Over the course of writing Military Culture Shift and especially present in the last three episodes, the phrase “moral injury” has come up again and again. Brought into mainstream awareness by Jonathan Shay in the 90s and early 2000s, his first book Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character introduced moral injury as a distinct second syndrome from PTSD.
As progress continues to evolve on the individualized treatment modalities for PTSD and moral injury, the Afghanistan exit, and its eerily similar characteristics with Vietnam, brings up the question of "How does an entire culture heal when it feels betrayed and morally injured?"
Surely the Afghanistan veterans and families that came out of two decades of war are not destined to carry similar burdens as our recent Vietnam veterans have.
I asked our good friend and mentor, Dr. Timothy Mallard, Chaplain, and Assistant Professor and Director of Ethical Development at The United States Army War College, and subject matter expert on moral injury to sit down with me just 60 days out from his own retirement. Still on his own journey of healing from his response to the 9/11 attack at the Pentagon, he has been a pillar of strength, wisdom, and comfort for many over the last several decades.
Final Credits Song: "There Is Always Hope" by Human Is Alive, Kieldfal, Silent Travelers
Arch Bishop Tutu Forgiveness Project: https://youtu.be/-M8wrQXIZmQ?si=od2rKrmquYXoJbZj
Recommended resources from Dr. Mallard:
Veteran's Association: https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn17/moralinjury.asp
Jonathan Shay: Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character: https://a.co/d/e9eOpf3
The (Twin) Wounds of War, by Timothy Mallard: https://providencemag.com/2017/02/twin-wounds-war-spiritual-injury-moral-injury/
The Moral Injury of the Cross, by Timothy Mallard: https://providencemag.com/2024/03/the-moral-injury-of-the-cross/
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