Grief Healing: Resources for Service Members and Their Families

[Reviewed and updated August 7, 2024]

The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. ~ Douglas MacArthur

World War II was the last war fought in which the President asked Congress for a declaration of war. Nevertheless, United States armed forces have been engaged in combat operations ever since, and they are stationed all over the world. According to the Department of Defense, "Our military servicemembers and civilians operate in every time zone and in every climate. More than 450,000 employees are overseas, both afloat and ashore." Never before has our country been engaged in battle for so long a period of time, and never in our history has such a heavy burden been placed on our service members and their families, with no end in sight.

Like most Americans, I am deeply grateful for the sacrifices these dedicated people are making for the rest of us, and I worry about them, too. How will these brave men and women reintegrate back into their families and into society when they return from military combat, and what is the military doing to facilitate that?

My interest in this question prompted me to listen to a riveting 90-minute Webinar, Understanding PTSD and the Military's Role in Resilience, Recovery and Reintegration for Service Members and Families. Moderated by Steve Robinson, veterans advocate and key military advisor to This Emotional Life, and featuring Brig. Gen. Loree K. Sutton, MD, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), the program focused on military combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the resources available to assist warriors and their families.

“The unseen wounds of war are real,” Gen. Sutton asserted, "and a new model is needed to prepare our troops and their families in advance for their return home." They need specific strategies and skill sets, ready access to resources, and a referral network to – as one soldier aptly put it – “adjust from being a target to shopping at Target.”

In order to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families, Gen. Sutton advocates early intervention, making certain that warriors, their buddies and their family members know and recognize the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic combat stress reactions and related mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. It’s also important, she said, for them to have hope, knowing that help for these conditions is effective and readily available.

Accordingly the DcoE has undertaken a number of initiatives and developed programs to help keep our warriors and their families psychologically strong and encourage them to reach out for help when needed:

The Real Warriors Campaign combats the stigma associated with seeking psychological health care and treatment, and encourages service members to increase their awareness and use of these resources. It promotes the processes of building resilience; facilitating recovery; and supporting the reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families.

Psychological Health Center of Excellence provides information and resources to help Service Members, Veterans and their families with psychological health care, readiness, and prevention of psychological health disorders. Psychological Health Center of Excellence (PHCoE) collaborates across the Defense Department, Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies to improve psychological health outcomes. The Outreach Center can be reached toll-free at 866-966-1020, via e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org or through online chat at Real Warriors Live Chat.

Sesame Street For Military Families offers communication tips for parents, and allows families and friends to stay in touch through messages, artwork, photos and video clips.

DCoE offers a variety of psychological health and traumatic brain injury resources (including websites and mobile applications) for service members, veterans and their families. Check out the DCoE Resource Catalog for a complete list.

See also Military One Source, which offers help with a wide variety of needs including education, relocation, parenting, and managing stress. Available by phone or online, this free service is provided by the Department of Defense for active-duty, Guard, and Reserve service members and their families. The service is completely private and confidential, with few exceptions.

Veterans Home Care is designed to provide immediate assistance to qualified veterans and their surviving spouses. By providing a personal care coordinator to assist in the application process, the program personally aids veterans and surviving spouses in assembling the information required by the VA to qualify them for their benefits.

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