The U.S. military spends enormous amounts of time and money preparing military personnel for war but correspondingly very little of these resources preparing them to return to civilian life. When service members finish their tour of duty and return home, the transitions that they must negotiate include:
As much as service members eagerly anticipate this transformation, negotiating the change is not always easy. The sheer number of transitions from war to peace makes the hope of quickly reassuming a normal lifestyle somewhat unrealistic, and for many, a successful change in role takes considerable effort and time.
A particular challenge facing a returning war veteran is the need to put aside the 'survival mode' which was critical in the war zone and may have become a central feature of their identity. Among the perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors that are highly valued in combat are:
While having obvious survival value in combat, this 'battlemind' style is typically highly maladaptive and self-defeating when applied to civilian life. For example, aggressive, split-second decision-making and action are vital in a firefight, but similar actions back home can easily fall under the categories of disorderly conduct, assault, and domestic abuse. At the same time, war veterans have a hard time letting go of these habits that once served to keep them alive and unharmed.
Resource: James Madison University Counseling Center for Returning War Veterans
