Excellent article, thank you. I am a Canadian vet (retired signals-type officer) from the 80–90s who has never been deployed.

1. Cleansing & Purification as a rite of passage:

I particularly appreciated your information about purification rituals in different cultures throughout history. I firmly believe this is a key issue for warriors & frankly all human beings. Purification rites – some kind of ceremony involving the community – would help veterans/warriors to process & cope with their wounded souls & psyches. I believe there is a vast field within us that the science of psychology alone cannot reach.

Perhaps in future generations, the diversity of our communities in North America might learn from each other and begin to pray together & maybe even meld by sharing rituals & ceremonies in such a way that all veterans/warriors could receive purification blessings together, in one strong community of humans who believe in Something-Greater-than-What-Science-Knows. Then again, I’m dreaming for this ventures into the area of religion which can be said to be the root of most wars.

2. Here is another conversation that is more deeply avoided:

Rape.

Now, I welcome your ideas about how we, as a whole society, are to deal with rape in war theaters.

Is THAT a moral injury for a soldier? I think not, ultimately. This is a whole other class of violence.

Do soldiers have heated arguments about whether they should or should not engage in rape?

It is one thing to face the choice of whether or not to shoot a woman or girl for carrying ammunition to the enemy. It is quite another thing to just rape her.

Is it possible that the woman (who carries ammo in the market square) whose life is spared due to moral conscienciousness is the same woman who is raped by the soldier who raids her house a week later?

Do the sad soldiers who commit rape come home and feel remorse about it? Are they the ones who come home & rape their wives ( which may possibly be something they always did before)?

And what about the effect on the fellow female soldier who witnesses directly or indirectly, these rapes? Moral injury by association. Further: rape by association. Do you know if anyone is studying rhis question? Is anyone talking about this?

Tough, tough questions.

Rape is one four-letter word that fits into the properly named phenomenon of Violence against Women. It is fascinating & beyond belief for many how a male soldier will feel a protective instinct to NOT commit violence against women when the choice has to do with killing by shooting a weapon. Yet, again I ask: where is the humane, protective instinct when the choice has to do with raping?

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for writing about tough stuff.