Editorial

Moral Injury: On Dealing with Moral Wounds

Dear readers, in an essay on moral injury, award-winning journalist David Wood describes sitting with US Marines. One of them, named Nik, recounts how he shot and killed a 12-year-old Afghan boy who was firing at him and his comrades during combat. Ethically, legally, and tactically, Nik cannot be blamed for anything; nevertheless, he cannot get over the fact that, according to his innermost convictions, he has done something deeply reprehensible. 

This is “only” one case of moral injury. There are many ways in which deeply held personal values and beliefs can be shaken. This phenomenon at the intersection of ethics and psychology illustrates how destructive military service can be for soldiers themselves. At the same time, it raises questions about care and support for military personnel who are sometimes severely traumatized. (How) can moral injuries be prevented, and (how) can they be healed? 

The articles in this issue address these aspects. Peter Zimmermann, the German Defense Ministry’s commissioner for PTSD and psychological trauma, provides an introduction to the topic. Experiences from military operations can cause a wide variety of psychological stress reactions and symptoms in soldiers; he explains how individual values contribute to this, and outlines approaches that integrate this level of personality into therapy. Andreas Trampota from the Institute for Theology and Peace explains that moral injuries call into question the meaningfulness of the moral world as such. With reference to Hannah Arendt, he outlines a “reconciliation with reality” and the conditions that make it possible. 

Moral injuries illustrate that ethics, as a reflection on morality, is an essential component of military competence, according to Dirk Fischer, head of the Institute for Military Medical Ethics at the German Armed Forces Medical Academy. He presents a model that provides an overview of the response to moral harm and the various influencing factors. Sanneke Brouwers, Catholic chaplain in the Dutch armed forces, draws attention to the supposedly “minor” moral burdens, doubts, and conflicts, and suggests two strategies for better coping with them. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Cutright, formerly a professor at West Point, examines the importance of empathy, the search for meaning, and moral vulnerability in the military. 

Christian doctrine excludes the possibility of self-forgiveness; from a therapeutic perspective, however, it appears to play a central role in recovering from moral injuries. Philipp Gisbertz-Astolfi answers the question of whether and under what conditions self-forgiveness could be justified from the perspective of philosophical ethics. Finally, Nancy Sherman, an expert in ancient philosophy and mental health in the military, takes a look at the importance of emotions. In doing so, she questions a common but distorted image of stoic steadfastness, which proves to be highly counterproductive for processing moral wounds. 

In his essay mentioned at the beginning, David Wood writes that he doesn't really know how to respond to Nik. Until one of the Marines simply replies, “Yeah, that was fucked up” – and everyone nods in agreement. First and foremost, it's about listening and acknowledging. Judgments, hollow comments, or clever advice are of little help to those who are struggling with their individual experiences on missions or have even developed mental health issues as a result – and certainly not the statement that they ultimately chose this for themselves with their career choice. 

That is why we are giving some of those affected a chance to speak in our “Special” section. We hope that the interviews will give an impression of the diversity of situations and ways of coping. The aim here is neither to ignore the civilian victims, suffering, and damage caused by war and military violence, nor to pity soldiers as victims. The aim is to contribute to further education at all levels, including within the armed forces. We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue, as well as to those whose stories could not be told in it.