom I can talk through my feelings about the extent of these senseless injuries. Too few of the patients do, or even think it is all right for them to need such support. While speaking with one of the patients, I began to remember all I had read, heard, and learned about moral injury. How many of these young men, because it is mostly men, I wondered, are in this turmoil because of what they’ve dealt with in their military service for our country? How many of them are suffering emotional pain because of the atrocities of war they witnessed and the number of friends they have lost?
Sadly, our military system is not constructed to provide enough psycho/social support our veterans when they return. Thirteen percent of the homeless population are veterans. An estimated 41% of veterans are in need of healthcare every year. We know that at least ten percent of them suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some of them commit suicide to end the pain. If we send people to combat, we must bring them home in honor to a circle of support.
As a Peacemaker, I am always looking for Peace alternatives. However, I live in a society where war is acceptable. Therefore, military personnel will constantly be exposed to the complicated dangers of war. If we’re creating Peaceful communities, they must provide the welcome and support returning soldiers need. When we raise flags on Memorial and Veterans’ Day, we must stand with those veterans, also remembering the living who lost so much, along with those who died.
This is a challenge that rings out across the political spectrum. This is something we must think of as medical people; as religious people; as community people; as thoughtful people; as partners, parents, and family; and as the people who have served. It is the responsibility of the Department of Defense and the Veterans’ Affairs to consider improving the ways they care for their returning soldiers. But we’re right here. And we can make a difference in their welcome and support. As often is the case with my columns I have good questions, but cannot always fashion answers sufficient to the scope of the questions.
Recent cuts to Veteran services have left some without insurance to pay for mental health services or access to other medical care. Budget cuts have eliminated programs to help veterans readjust to civilian life. These cuts have adversely impacted their family members as well.
After I wrote that sentence, I stopped and notified my congress people and my senator, asking them not to vote for budget cuts that negatively impact veterans. The men and women who served their country need to see our support as well. Many of them feel overlooked or forgotten. I’m hoping you’re willing to join me in insuring that in our Peaceful Community they will not be.
Salaam, Shalom, Peace, Blessed Be.