Nice day in our neck of the woods, sunshine and mild weather.  The large gust of wind early this morning almost stripped all the leaves off one of the neighbor’s tree, one moment it was cloaked in yellow and the next almost bare.  Yet, I look across the valley to cherry orchards and the leaves are still green.

I learned of a term this weekend, from my daughter-in-law who is a Minister, in training to become a Chaplain.

The term:  Moral Injury.

Basic definition, according to the Syracuse University’s Moral Injury Project:  “Moral injury in the damage done to one’s conscience or moral compass when that person perpetrates, witnesses, or fails to prevent acts that transgress their own moral and ethical values of codes of conduct.”

Several years ago I had a conversation with a man who used to be an Army Sniper.  He couldn’t understand why police officers had such a difficult time after they had killed a suspect.

I explained to him the similarity of law enforcement and military objectives but there is a large difference, that being that the military’s role is to seek and destroy the enemy, while the law enforcement’s role is to protect and preserve life.

He nodded his head and said that it made sense.

In the heart of most officers lies a desire to protect another person, and while they mentally understand that in doing so they may have to take the life of another, they often do not realize the magnitude of that decision; not only how it affects society but how it may very well tear and their own soul.

For several decades we have known about the need, for most officers, to have counseling after being involved in a fatal shooting.  While it makes some difference that the shooting was necessary, it still preys on the minds of officers.

Thus, the condition:  Moral Injury.  Not all officers will suffer from it, but, many do, and it needs to be addressed.

When I first went into law enforcement if an officer was involved in a shooting he got pats on the back.  It didn’t matter what happened inside his head, he had shot a bad guy who was trying to harm someone else.  He did a good thing and should be ‘proud’ of his actions.

But as the years and professional realization came along we started to understand that just because a bad guy was shot, doesn’t mean that the officer doing the shooting ‘felt good’ about it.  There was an impact on most officers, who covered it up and wouldn’t admit they were having problems because of they were concerned that others wouldn’t think they were ‘macho’ enough to do the job – just one example.

I have no idea what the statistics are now, but when I was working in the profession most officers involved in a shooting got out of the profession within a few short years.

The most effective way for an officer to work through the trauma of taking a person’s life was deemed to be meeting with other officers who had also taken a life and discussing – sometimes several sessions – with them about how it was and what was happening to them, mentally and emotionally.  These conferences have helped these officers immensely.

The officer may also suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but there is a difference; and should be treated differently, even if at the same time.

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has been accepted by society for some time, even if not fully understood.  The National Institute of Mental Health describes PTSD as:  “PTSD is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.” 

PTSD deals more with what has happened externally to the person, whatever that may be – Moral Injury is what has happened internally in the person’s own conscience (and very soul) and how the person reacts to having done something that is against their core values.

As with PTSD in the military personnel and others, it may take a while before the symptoms reveal themselves, but it is just as debilitating a few years down the road, as it is the next day.

Moral Injury needs to be addressed and understood by the leaders in professions that lend themselves to professionals that might have to make a decision that is counter to their heart felt values.

Military, Police Officers, Medical personnel, Firefighters are just a few of the professions that come to mind.

Professions where decisions must be made within mili-seconds are the ones most vulnerable, sometimes that decision involves saving one life while another is lost.  Where they can’t save both people, but having to make that decision haunts them to the point it is difficult to continue functioning as a normal adult.

There are, of course, other examples, but I will leave it with what I have written.

Because Moral Injury is a soul wrenching situation, it must be dealt with by someone who understands that fact.  The methods of helping these people to deal with their actions and help them overcome the tremendous guilt that occurs are different than that of PTSD, and realizing that can make all the difference in successfully helping that professional.

I know that the meeting with other officers that went through it have helped, those departments that have Chaplains available to them have the added benefit of someone who understands that the act can also tear a person up within because they have violated their values – and may feel they can never recover.

While some Psychologists and Psychiatrists don’t “buy into” Moral Injury, to an almost three decade long law enforcement officer and Christian, it makes perfect sense.

It isn’t just Christians that this can happen to, it can happen to anyone who has to go against their core values and have a result that goes contrary to what they ‘know’ should be done.

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Proverbs 19:20-21  KJV  “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

²¹ There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”

This was my meditation verse today, it fit in perfectly with my thoughts on Moral Injury.

Later, Art (-: