Moral injury in military operations : a review of the literature and key considerations for the Canadian Armed Forces / Megan M. Thompson.: D68-2/29-2015E-PDF

As the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) regroup from its largest deployment since Korea and the longest combat deployment since the Second World War, emerging mental health data suggests that approximately 14% of CAF personnel who had been deployed to Afghanistan had a mental health disorder that was linked to the Afghan mission. This paper focuses on a particular psychological aftermath of military operations, that which may be associated with the moral and ethical challenges that personnel face in military missions. More specifically, this paper provides an introduction to the concept of moral injury, formally defined as the psychological anguish that can result from “perpetrating, failing to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations” (Litz et al., 2014, p. 697). The paper begins with a brief overview of the essential role of morality and ethics in military operations. It then outlines the historical development of the concept of moral injury, discusses its symptomatology, and outlines the current approaches to treatment. The paper concludes by discussing a number of key considerations for the CAF in terms of a way ahead with respect to the issue of moral injury.

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