On August 30, the United States withdrew the last of its military troops from Afghanistan. News outlets documented that historic moment with a grainy, green-tinged night vision photo of a lone soldier boarding a C-17 cargo plane at Hamid Karzai International Airport. The man in the photo – Army Major Chris Donahue, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division – was the last and last American soldier to be evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, ending a war that began nearly 20 years ago.
<img aria-beschreibungby = "caption-attachment-25640" data-attachment-id = "25640" data-permalink = "https://ct.counseling.org/brandingarea/afghanistan-evacuation-kicks-up-tough-emotions -for-veteran-clients-and-counselors / last-american-soldier-leaves-afghanistan / "data-orig-file =" https://ct.counseling.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/lasttoleave .jpg "data-orig-size =" 1250,833 "data-comments-opened =" 1 "data-image-meta =" {"aperture": "0", "credit": "US Central Command Public Affa" , "camera": "", "caption": "Major General Chris Donahue, Commander of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, enters a C-17 cargo plane at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Major General Donahue is the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan; His departure ends the US mission to evacuate American citizens, Afghan applicants for special immigrant visas and vulnerable Afghans. (US Army photo by Master Sgt. Alex Burnett) "," created_timestamp ":" 1630296000 "," copyright ":" Public Domain "," focal_length ":" 0 "," iso ":" 0 "," shutter_speed ": "0", "title": "Last American soldier leaves Afghanistan", "orientation": "1"} "data-image-title =" Last American soldier leaves Afghanistan "data-image-description =" "data-image- caption = "
Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, enters a C-17 cargo aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Major General Donahue is the last American soldier to who leaves Afghanistan; his departure ends the US mission to evacuate American citizens, Afghan applicants for special immigrant visas and vulnerable Afghans (US Army photo by Master Sgt. Alex Burnett)
"data-medium-file =" https://ct.counseling.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/lasttoleave-300×200.jpg "data-large-file =" https://ct.counseling.org /wp-content/uploads/2021/09/lasttoleave-1024×682.jpg "loading =" lazy "class =" wp-image-25640 size-medium "src =" https://ct.counseling.org/wp-content /uploads/2021/09/lasttoleave-300×200.jpg "alt =" "width =" 300 "height =" 200 "/>
Major General Chris Donahue, Commander of the US Army 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, board a C-17 cargo plane at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 30. (US Army photo by Master Sgt. Alex Burnett / Defense.gov)
This war killed nearly 2,500 American soldiers and more than 47,000 Afghan civilians, and the involvement of the United States has been debated and debated for years – and by several presidential administrations.
Images and news reports from Afghanistan during the US military withdrawal were chaotic, intense and heartbreaking for many viewers. Thousands of people flocked to Kabul airport in hopes of being taken on an evacuation flight from the country before US President Joe Biden's August 31 exit deadline. In the last weeks of August, nearly 125,000 people were evacuated on 778 U.S. military and private aircraft flights, an estimated 5,500 of whom were American citizens.
The sudden departure makes some wonder what could or should have been done differently – a conversation that will probably continue for years.
And for veterans and military families, this is all deeply personal. The sudden withdrawal has aroused difficult and intense emotions in them, and professional advisors working with the military are experiencing firsthand how badly this is damaging to the mental health of their clients. For practitioners who are veterans themselves, this period has created additional difficulties as they have had to process their own feelings in order to help clients who are in the midst of similar struggles.
"It [Afghanistan] definitely comes up in my work with experienced clients," says Keith Myers, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) who specializes in treating veterans and their families in his private practice in Marietta, Georgia Has. "The most important thing I do in therapy is to acknowledge the events with the clients, to give them a safe space to feel what they need to feel, and to provide them with resources if necessary."
“A few days ago a former customer sent me a message that read: 'The Afghanistan stuff was hard to watch. I've been very emotional the few times I saw the news, especially with civilians clinging to that Air Force plane. My heart breaks for the Afghan people who helped the military and are now being left behind, ”said Myers, a faculty member at Walden University. Another seasoned client recently told Myers: “Relieving suffering is never in vain, even if the end result is not permanent. Lots of mistakes have been made there, but I don't want a soldier to think that his service and sacrifices were in vain there. Our work should be remembered and honored. "
****
Counseling Today asked professional advisers who specialize in working with the military population, many of whom are veterans themselves, to offer some suggestions on how best to help veterans and military-affiliated clients who are in retreat of the US from Afghanistan are affected.
****
The recent events in Afghanistan have had a significant impact on military and veteran customers. Many of them experience a range of emotions: anger, sadness, frustration, and hopelessness. The response can be as varied and unique as the veterans and family members who experience it, and is not limited to just those who have served in Afghanistan.
Veterans who have served in Iraq experience something similar to 2013-2014, when parts of Iraq were overrun after the withdrawal of the military from that country. Vietnam veterans naturally suffer from stress related to repeated comparisons with their own experiences.
Clinicians working with military personnel, veterans, and their families may need to help clients find alternative responses to the emotions they are experiencing.
For many veterans, the primary emotion that is expressed is anger. Anger at the military and the government for withdrawing from Afghanistan, which can also spread or rekindle feelings of anger and betrayal of one's own leadership during the deployment. Anger is the emotion we experience when something we firmly believe in has been hurt in some way. Helping the veteran understand and address the underlying beliefs that he believes have been hurt, such as "We should never have been there at all" and "All victims were meaningless" can be beneficial rather than just plain to be mad about current events.
Many veterans also experience great grief in view of the lives lost and damaged during the conflict. This can be compounded by commemorative moments and anniversary responses as we enter the historic fall fighting season. For veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF), the late winter / spring and late summer / autumn months are typically difficult, as this was the height of the fighting season in both conflicts and many other soldiers during the war have lost these months. The upcoming anniversaries of battlefield casualties, coupled with current events, could intensify feelings of sadness and grief.
These current events are those that can cause grief over the loss of others or grief over the loss of their own ability to resurface. These "sacrifices were meaningless" self-talk can also show sadness; However, it can be helpful to examine whether or not the losses were meaningless to the veteran himself in order to face this grief. It can also be beneficial to help the veteran see how their behavior or attitudes have changed after the death of the other duty member: Have they done things differently or convinced their chain of command to listen to them?
I also hear a lot of confusion, both from customers and those I have served with, including questions [such as] "Why were we there?" and "What was the point?" Those were the same questions we had on patrol, in the smoking areas or on the mountainside. The same questions service members asked during their deployment. Many soldiers were reasonably satisfied with why they were serving in combat at this particular time: be it to improve the lives of the population, to help a country stabilize, or simply to take care of its surroundings.
It may be helpful to allow the veteran to examine how they streamlined their service in the country and now reactivate that streamlining. The ending doesn't invalidate the previous, so the reasons they gave themselves back then may be helpful now. And one of the strongest things I've seen in the discussion lately is the simple fact that "we were there for each other". In the middle of the shit, nothing counts but the people to the left and right of you – and that's what we fought for, and no current event can take away from us.
– Duane France is a retired Army Corporal and Combat Veteran practicing as an LPC in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is the director of veterans services for the Family Care Center, a private outpatient mental health clinic specializing in service members, veterans, and their families, and the executive director of the Colorado Veterans Health and Wellness Agency, a nonprofit affiliated with the family Care center. He writes and speaks about veteran mental health on his blog and podcast and is the author of the "From Combat to Counseling" column series on CT Online.
****
I will sum up my reaction to the recent events in Afghanistan in two words: complex and harrowing. While this topic is nothing new to many veterans who lived and experienced Afghanistan, the abrupt and dramatic details, imagery, and public interests evoke a deluge of emotion and a surreal, isolated undertone.
Veterans' thoughts and emotions are intense when they see petrified faces of people we actually knew, the Hindu Kush we saw on the horizon every day, the vehicles we drove and the places we went and lived. If you are talking about Afghanistan to a U.S. veteran, here are some ideas and insights to enable meaningful interaction that may be the only one they have. These include any reaction I've heard directly from veterans (friends and customers) as well as my own.
Avoidance, Anger, and the Need for Peace: Avoidance and anger are great defense tactics that veterans rely on. It's easier to scold angrily or to avoid the topic altogether than it is to go deeper and seek purpose and healing. Counselors are often the only people driving this journey to peace, so be sure to open up the conversation and work your magic.
Complexity: Newcomers to this topic do not seem to understand the complexity of the socio-political aspects of Afghanistan. There is no simple, straightforward, really known explanation or answer to so many questions about what happened or is happening now. This also makes it difficult for veterans to feel, think, articulate, and resolve.
Betrayal, confusion, frustration and embarrassment: Due to the explicit language, I cannot share direct quotations, but combine several: "We all wanted to get out of there, but it could have been a little less" of a huge & # 39; F you & # 39; for everyone? ”Veterans (and Afghans) are aware that their lives are the pieces that are played on geopolitical chessboards, but it is even more annoying when their individual experiences are completely ignored and / or mistakenly by friends, family and mistakenly in Strong opinions about state follies and intentions are summed up as fellow citizens.
Deep compassion, worry, guilt, and helplessness: If you follow the media coverage and feel deeply for people you have never met, imagine knowing them by name; laughed at their jokes; shared lamb skewers your wife made for you; watched young girls bossing boys around; enjoyed broken voice conversations and eye contact between burqa decorations; put money in a businesswoman's hand; [and] heard stories of "before the Taliban came" and fears of what will come back when the US inevitably leaves.
The haunting possibilities, realities and unknowns leave many of us helpless, angry, confused, misunderstood and isolated in our experiences and feelings. The unique and powerful that consultants can offer is a strategic space to sort through the complexities and ensure the crucial step of dispelling the "it was all for free" lie that is often the crux of the matter for veterans.
– Natosha Monroe is an Army Veteran and LPC who specializes in treating clients with trauma and anxiety.
****
For veterans of all wars who have been deployed to support combat operations, engaged in warfare and mobilized for humanitarian operations, the human spirit and soul is at stake. The stench of death in field hospitals, tent cities, and on the battlefield reminds us how fragile human life can be for soldiers, veterans, and military families. Healing during periods of a pandemic virus also complicates mental health problems. To ensure the mental health of the military, we need to restore the fragmented self by placing the “in session” sign on our metaphorical outer door. Hence, as a profession, we should look to the self-care of counselors and be in a mission-oriented environment that provides competent clinical military counseling services.
The military withdrawal from Afghanistan underscores the perfect storm reflecting a turning point in the military's mental health. This is reflected in Magellan's Armed Forces and Family Counselors (MFLAC) program, which is recruiting an immediate surge in mental health professionals to provide services at U.S. military bases. This can also be seen in the longer than average waiting times in VA clinics and with private Tricare providers.
The visual media played in real time have created a retraumatisation for those who have experienced acts of war in hostile regions of the world. Many in the military community have pre-existing political ideologies, cultural belief systems, mental health, and behavioral practices that support or hinder their coping and resilience resources. Customers who came forward after the 9/11 terrorist attacks said they wanted to "defend their homeland". So this cultivated a certain purpose in her chosen military career. However, many veterans I have worked with have been dulled from their military service. When transitioning into civil life, your head is always on a pivot point. They train to become aggressive and not stressful in the face of adversity because the life and safety of other unit members depended on their quick and decisive actions and reactions. Consequently, current mood regulation problems, expressed in frustration, anger, anxiety, hypervigilance, substance use, and other unhealthy symptoms, have created a unique type of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Edward Tick, in his book Warrior's Return: Restoring the Soul After War, eloquently describes complex PTSD as a moral injury that requires a transformative approach to healing, as opposed to “treating” the symptoms of PTSD and co-occurring mental illness.
It is difficult to become a culturally competent military clinical advisor because training and development are sparse. The current literature on military psychology and counseling recognizes that the military is not a homogeneous group known as "the military culture". Today's military is made up of men and women who identify with different races and ethnic groups: Hispanics / Latinx, African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, the LGBT community, as well as many other cultural groups. The military culture also reflects differences within the group in terms of service branches, team and officer rank and the various military occupational specialties (e.g. infantry, special forces / operations, truck mechanics, logistics and embarkation specialists, communications officer, counterintelligence).
Overall, as professionals, it is vital that we understand the unique cultural differences between military and civilian methods of mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Restoring the mind, body and spirit after warfare requires a vision of optimal well-being led by transitional services that transform the meaning and purpose of the wounded warrior in relation to his military service.
– Mark A. Stebnicki is Licensed Clinical Mental Health Advisor (LCMHC), Professor Emeritus at East Carolina University, and author of the book Clinical Military Counseling: Guidelines for Practice published by the ACA. He is the developer and instructor of the Clinical Military Counseling Certificate (CMCC) program through the Telehealth Certificate Institute. He is an active teacher, trainer, researcher, and practitioner with extensive experience in military mental health, post-traumatic stress, chronic illness, and disability.
****
As a military spouse, mother, counselor, trainer and supervisor and clinician, these recent times emphasize the importance of ethical self-awareness and boundaries on a whole new level.
As a military spouse, I understand the stress that the coming and going of your soldier can put on your relationship and family dynamics. I sympathize with the military couple and family who are doing everything in their power to maximize the time prior to your marine / sailor / soldier's departure. In many films, the actual stressors of these moments are not emphasized. I can understand the constant concern for your loved one when you are apart, be it an apprenticeship or an assignment.
Today I think of the spouse who never wanted his marine / soldier / seaman to leave, but instead helped him pack. Today I feel for the children who said: "See you later, dad / mom" and never will.
In recent research I conducted with a colleague [soon to be published in the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development]we found that many mental health service providers interested in serving the military-linked population were or are militarily linked themselves. With this in mind, advisors working with this population are strongly advised to take a little more time during this time and reflect on recent events. Awareness is key to ensuring that best practices are being offered to their customers. It is important for counselors to remember that they are human too. We have to check into ourselves and be able to process the events of the world and their professional and personal effects on us.
For those of us associated with the military, these recent events can be very personal as they affect us, our loved ones and our lifestyle. We need to be able to handle the [withdrawal] event to ensure that we are not creating an environment that supports countertransference. Remembering that counseling is a place primarily designed to support the wellbeing of our clients can be difficult when clients are present with thoughts and beliefs that contradict our own. It is imperative to ensure that we are in a place where we do not allow our values and beliefs to be imposed on our customers.
We may also have customers who are looking for us because we are connected to the military. As consultants, we need to remember that this is a consultancy relationship. Despite our personal need and desire for support and community during this time, we must ensure that we are at a point where we are within our professional limits in order to ensure the well-being of our customers. If this is not possible, we have to make use of supervision and advice. We must ensure that our customers are continuously looked after if we cannot be fully present with them at the time.
Remember, we are human; the world influences us too! We have to take a moment, process it and find the support that we need during this time in order to offer our customers the best possible care.
– Nicole M. Arcuri Sanders is LPC in New Jersey and Texas, LCMHC in North Carolina, Licensed Professional Clinical Consultant (LPCC) in California, Counselor Supervisor, and a Core Faculty member in counseling education and clinical psychological counseling at Capella University. Her clinical focus and research are the militarily networked population; She has also lectured at local, regional and national conferences to advocate effective clinical services to meet the needs of this population group. Previously, she served as the Department of Defense Education Activity's military liaison advisor, substance awareness advisor, school advisor, psychiatric assessment advisor, anti-bullying specialist, and teacher.
<img aria-beschreibungby = "caption-attachment-25639" data-attachment-id = "25639" data-permalink = "https://ct.counseling.org/2021/09/afghanistan-evacuation-kicks-up-tough -emotions-for-veteran-clients-and-counselors / afghanistan-evacuation / "data-orig-file =" https://ct.counseling.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/evacuate.jpg "data -orig-size = "1250,833" data-comments-opened = "1" data-image-meta = "{" aperture ":" 2.8 "," credit ":" US Central Command Public Affa "," camera " : "Canon EOS 5D Mark III", "caption": "210828-M-AU949-0277 HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Afghanistan (Aug. 28, 2021) U.S. Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) process evacuates as they walk through the Evacuation Control Center (ECC) during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. US soldiers support the US State Department with a non-combatant evacuation (NEO) in Afghanistan. (US Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla) "," created_timestamp ":" 1630123200 "," copyright ":" Public Domain "," focal_length ":" 31 "," iso ":" 200 "," shutter_speed ":" 0.0003125 "," title ":" Evacuation Afghanistan "," orientation ":" 1 "}" data-image-title = "Evacuation Afghanistan" data-image-description = "" data-image-caption = "
210828-M-AU949-0277 HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Afghanistan (Aug. 28, 2021) U.S. Marines with the 24th International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. U.S. soldiers assist the State Department in a non-combat evacuation operation (NEO) in Afghanistan (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla)
"data-medium-file =" https://ct.counseling.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/evacuate-300×200.jpg "data-large-file =" https://ct.counseling.org /wp-content/uploads/2021/09/evacuate-1024×682.jpg "loading =" lazy "class =" wp-image-25639 size-large "src =" https://ct.counseling.org/wp-content /uploads/2021/09/evacuate-1024×682.jpg "alt =" "width =" 625 "height =" 416 "/>
US Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit process evacuees as they pass the evacuation control center during evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla / Defense.gov)
Additional resources
Consultation today Article:
****
Opinions and statements in articles appearing on CT Online should not be construed as the opinions of the editors or guidelines of the American Counseling Association.
