SBAND Seminar Materials 2013 Free Ethics: Echoes of War The Combat Veteran

IV. Special Problems in Dealing with Combat Veterans in Criminal Court A. Failure to Recognize Invisible Injuries Many combat veterans will not readily identify themselves as such when they appear in court on a criminal charge. They are often humble regarding their service and do not want to call attention to themselves. Often, the more combat a veteran has seen, the less likely they are to talk about it. Discussing their combat experiences can trigger anxiety and other symptoms of PTSD, thus it is often avoided. Few court s inquire about veteran status. Many troubled veterans likely slip through the cracks. A mechanism must be established to ensure veterans are identified and screened for potential psychological injuries when they surface in criminal court. B. Superman Syndrome Veterans are returning to the civilian world from a “warrior culture” with very different rules, values and ideals. A fundamental goal of military combat training is to psychologically condition soldiers so they can function effectively in unimaginably stressful, life-?threatening circumstances. When soldiers experience PTSD, they often deny their symptoms to others, even to themselves. They often fear they will be labeled as “weak” by their comrades or that their military career will suffer. Though the military has come a long way in confronting this problem, many front-?line combat units, faced with the pressure of maintaining combat readiness through multiple deployments, still implicitly discourage claims of PTSD. Once a soldier leaves the military, they often carry their warrior values into civilian life. They strive to overcome PTSD symptoms on their own, reasoning that if they could survive combat, they can handle “mere mental problems” without outside assistance, a condition I call “superman syndrome.” Some, tragically, feel guilt for surviving the war when their buddies did not and are committed to slowly drinking and/or drugging themselves to death. A criminal charge in this context can sometimes actually be helpful in forcing a troubled veteran to admit that he or she has a problem and needs help. These are typically very proud, honorable people who are deeply troubled by their criminal behavior and resulting charge. They are often more willing to admit they have a psychological problem related to their combat service rather than to be labeled a “criminal.” The opportunity to avoid a criminal conviction or a lengthy jail sentence can be a key to a veteran embracing their condition and the treatment available to them. In this 19

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