With more veterans returning home, we are hearing more about the invisible wound of the veteran, especially PTSD. In the previous article, Veterans, PTSD, and Unforgivable Experiences, I mentioned about moral injury as a very possible precursor to PTSD. Thus Forgiveness Therapy can help but is being neglected by pastors, priests and therapists. I had PTSD for 13 years. Forgiving helped me a great deal. So, I feel that we have a responsibility to get Forgiveness Therapy used for these reasons:
“The Justice Department estimates that nearly a quarter-million veterans of wars dating back to Vietnam are serving time behind bars. The New York Times found 121 cases in which Iraq and Afghan veterans committed murder after their return from war. Only a few had been screened for mental health problems, and unlike many civilian criminals, the overwhelming majority had no prior criminal record.”
“The rate of suicide among vets of the current wars has also been on the rise. A federal study in 2005 found that veterans were twice as likely to commit suicide as those who hadn’t served in the military, and PTSD is considered a significant reason why almost 25 percent of America’s homeless are veterans of all wars, even though they make up only eight percent of the population.”
“Twenty percent of active duty troops and as much as 40 percent of Guards and National Guardsmen and reservists are coming back with PTSD. These are astronomical numbers, and we could go through substance abuse and divorce and child abuse and homicide and imprisoned populations, so they are really hurting.”
From PBS video “Moral Wounds of War” May 28th, 2010
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/may-28-2010/moral-wounds-of-war/6367/