Sample records for war combat morale

  1. Moral injury: a mechanism for war-related psychological trauma in military family members.

    PubMed

    Nash, William P; Litz, Brett T

    2013-12-01

    Recent research has provided compelling evidence of mental health problems in military spouses and children, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), related to the war-zone deployments, combat exposures, and post-deployment mental health symptoms experienced by military service members in the family. One obstacle to further research and federal programs targeting the psychological health of military family members has been the lack of a clear, compelling, and testable model to explain how war-zone events can result in psychological trauma in military spouses and children. In this article, we propose a possible mechanism for deployment-related psychological trauma in military spouses and children based on the concept of moral injury, a model that has been developed to better understand how service members and veterans may develop PTSD and other serious mental and behavioral problems in the wake of war-zone events that inflict damage to moral belief systems rather by threatening personal life and safety. After describing means of adapting the moral injury model to family systems, we discuss the clinical implications of moral injury, and describe a model for its psychological treatment.

  2. Groundwork for a Theory of the Combatant

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-03

    AIR WAR COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY GROUNDWORK FOR A THEORY OF THE COMBATANT by Robert P. Vicars IV, Lt Col, USAF A Research Report...and synthesize them in a way that captures the fullness of the combatant’s moral reality. Such a synthesis would be a theory of the combatant. This...frame a broader theory of the combatant. 3 On Killing in War In surveying the literature on killing in war, one finds that commentators bring

  3. Lessons of War: Combat-related Injury Infections during the Vietnam War and Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom

    PubMed Central

    Blyth, Dana M.; Yun, Heather C.; Tribble, David R.; Murray, Clinton K.

    2015-01-01

    Summary In over a decade of war, numerous advancements have been made to improve overall combat-related mortality, but infectious complications remain a leading cause of both morbidity and mortality in combat-related injured personnel. Here we will attempt to compare the challenges and lessons of combat-related injuries and infections from the Vietnam War with those of OIF/OEF. Throughout the Vietnam War and OIF/OEF, there have been similar infection-related challenges faced in caring for combat-related trauma patients. Both conflicts reinforced the importance of rapid medical evacuation and definitive surgical management of war wounds. They revealed the constant evolution of infecting organisms and the challenge of increasing antimicrobial resistance. We have also seen that with decreased mortality of severely injured personnel new morbidities must be addressed. Using the foundation of fragmented research from the Vietnam War, previously successful models were assembled into joint service research institutions which have allowed these questions to be addressed. However, many questions regarding measures to reduce infectious complications in our combat-injured personnel remain unanswered. Continued research building on established knowledge is critical for continued improvements in the care of combat-related trauma patients. PMID:26406435

  4. The Art of Wing Leadership: Exploring the Influences of Aircrew Morale in Combat

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-06-01

    air combat. This study answers the question: Is it possible to identify those characteristics of leadership that are able to sustain aircrew morale in...1 Leadership and Morale in Air Combat ......................................................................... 1 Methodology

  5. Nuclear War. The moral dimension

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Child, J.W.

    1985-01-01

    U.S. nuclear policy has become the target of increasing criticism during the past decade. Critics often argue that the use of nuclear weapons would be irrational, would destroy humankind, and thus could not serve any rational policy goal. Other critics point to the immortality of the use of nuclear weapons. Both groups condemn U.S. military policy. In Nuclear War, James Child considers and rejects both these lines of criticism. He argues that a policy of deterrence can be both rational and moral; that U.S. nuclear policy is, on balance, based on rational and moral foundations. Child examines near-term consequences ofmore » a nuclear war and finds them ghastly but not unthinkable or incomparable to the havoc produced by previous wars. He also analyzes long-term consequences, such as those proposed by the ''nuclear winter'' theory, and finds the fear of total annihilation of humankind to be unfounded.« less

  6. Post-combat syndromes from the Boer war to the Gulf war: a cluster analysis of their nature and attribution.

    PubMed

    Jones, Edgar; Hodgins-Vermaas, Robert; McCartney, Helen; Everitt, Brian; Beech, Charlotte; Poynter, Denise; Palmer, Ian; Hyams, Kenneth; Wessely, Simon

    2002-02-09

    To discover whether post-combat syndromes have existed after modern wars and what relation they bear to each other. Review of medical and military records of servicemen and cluster analysis of symptoms. Records for 1856 veterans randomly selected from war pension files awarded from 1872 and from the Medical Assessment Programme for Gulf war veterans. Characteristic patterns of symptom clusters and their relation to dependent variables including war, diagnosis, predisposing physical illness, and exposure to combat; and servicemen's changing attributions for post-combat disorders. Three varieties of post-combat disorder were identified-a debility syndrome (associated with the 19th and early 20th centuries), somatic syndrome (related primarily to the first world war), and a neuropsychiatric syndrome (associated with the second world war and the Gulf conflict). The era in which the war occurred was overwhelmingly the best predictor of cluster membership. All modern wars have been associated with a syndrome characterised by unexplained medical symptoms. The form that these assume, the terms used to describe them, and the explanations offered by servicemen and doctors seem to be influenced by advances in medical science, changes in the nature of warfare, and underlying cultural forces.

  7. Trauma-induced dissociative amnesia in World War I combat soldiers.

    PubMed

    van der Hart, O; Brown, P; Graafland, M

    1999-02-01

    This study relates trauma-induced dissociative amnesia reported in World War I (WW I) studies of war trauma to contemporary findings of dissociative amnesia in victims of childhood sexual abuse. Key diagnostic studies of post-traumatic amnesia in WW I combatants are surveyed. These cover phenomenology and the psychological dynamics of dissociation vis-à-vis repression. Descriptive evidence is cited for war trauma-induced dissociative amnesia. Posttraumatic amnesia extends beyond the experience of sexual and combat trauma and is a protean symptom, which reflects responses to the gamut of traumatic events.

  8. Post-combat syndromes from the Boer war to the Gulf war: a cluster analysis of their nature and attribution

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Edgar; Hodgins-Vermaas, Robert; McCartney, Helen; Everitt, Brian; Beech, Charlotte; Poynter, Denise; Palmer, Ian; Hyams, Kenneth; Wessely, Simon

    2002-01-01

    Objectives To discover whether post-combat syndromes have existed after modern wars and what relation they bear to each other. Design Review of medical and military records of servicemen and cluster analysis of symptoms. Data sources Records for 1856 veterans randomly selected from war pension files awarded from 1872 and from the Medical Assessment Programme for Gulf war veterans. Main outcome measures Characteristic patterns of symptom clusters and their relation to dependent variables including war, diagnosis, predisposing physical illness, and exposure to combat; and servicemen's changing attributions for post-combat disorders. Results Three varieties of post-combat disorder were identified—a debility syndrome (associated with the 19th and early 20th centuries), somatic syndrome (related primarily to the first world war), and a neuropsychiatric syndrome (associated with the second world war and the Gulf conflict). The era in which the war occurred was overwhelmingly the best predictor of cluster membership. Conclusions All modern wars have been associated with a syndrome characterised by unexplained medical symptoms. The form that these assume, the terms used to describe them, and the explanations offered by servicemen and doctors seem to be influenced by advances in medical science, changes in the nature of warfare, and underlying cultural forces. What is already known on this topicService in the Gulf war is associated with an increased rate of reported symptoms and worsening subjective healthPost-combat syndromes have been described after most modern conflicts from the US civil war onwardsWhat this study addsThere seems to be no single post-combat syndrome but a number of variations on a themeThe ever changing form of post-combat syndromes seems to be related to advances in medical understanding, the developing nature of warfare, and cultural undercurrentsBecause reported symptoms are subject to bias and changing emphasis related to advances in medical

  9. Are there atheists in foxholes? Combat intensity and religious behavior.

    PubMed

    Wansink, Brian; Wansink, Craig S

    2013-09-01

    After battle, the moral and mortality stresses influence different soldiers in different ways. Using two large-scale surveys of World War II veterans, this research investigates the impact of combat on religiosity. Study 1 shows that as combat became more frightening, the percentage of soldiers who reported praying rose from 42 to 72%. Study 2 shows that 50 years later, many soldiers still exhibited religious behavior, but it varied by their war experience. Soldiers who faced heavy combat (vs. no combat) attended church 21% more often if they claimed their war experience was negative, but those who claimed their experience was positive attended 26% less often. The more a combat veteran disliked the war, the more religious they were 50 years later. While implications for counselors, clergy, support groups, and health practitioners are outlined, saying there are no atheists in foxholes may be less of an argument against atheism than it is against foxholes.

  10. Critical concerns in Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran-forensic interface: combat-related postdeployment criminal violence.

    PubMed

    Sreenivasan, Shoba; Garrick, Thomas; McGuire, James; Smee, Daniel E; Dow, Daniel; Woehl, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    Identifying whether there is a nexus between Iraq and Afghanistan combat injuries and civilian violence on return from deployment is complicated by differences in reactions of individuals to combat exposure, the overlapping effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the low base rate of civilian violence after combat exposure. Moreover, the overall prevalence of violence among returning Iraq and Afghanistan combat war veterans has not been well documented. Malingered symptoms and either exaggeration or outright fabrication of war zone exposure are challenges to rendering forensic opinions, with the risk reduced by accessing military documents that corroborate war zone duties and exposure. This article serves as a first step toward understanding what may potentiate violence among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. We offer a systematic approach toward the purpose of forensic case formulation that addresses whether combat duty/war zone exposure and associated clinical conditions are linked to criminal violence on return to civilian life.

  11. Religious moral beliefs as mental health protective factor of war veterans suffering from PTSD, depressiveness, anxiety, tobacco and alcohol abuse in comorbidity.

    PubMed

    Hasanović, Mevludin; Pajević, Izet

    2010-06-01

    Our aim was to investigate is there association between level of religious moral beliefs and severity of PTSD symptoms, depressiion symptoms, anxiety and severity of alcohol abuse we tested 152 war veterans on presence of PTSD, depression symptoms, anxiety, alcohol misuse and level of religious moral beliefs. We used Harvard trauma questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Check Scale SBCL 25, check list for alcohol misuse MAST. Subjects were assessed with regard to the level of belief in some basic ethical principles that arise from religious moral values. The score of religious moral belief index was used to correlate with severity of PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, anxiety and severity of alcohol misuse. Mean age of tested subjects was 40.8 (SD=6.6) years. The score of the moral belief index was negatively correlated to PTSD symptom severity and depressiveness (Pearson's r=-0.325, p<0.001; r=-0.247, p=0.005, respectively). Besides that the score of moral belief index negatively correlated with presented anxiety (Pearson's r=-0.199,p=0.026). Related to severity of tobacco and alcohol misuse we found negative association of these with the moral belief index (Pearson's r=-0.227, p=0.011; r=-0.371, p<0.001, respectively). A higher index of religious moral beliefs in war veterans enables better control distress, providing better mental health stability. It enables post traumatic conflicts typical for combatants' survivors to be more easily overcome. It also causes healthier reactions to external stimuli. A higher index of religious moral beliefs of war veterans provides a healthier and more efficient mechanism of tobacco and alcohol misuse control. In this way, it helps overcoming postwar psychosocial problems and socialization of the personality, leading to the improvement in mental health.

  12. Economic Impact of Combat Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-2-0005 TITLE: Economic Impact of Combat-Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Economic Impact of Combat-Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-16-2...59,000 US military have been wounded, with 6,800+ dying. The economic impact of these injuries is not well quantified. Hypothesis: Innovations in combat

  13. Economic Impact of Combat-Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-2-0005 TITLE: Economic Impact of Combat-Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Economic Impact of Combat-Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-16-2...59,000 US military have been wounded, with 6,800+ dying. The economic impact of these injuries is not well quantified. Hypothesis: Innovations in combat

  14. Indirect Relations Between Transgressive Acts and General Combat Exposure and Moral Injury.

    PubMed

    Frankfurt, Sheila B; Frazier, Patricia; Engdahl, Brian

    2017-11-01

    Moral injury describes the deleterious effects of acts of commission (e.g., killing noncombatants), omission (e.g., failing to prevent a massacre), or betrayal (i.e., by a trusted authority figure) during military service that transgress accepted behavioral boundaries and norms. Transgressive acts are proposed to lead to a guilt- and shame-based syndrome consisting of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, demoralization, self-handicapping, and self-injury. In this study, we tested a frequently cited model of moral injury and assessed the associations between potentially transgressive acts, moral injury outcomes, and guilt and fear. Additionally, we sought to clarify the relative contribution of transgressive and nontransgressive/general combat exposure to moral injury. On the basis of previous research and theory, we anticipated that the transgressive acts would be related to outcomes through guilt and that nontransgressive combat exposure would be related to outcomes through fear. Secondary analysis was conducted on data from a sample of combat-exposed male veterans at a Midwestern Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center (N = 190) who participated in a larger parent study on postdeployment readjustment. Structural equation modeling was used to test the pathways from transgressive and nontransgressive combat exposure to PTSD symptoms and suicidality through combat-related guilt and combat-related fear. The institutional review boards of the Midwestern VA medical center and the university of the affiliated researchers approved the study. In total, 38% (n = 72) of the sample reported a potentially transgressive act as one of their three worst traumatic events. The most common potentially transgressive act was killing an enemy combatant (17%; n = 32). In structural equation modeling analyses. potentially transgressive acts were indirectly related to both suicidality (β = 0.09, p < 0.01) and PTSD symptoms (β = 0.06, p < 0.05) through guilt. General combat

  15. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Korean conflict and World War II combat veterans seeking outpatient treatment.

    PubMed

    McCranie, E W; Hyer, L A

    2000-07-01

    Given important differences in the Korean conflict and World War II, samples of treatment-seeking combat veterans from these wars (30 Korea, 83 World War II) were compared on the prevalence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With age, ethnicity, and combat exposure taken into account, the Korean veterans reported significantly more severe symptoms on both interview and self-report PTSD measures. Group differences in the prevalence of current PTSD were in a similar direction but not significant. These results are generally consistent with other studies that have found Korean combat veterans to exhibit higher rates of psychosocial maladjustment than World War II combat veterans. Based on related research with Vietnam veterans, one direction for future investigation is to examine what role stressful postmilitary homecoming experiences may have played in influencing the development and course of combat-related PTSD in the aging cohort of "forgotten" Korean conflict veterans.

  16. Even Wars Have Laws: Upholding an American Tradition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adhihetty, T. J.

    2010-01-01

    Since the founding of this nation, Americans have lived by the belief that wars have laws. Even in the most morally-challenging times, the principles of international humanitarian law (IHL)--which provide basic protections for the vulnerable, such as civilians, prisoners of war, and sick and injured combatants--have been championed by leaders like…

  17. Combating Terrorism: The Legality, Utility and Morality of Coercion

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-20

    Terrorism (GWOT). These techniques … became confused at Abu Ghraib and were implemented without proper authorities or safeguards.”29 In short, the... Abu Ghraib Detention Facility and 205th Military Intelligence Brigade (Unclassified), 8. 30 Goldsmith, The Terror Presidency, 108. The most dangerous...Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT COMBATING TERRORISM : THE LEGALITY, UTILITY AND MORALITY OF

  18. War and remembrance: Combat exposure in young adulthood and memory function sixty years later.

    PubMed

    Nevarez, Michael D; Malone, Johanna C; Rentz, Dorene M; Waldinger, Robert J

    2017-01-01

    Identifying adaptive ways to cope with extreme stress is essential to promoting long-term health. Memory systems are highly sensitive to stress, and combat exposure during war has been shown to have deleterious effects on cognitive processes, such as memory, decades later. No studies have examined coping styles used by combat veterans and associations with later-life cognitive functioning. Defenses are coping mechanisms that manage difficult memories and feelings, with some more closely related to memory processes (e.g., suppression, repression). Utilizing a longitudinal database, we assessed how reliance on certain defense mechanisms after World War II combat exposure could affect cognitive health 60years later. Data spanning 75years were available on 71 men who had post-war assessment of combat exposure, defense mechanism ratings (ages 19-50), and late-life neuropsychological testing. Interaction models of combat exposure with defenses predicting late-life memory were examined. In bivariate analyses, greater reliance on suppression correlated with worse memory performance (r=-0.30, p=.01), but greater reliance on repression did not. Greater reliance on suppression strengthened the link between combat exposure and worse memory in late life (R 2 =0.24, p<.001). In contrast, greater reliance on repression attenuated the link between combat exposure and poorer late-life memory (R 2 =0.19, p<.001). Results suggest that coping styles may affect the relationship between early-adult stress and late-life cognition. Findings highlight the importance of understanding how coping styles may impact cognitive functioning as people move through adult life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Combat veterans: impressions of an analytic observer in a non-analytic setting.

    PubMed

    Stein, Herbert H

    2007-01-01

    The hallmark presentation of combat trauma-nightmares, waking hallucinations, intrusive traumatic memories, and extreme affective reactions to environmental triggers-may best be conceptualized as part of an adaptive mechanism intended to protect the individual against a repetition of trauma. Combat veterans continuously must cope with the extreme affects that combat induced. Fear, rage, guilt, and grief predominate. Their mental and emotional life is complicated by a conscience split between war zone and civilian morality and by the special group dynamics of combat. Optimal clinical understanding of combat-related trauma, whether in a psychoanalytic or general mental health setting, requires an awareness of the interaction of the personal dynamics of each individual with the specific characteristics of their combat situation.

  20. Anything, Anywhere, Any Time: Combat Cargo in the Korean War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-01-01

    War 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7...Anything, Anywhere, Any Time Combat Cargo in the Korean War William M. Leary A I R F O R C E H I S T O R Y A N D M U S E U M S P R O G R A M 2000... War II had been marked by a series of draconian cuts in the military budget by President Harry S Truman, culminating in a spending cap of $14.3

  1. Teaching Us to Fear: The Violent Video Game Moral Panic and The Politics of Game Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Markey, Patrick M.; Ferguson, Christopher J.

    2017-01-01

    In this excerpt from their new book, "Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong" (BenBella Books, 2017), the authors present an argument in defense of video games while dispelling the myth that such games lead to real-world violence. The authors define and examine moral panics and provide guidelines for identifying and…

  2. Moral engagement, combat trauma, and the lure of psychiatric dualism: why psychiatry is more than a technical discipline.

    PubMed

    Kinghorn, Warren

    2015-01-01

    Psychiatry is not only a technical discipline concerned with matching appropriate means to pre-specified ends; it is also a discipline of moral engagement and discernment in which clinicians and patients explore the ends that patients will pursue. Moral engagement is intrinsic to psychiatric practice, particularly when psychiatrists engage issues such as combat trauma in which patients' moral self-evaluations are relevant to the perpetuation of psychological distress. Relative to technical models of practice, however, the space of moral engagement and discernment conveys risk for psychiatrists as it is less "scientific," more prone to exploitation and abuse, and the occasion for social-political critiques of psychiatry. Three prevalent forms of psychiatric dualism, each manifest in the care of combat veterans, seem to allow psychiatrists to avoid this contested moral space: dualism of the self and the self's body, dualism of the self and the self's quantifiable experience and behavior, and dualism of the self and the self's "values." Each of these dualisms is alluring but ultimately unable to protect psychiatrists from the space of moral engagement. Psychiatrists must rather cultivate practices for inhabiting that space in a morally transparent, self-questioning, and responsible way.

  3. Two faces of death: fatalities from disease and combat in America's principal wars, 1775 to present.

    PubMed

    Cirillo, Vincent J

    2008-01-01

    Throughout America's first 145 years of war, far more of the country's military personnel perished from infectious diseases than from enemy action. This enduring feature of war was finally reversed in World War II, chiefly as a result of major medical advances in prevention (vaccines) and treatment (antibiotics). Safeguarding the health of a command is indispensable for the success of any campaign. Wars are lost by disease, which causes an enormous drain on the military's resources and affects both strategy and tactics. Disease and combat mortality data from America's principal wars (1775-present) fall into two clearly defined time periods: the Disease Era (1775-1918), during which infectious diseases were the major killer of America's armed forces, and the Trauma Era (1941-present), in which combat-related fatalities predominated. The trend established in World War II continues to the present day. Although there are currently more than 3,400 U.S. military fatalities in Iraq, the disease-death toll is so low that it is exceeded by the number of suicides.

  4. Moral Education and Post-War Societies: The Peruvian Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frisancho, Susana; Reategui, Felix

    2009-01-01

    This article analyses the unique challenges and needs of moral and citizenship education in post-war Peruvian society. It assumes the explanation of the roots, the facts and the enduring negative consequences of violence as described in the final report of the Comision de la Verdad y Reconciliacion (CVR) [Truth and Reconciliation Commission]…

  5. Mechanisms of moral disengagement and their differential use by right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation in support of war.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Lydia Eckstein; Gaertner, Lowell

    2010-01-01

    Right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) are associated with the approval of war as a political intervention [McFarland, 2005]. We examined whether the effects of RWA and SDO on war support are mediated by moral-disengagement mechanisms [i.e., responsibility reduction, moral justification, minimizing consequences, and dehumanizing-blaming victims; Bandura, 1999] and whether the ideologies use the mechanisms differently. Our data were consistent with the possibility that minimizing consequences (Study 1) and moral justification (Study 2) mediate the effects of RWA and SDO on approval of war. Both ideologies were positively associated with all moral-disengagement mechanism though more strongly so for RWA. Comparisons within ideologies suggest that RWA was most strongly associated with moral justification and SDO was most strongly associated with dehumanizing-blaming victims. We discuss implications and limitations.

  6. The influence of combat and interpersonal trauma on PTSD, depression, and alcohol misuse in U.S. Gulf War and OEF/OIF women veterans.

    PubMed

    Hassija, Christina M; Jakupcak, Matthew; Maguen, Shira; Shipherd, Jillian C

    2012-04-01

    The present study evaluated the impact of combat and interpersonal trauma exposure in a sample of 115 U.S. women veterans from Gulf War I and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars on 3 postdeployment trauma-related mental health outcomes: posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PSS), depressive symptom severity (DSS), and alcohol misuse. Patients presenting for healthcare services at a Veterans Affairs postdeployment health specialty clinic completed screening questionnaires that assessed combat exposure, lifetime interpersonal trauma history of childhood neglect, physical, or sexual abuse, and adult sexual and physical assault. In a regression model, combat exposure was the only significant independent variable associated with PSS, DSS, and alcohol misuse (β = .42, .27 and B = 1.58, respectively) even after adding lifetime interpersonal assault exposure to the model. Results highlight the negative effects of combat exposure on treatment-seeking women veterans' postdeployment mental health. Incorporating combat exposure into routine screening procedures for Gulf War and Iraq and Afghanistan war women veterans can aid in mental health treatment planning. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

  7. The music of war: Seven World War 1 composers and their experience of combat.

    PubMed

    Davidson, Jonathan Rt

    2016-09-28

    The effect of World War 1 military service on composers has been neglected in comparison with poets and artists. This article describes the wartime service of Arthur Bliss, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Ivor Gurney, EJ Moeran, Gordon Jacob, Patrick Hadley, and Maurice Ravel. The relationship between experiences of combat and the psychological health of these men is examined, with consideration being given to predisposition and possible causative influences of military service on their later careers, examined from individual and societal perspectives. © The Author(s) 2016.

  8. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-01-01

    1952. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1957. Redes- of a paddle wheel river boat, Air Force ignated 7o2d Troop Carrier Squadron blue, the windows lighted Air Force ...782d Bombard- hitched to a red wagon with wheels red, ment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May hub yellow, tires and axles black, the 1943. Activated on 1 Aug...AD-A128 026 COMBAT SQUADRONS OF TOE AIR FORCE WORLD WAR IU) 1OFFICEOF AIR FORCE HISTORY WASHINGTON DC M MAURER UNCLASSIFIED F/G 15/7 NL

  9. Serving the Cause: Duty Concepts and Combat Effectiveness in War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-01

    War II.10 Like moral factors, the notion of military effectiveness is complex and multi-faceted. Murray and Millet argue that military...The insights derived from this synthesis will provide the common reference point for analysis of the historical examples. Alan Millet and...1988). 4 Allan Millet and Williamson Murray, Military Effectiveness, Vol I, 2. 9 This dynamic interaction is particularly pronounced at the

  10. Combat Leadership

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-05-01

    concern that the Army and other services will breed managers instead of leaders, and they will lack the leadership skills necessary for combat. Colonel...AD-A 2 4 1 101 AiL WAR COLLEGE COMBAT LEADERSHIP LIEUTENANT COLONEL J.kyMES M. FISHER, USA 1990 i 91-12129 -. ROVED F R PUBLIC AIR UNIVERSPL" A...tELEASE; 01IRBUIBiMA UN. D STATES AIR FORCE MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, ALABAA UF7 AIR WAR COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY COMBAT LEADERSHIP by James M. Fisher

  11. THE ROLES OF COMBAT EXPOSURE, PERSONAL VULNERABILITY, AND INVOLVEMENT IN HARM TO CIVILIANS OR PRISONERS IN VIETNAM WAR-RELATED POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

    PubMed Central

    Dohrenwend, Bruce P.; Yager, Thomas J.; Wall, Melanie M.; Adams, Ben G.

    2014-01-01

    The diagnosis, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, was introduced in 1980 amidst debate about the psychiatric toll of the Vietnam War. There is controversy, however, about its central assumption that potentially traumatic stressors are more important than personal vulnerability in causing the disorder. We tested this assumption with data from a rigorously diagnosed male subsample (n = 260) from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Combat exposure, pre-war vulnerability, and involvement in harming civilians or prisoners were examined, with only combat exposure proving necessary for disorder onset. While none of the three factors proved sufficient, estimated onset reached 97% for veterans high on all three, with harm to civilians or prisoners showing the largest independent contribution. Severity of combat exposure proved more important than pre-war vulnerability in onset; pre-war vulnerability at least as important in long-term persistence. Implications for the primacy of the stressor assumption, further research, and policy are discussed. PMID:25309830

  12. Conceptions of politics, morality, and war in the nuclear policy debates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ware, L.C.

    1993-01-01

    During the resurgent nuclear debates from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, analysts sharply disagreed about the appropriate means and ends of strategy. Deterrence dominance strategists argued that America required a countervailing capacity to sustain a viable deterrent posture and to contain Soviet adventurism. Proponents of pure deterrence claimed that the risks endemic to mutual vulnerability would suffice to moderate the superpower rivalry. Advocates of denuclearization charged that reliance on nuclear weaponry posed the greatest danger to human well-being and called for diplomatic measures to establish a disarmament regime. While scholars have systemically explored the strategic and technological components of themore » controversy, few studies have examined the political theoretic dimensions. Through a textual exegesis of the writings of key participants, this work seeks to demonstrate that contending conceptions of politics and morality inform dissension about the viability of coercive power in the nuclear age. Justifications of deterrence dominance proposals generally conflate political and ethical considerations through variants of Hobbesian skepticism or liberal just war interventionism. Such arguments perceive the state as the locus of societal values and sovereignty as sanctioning extensive activities in the global system. Pure deterrence notions posit an irreconcilable tension between politics and morality that corresponds with a tragic vision: war may be a necessary element of sociality, but it seldom has truly creative consequences. From this perspective, the state is a morally ambiguous agent that can preserve and endanger societal well-being. Finally, associated with the denuclearization school is a conviction that progressive social movements can conform politics to essential ethical precepts by minimizing the role of coercive power. In this view, the state and its claim to sovereignty are primary sources of the war system, hence must be radically

  13. Lessons denied: a history of therapeutic response to combat stress reaction during Israel's War of Independence (1948), the Sinai Campaign (1956) and the Six Day War (1967)

    PubMed

    Witztum, E; Levy, A; Solomon, Z

    1996-01-01

    The current article examines the history of therapeutic response in the Israel Defense Forces toward combat stress reaction during two decades, and in the course of three wars: the 1948 War of Independence, the 1956 Sinai Campaign, and the 1967 Six Day War. Three independent sources were used: recorded debriefing materials; interviews conducted with therapists, commanders and military historians; and professional literature on the wars in Hebrew and other languages. The collected material is described and issues of attitudes, treatment approaches and preparedness are discussed.

  14. PTSD, resilience and posttraumatic growth among ex-prisoners of war and combat veterans.

    PubMed

    Zerach, Gadi; Solomon, Zahava; Cohen, Assaf; Ein-Dor, Tsachi

    2013-01-01

    Past studies have shown that adversity may yield various salutogenic outcomes. two constructs that have been at the center of this scientific investigation are resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG). the present study aims to clarify the relations between posttraumatic stress symptoms, resilience and PTG among israeli war veterans. the sample includes former prisoners of war (ex-POWs) (n=103) and comparable veterans (n=106) of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. the veterans were assessed twice: 18 and 30 years after the war with self-report questionnaires. resilience, defined as the absence of posttraumatic symptoms, and PTG are negatively correlated. resilient ex- POWs and veterans reported the lowest levels of PTG when compared to participants diagnosed with clinical and sub-clinical posttraumatic stress disorder (PtSd). Furthermore, PTG dimensions were found to be the most differentiating factor between study groups, followed by war exposure measures and clinical reports of depression and anxiety symptoms. this study strengthens the understanding that combatants who report high-level PtSd symptoms also report higher levels of positive psychological changes in the face of severe adversity.

  15. Combat and Operational Stress: Minimizing Its Adverse Effects on Service Members

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-18

    munitions. Combat stress has received many labels since the First World War. These labels include “shell shock, war neurosis , psychoneurosis, combat...war neurosis and psychoneurosis carried an inherently negative connotation because they implied by their name that a mental illness or disorder...who became combat stress casualties. In 1916, the term war neurosis replaced shell shocked as the number of combat stress casualties continued due

  16. The Long War and Parental Combat Deployment: Effects on Military Children and At-Home Spouses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lester, Patricia; Peterson, Kris; Reeves, James; Knauss, Larry; Glover, Dorie; Mogil, Catherine; Duan, Naihua; Saltzman, William; Pynoos, Robert; Wilt, Katherine; Beardslee, William

    2010-01-01

    Objective: Given the growing number of military service members with families and the multiple combat deployments characterizing current war time duties, the impact of deployments on military children requires clarification. Behavioral and emotional adjustment problems were examined in children (aged 6 through 12) of an active duty Army or Marine…

  17. Peace and war: a study of morality and US strategic nuclear policies. Study project report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ginder, D.B.; Hicks, I.

    1983-05-01

    The paper examines the quesitons of peace and war and the morality of nuclear deterrence. These vital and enduring questions have been again become a focus of societal debate, especially in the light of the Catholic Bishop's pastoral letter. The nuclear debate is all encompassing, raising philosophical, political, social, strategic an religious questions. These issues present problems that each informed citizen will have to discern both morally and politically. The purpose of the paper is not to evaluate the morality of the defense and deterrent policies/strategies of the United States, but to provide the reader with the information to allowmore » him to formulate judgment on this important question and be able to reconcile personal moral values with national policy and strategy.« less

  18. Extremity War Injuries VIII: sequelae of combat injuries.

    PubMed

    Andersen, Romney C; D'Alleyrand, Jean-Claude G; Swiontkowski, Marc F; Ficke, James R

    2014-01-01

    The 2013 Extremity War Injury symposium focused on the sequelae of combat-related injuries, including posttraumatic osteoarthritis, amputations, and infections. Much remains to be learned about posttraumatic arthritis, and there are few circumstances in which a definitive arthroplasty should be performed in an acutely injured and open joint. Although the last decade has seen tremendous advances in the treatment of combat upper extremity injuries, many questions remain unanswered, and continued research focusing on improving reconstruction of large segmental defects remains critical. Discussion of infection centered on the need for novel methods to reduce the bacterial load following the initial débridement procedures. Novel methods of delivering antimicrobial therapy and anti-inflammatory medications directly to the wound were discussed as well as the need for near real-time assessment of bacterial and fungal burden and further means of prevention and treatment of biofilm formation and the importance of animal models to test therapies discussed. Moderators and lecturers of focus groups noted the continuing need for improved prehospital care in the management of junctional injuries, identified optimal strategies for both surgical repair and/or reconstruction of the ligaments in multiligamentous injuries, and noted the need to mitigate bone mineral density loss following amputation and/or limb salvage as well as the necessity of developing better methods of anticipating and managing heterotopic ossification.

  19. A group therapy approach to treating combat posttraumatic stress disorder: interpersonal reconnection through letter writing.

    PubMed

    Keenan, Melinda J; Lumley, Vicki A; Schneider, Robert B

    2014-12-01

    Many who have served in a war zone carry deep emotional wounds that go beyond the typical symptom clusters of reexperiencing, avoidance/numbing, and hyperarousal that comprise a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Specifically, many combatants experience unresolved grief, guilt, and shame caused by losses and traumatic experiences suffered in war, called "moral injury" by some clinicians and researchers (e.g., Litz et al., 2009; Shay, 1994). We describe the aspects of human attachment that set the stage for grief, guilt, and shame, and outline the 3-phase group therapy model we have implemented in a clinical setting to foster the reconnection of severed human bonds. Special attention is paid to killing and related phenomena that are unique to combat PTSD. The program phases include psychoeducation, trauma-focused therapy, and aftercare, which focuses on assisting the veterans in reconnecting with their families and communities. The use of letter writing as an intervention is illustrated through case examples, and clinical outcomes are anecdotally described.

  20. Waging modern war: An analysis of the moral literature on the nuclear arms debate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Palmer-Fernandez, G.F.

    1992-01-01

    The primary aim was to examine the dominant views on the subject of deterrence and the use of nuclear weapons, to compare them with each other, and to consider objections that have or might be made against them. A second, more controversial and substantive, aim was to show that nuclear weapons and war-fighting plans engender some disturbing moral dilemmas that call into question fundamental ways of thinking about morality and some of the common intuitions on the relation of intentions and actions. The author examines the moral literature, both religious and secular, on nuclear arms policy written between the earlymore » 1960s and the late 1980s. Three different schools of thought, or parties,' are identified. To establish the differences among these parties, the author shows the various ways in which judgments on the use of nuclear weapons and on deterrence are linked either by a prohibitive moral principle which draws a moral equivalence going from action to intention or by a factual assumption about the nature of nuclear weapons. He concludes with the suggestion that the dilemmas that arise in the moral evaluation of nuclear deterrence represent a profound and much wider problem in moral theory between the ideals of character and the moral claims of politics.« less

  1. Firing a Weapon and Killing In Combat Are Associated with Suicidal Ideation in OEF/OIF Veterans

    PubMed Central

    Tripp, Jessica C.; McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan E.; Henschel, Aisling V.

    2016-01-01

    Objective Combat veterans are at risk for several adverse outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, hazardous alcohol use, and most critically, suicidal behaviors. The high rate of suicide in veterans has been understood as a correlate of PTSD and depression, but it is possible that certain specific types of combat experiences may lead to suicidal behaviors. Acts committed by the veteran in the context of war such as killing may evoke a “moral injury,” which leads to thoughts of ending one’s life. Method The present exploratory research examined relationships between combat experiences and suicidal ideation (SI) and PTSD in a sample of 68 OEF/OIF veterans (91% male, mean age = 32.31 years) who had screened positive for alcohol misuse. We examined firing a weapon/killing in combat (Firing/Killing) and killing in combat (Killing) alone as predictors of (SI) and PTSD severity in both the full sample, and in analyses that examined men only. Results Firing/Killing were associated with SI for the full sample and men only, and Killing showed a trend towards significance in predicting SI. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that Firing/Killing did not predict PTSD for the full sample or men only, but Killing was predictive of PTSD for both samples. Conclusions These results indicate that there may be differences in Firing/Killing and Killing alone in OEF/OIF veterans who screened positive for alcohol misuse. Thorough screening of combat experiences and addressing moral injury in returning combat veterans may help reduce high rates of suicide and PTSD. PMID:26460495

  2. Governing the grapevine: the study of rumor during World War II.

    PubMed

    Faye, Cathy

    2007-02-01

    Throughout the early 1940s, a host of rumors relating to the Second World War began to circulate, leading the government to establish various committees and undertake multiple projects intended to counteract rumors that were believed to threaten civilian morale and compromise national security. Simultaneously, social scientists also began taking measures to study and combat rumor. Such efforts included the institution of several community groups, deemed "rumor clinics," that aimed to decrease the prevalence of wartime rumor by educating the general public. This article outlines the rise and fall of rumor clinics, focusing specifically on the shifting boundaries and the mounting tensions between the United States government and social scientists in the study of rumor during World War II.

  3. Debating Sex: Education Films and Sexual Morality for the Young in Post-War Germany, 1945-1955.

    PubMed

    Winkler, Anita

    2015-01-01

    After 1945 rapidly climbing figures of venereal disease infections menaced the health of the war-ridden German population. Physicians sought to gain control over this epidemic and initiated large-scale sex education campaigns to inform people about identification, causes and treatment of VD and advised them on appropriate moral sexual behaviour as a prophylactic measure. Film played a crucial role in these campaigns. As mass medium it was believed film could reach out to large parts of society and quickly disseminate sexual knowledge and moral codes of conduct amongst the population. This essay discusses the transition of the initial central role of sex education films in the fight against venereal disease in the immediate post-war years towards a more critical stance as to the effects of cinematographic education of the young in an East and West German context.

  4. Debating Sex: Education Films and Sexual Morality for the Young in post-War Germany, 1945-55

    PubMed Central

    Winkler, Anita

    2015-01-01

    Summary After 1945 rapidly climbing figures of venereal disease infections menaced the health of the war-ridden German population. Physicians sought to gain control over this epidemic and initiated large-scale sex education campaigns to inform people about identification, causes and treatment of VD and advised them on appropriate moral sexual behaviour as a prophylactic measure. Film played a crucial role in these campaigns. As mass medium it was believed film could reach out to large parts of society and quickly disseminate sexual knowledge and moral codes of conduct amongst the population. This essay discusses the transition of the initial central role of sex education films in the fight against venereal disease in the immediate post-war years towards a more critical stance as to the effects of cinematographic education of the young in an East and West German context. PMID:26403056

  5. Teaching about the Moral Lessons of World War II and How to Integrate This into the Educational System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bykov, A. K.; Liuban, T. N.

    2011-01-01

    The Ninth of May 2010 marks the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Day of Victory in the Great War for the Fatherland (World War II). Although so much time has passed, the moral asset of this historical event remains large. The Russian people perceive this victory as a heroic symbol of the whole Fatherland, and its results and consequences are…

  6. Initial psychometric evaluation of the Moral Injury Questionnaire--Military version.

    PubMed

    Currier, Joseph M; Holland, Jason M; Drescher, Kent; Foy, David

    2015-01-01

    Moral injury is an emerging construct related to negative consequences associated with war-zone stressors that transgress military veterans' deeply held values/beliefs. Given the newness of the construct, there is a need for instrumentation that might assess morally injurious experiences (MIEs) in this population. Drawing on a community sample of 131 Iraq and/or Afghanistan Veterans and clinical sample of 82 returning Veterans, we conducted an initial psychometric evaluation of the newly developed Moral Injury Questionnaire-Military version (MIQ-M)-a 20-item self-report measure for assessing MIEs. Possibly due to low rates of reporting, an item assessing sexual trauma did not yield favourable psychometric properties and was excluded from analyses. Veterans in the clinical sample endorsed significantly higher scores across MIQ-M items. Factor analytic results for the final 19 items supported a unidimensional structure, and convergent validity analyses revealed that higher scores (indicative of more MIEs) were correlated with greater general combat exposure, impairments in work/social functioning, posttraumatic stress and depression in the community sample. In addition, when controlling for demographics, deployment-related factors and exposure to life threat stressors associated with combat, tests of incremental validity indicated that MIQ-M scores were also uniquely linked with suicide risk and other mental health outcomes. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the validity of the MIQ-M and support the applicability of this measure for further research and clinical work with Veterans. Military service can confront service members with experiences that undermine their core sense of humanity and violate global values and beliefs. These types of experiences increase the risk for posttraumatic maladjustment in this population, even when accounting for rates of exposure to life threat traumas. Moral injury is an emerging construct to more fully capture the many

  7. Moral knowledge: some reflections on moral controversies, incompatible moral epistemologies, and the culture wars.

    PubMed

    Engelhardt, H Tristram

    2004-01-01

    An authentic Christian bioethical account of abortion must take into consideration the conflicting epistemologies that separate Christian moral theology from secular moral philosophy. Moral epistemologies directed to the issue of abortion that fail to appreciate the orientation of morality to God will also fail adequately to appreciate the moral issues at stake. Christian accounts of the bioethics of abortion that reduce moral-theological considerations to moral-philosophical considerations will not only fail to appreciate fully the offense of abortion, but morally mislead. This article locates the bioethics of abortion within the theology of the Church of the first millennium, emphasizing that abortion was prohibited, whether or not one considered the embryo or fetus to be ensouled.

  8. Two war-torn soldiers: combat-related trauma through an intersubjective lens.

    PubMed

    Carr, Russell B

    2013-01-01

    The author, himself an Iraq war veteran, presents a contemporary psychodynamic understanding, known as intersubjective therapy, of combat-related Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). At the onset of this case example, the patient was highly suicidal and his PTSD symptoms had not responded to a first-line treatment: manualized cognitive processing therapy. Robert Stolorow's intersubjective, psychodynamic approach to traumatic emotional experiences was then selected for treatment, and illustrates how combat in Afghanistan shattered this soldier's world and self experience. Therapeutic action arises from this intersubjective perspective by providing a relational home so that unendurable emotions can be borne, processed, and integrated to achieve a more constant and individualized sense of self. Being a two-person model of therapy, the author also describes how his work with this traumatized soldier affected him, ultimately contributing to his own sense of authentic existing. The author discusses the need for therapists to recognize and acknowledge to traumatized patients their shared finitude and the ubiquity of trauma. In the Postscript, the patient describes what he felt was therapeutic and contrasts this to his previous experiences with manualized cognitive processing therapy.

  9. Blast injury prevalence in skeletal remains: Are there differences between Bosnian war samples and documented combat-related deaths?

    PubMed

    Dussault, Marie Christine; Hanson, Ian; Smith, Martin J

    2017-11-01

    Court cases at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have seen questions raised about the recognition and causes of blast-related trauma and the relationship to human rights abuses or combat. During trials, defence teams argued that trauma was combat related and prosecutors argued that trauma was related to executions. We compared a sample of 81 cases (males between 18 and 75) from a Bosnian mass grave investigation linked to the Kravica warehouse killings to published combat-related blast injury data from World War One, Vietnam, Northern Ireland, the first Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan. We also compared blast fracture injuries from Bosnia to blast fracture injuries sustained in bombings of buildings in two non-combat 'civilian' examples; the Oklahoma City and Birmingham pub bombings. A Chi-squared statistic with a Holm-Bonferroni correction assessed differences between prevalence of blast-related fractures in various body regions, where data were comparable. We found statistically significant differences between the Bosnian and combat contexts. We noted differences in the prevalence of head, torso, vertebral area, and limbs trauma, with a general trend for higher levels of more widespread trauma in the Bosnian sample. We noted that the pattern of trauma in the Bosnian cases resembled the pattern from the bombing in buildings civilian contexts. Variation in trauma patterns can be attributed to the influence of protective armour; the context of the environment; and the type of munition and its injuring mechanism. Blast fracture injuries sustained in the Bosnian sample showed patterns consistent with a lack of body armour, blast effects on people standing in enclosed buildings and the use of explosive munitions. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Science, ethics and war: a pacifist's perspective.

    PubMed

    Kovac, Jeffrey

    2013-06-01

    This article considers the ethical aspects of the question: should a scientist engage in war-related research, particularly use-inspired or applied research directed at the development of the means for the better waging of war? Because scientists are simultaneously professionals, citizens of a particular country, and human beings, they are subject to conflicting moral and practical demands. There are three major philosophical views concerning the morality of war that are relevant to this discussion: realism, just war theory and pacifism. In addition, the requirements of professional codes of ethics and common morality contribute to an ethical analysis of the involvement of scientists and engineers in war-related research and technology. Because modern total warfare, which is facilitated by the work of scientists and engineers, results in the inevitable killing of innocents, it follows that most, if not all, war-related research should be considered at least as morally suspect and probably as morally prohibited.

  11. An Evaluation of an Attitudinal Model to Measure the Potential for Combat Effectiveness of U.S. Air Force Organizations.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-09-01

    Fight Combat Effectiveness Organizational Assessment Package Morale Combat Effectiveness Model Cohesion Leadership 20. AIISTRACT (COe/Mie do ,eae aide If...of combat readiness. The major psychosocial dimensions which contribute to combat effectiveness of a military unit (morale leadership , cohesion, and...psychosocial dimensions in the combat effectiveness model (morale, leadership , and cohesion) in addition to training, logistics, alienation, and work group

  12. Modeling Operations Other Than War: Non-Combatants in Combat Modeling

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-09-01

    supposition that non-combatants are an essential feature in OOTW. The model proposal includes a methodology for civilian unit decision making . The model...combatants are an essential feature in OOTW. The model proposal includes a methodology for civilian unit decision making . Thi- model also includes...numerical example demonstrated that the model appeared to perform in an acceptable manner, in that it produced output within a reasonable range. During the

  13. Just-war tradition in the nuclear age: is it ever moral to push the button. Student essay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carney, J.L.

    1987-03-23

    Because of the massive destructiveness of nuclear weapons, many nuclear ethicists have asserted that their use in war is contrary to just-war traditions which have guided Western moral thought since at least the Fifth Century. This position creates a significant dilemma for US officials who must keep their fingers on the nuclear trigger as part of our national defense strategy. This essay examines the dimensions of that dilemma by reviewing the principles of the just-war tradition and applying them to modern total-war concepts. It concludes by examining three possible solutions to the dilemma, (1) deployment of a strategic defense system,more » such as that contemplated by SDI; (2) arms control; and (3) establishment of a world police authority under the auspices of the United Nations to enforce nuclear disarmament and to intervene, if necessary, to prevent a total conventional war between the great powers.« less

  14. Life satisfaction and quality in Korean War veterans five decades after the war.

    PubMed

    Ikin, J F; Sim, M R; McKenzie, D P; Horsley, K W A; Wilson, E J; Harrex, W K; Moore, M R; Jelfs, P L; Henderson, S

    2009-05-01

    Military service is considered to be a hidden variable underlying current knowledge about well-being in the elderly. This study aimed to examine life satisfaction and quality of life in Australia's surviving male Korean War veterans and a community comparison group, and to investigate any association with war deployment-related factors. Participants completed a postal questionnaire which included the Life Satisfaction Scale, the brief World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref) questionnaire and the Combat Exposure Scale. Korean War veterans reported significantly lower Percentage Life Satisfaction (PLS) and quality of life scores on four WHOQOL-Bref domains, compared with similarly aged Australian men (each p value <0.001). These outcomes were most strongly associated with severity of combat exposure and low rank. Mean PLS was approximately 15% lower in veterans who reported heavy combat compared with those reporting no combat, and approximately 12% lower in enlisted ranked veterans compared with officers. Fifty years after the Korean War, life satisfaction and quality in Australian veterans is poor relative to other Australian men, and is associated with deployment-related factors including combat severity and low rank. In order to respond effectively to current and projected population health needs, nations with large veteran populations may need to consider the impact of military service on well-being in later life.

  15. The Long War and Parental Combat Deployment: Effects on Military Children and At-Home Spouses

    PubMed Central

    Lester, Patricia; Peterson, Kris; Reeves, James; Knauss, Larry; Glover, Dorie; Mogil, Catherine; Duan, Naihua; Saltzman, William; Pynoos, Robert; Wilt, Katherine; Beardslee, William

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Given the growing number of military service members with families and the multiple combat deployments characterizing current war time duties, the impact of deployments on military children requires clarification. Behavioral and emotional adjustment problems were examined in children (aged 6 –12) of an active duty Army or Marine Corps parent currently deployed (CD) or recently returned (RR) from Afghanistan or Iraq. METHOD Children (N=272) and their at-home civilian (AHC) (N=163) and/or recently returned active duty (AD) parent (N=65) were interviewed. Child adjustment outcomes were examined in relation to parental psychological distress and months of combat deployment (of the AD) using mixed effects linear models. RESULTS Parental distress (AHC and AD) and cumulative length of parental combat-related deployments during the child’s lifetime independently predicted increased child depression and externalizing symptoms. Although behavioral adjustment and depression levels were comparable to community norms, anxiety was significantly elevated in children in both deployment groups. In contrast, AHC parental distress was greater in those with a CD (vs. RR) spouse. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate parental combat deployment has a cumulative effect on children which remains even after the deployed parent returns home, and is predicted by psychological distress of both the AD and AHC parent. Such data may be informative for screening, prevention and intervention strategies. PMID:20410724

  16. "I knew it was wrong the moment I got the order": A narrative thematic analysis of moral injury in combat veterans.

    PubMed

    Held, Philip; Klassen, Brian J; Hall, Joanne M; Friese, Tanya R; Bertsch-Gout, Marcel M; Zalta, Alyson K; Pollack, Mark H

    2018-05-03

    Moral injury is a nascent construct intended to capture reactions to events that violate deeply held beliefs and moral values. Although a model of moral injury has been proposed, many of the theoretical propositions of this model have yet to be systematically studied. We conducted semistructured interviews with eight veterans who reported experiencing morally injurious events during war zone deployments. Using narrative thematic analysis, five main themes and associated subthemes emerged from the data. The main themes capture the timing of the event, contextual factors that affected the decision-making process during the morally injurious event, reactions to the moral injurious event, search for purpose and meaning, and opening up. The findings from the present study supported an existing model of moral injury, while extending it in several important ways. Preliminary clinical recommendations and directions for future research are discussed based on the study findings. These include directly exploring the context surrounding the morally injurious event, examining the veterans' moral appraisals, and helping them assume appropriate responsibility for their actions to reduce excessive self-blame. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Bishops and the bomb: the morality of nuclear deterrrence

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lawler, P.F.

    1982-01-01

    Roman Catholic bishops in the US are now discussing a Pastoral Letter on the morality of nuclear defense. Since a nuclear war would be an unprecedented horror, nations have a moral obligation to make such a war less likely. That, in turn, implies a moral obligation to think clearly and cogently on the best strategies for nuclear defense. The author argues that the US has a moral obligation to safeguard peace with a revised, strengthened nuclear deterrent. He contends that ideology and irresponsible international behavior, not weapons, cause war.

  18. The fog of war: decrements in cognitive performance and mood associated with combat-like stress.

    PubMed

    Lieberman, Harris R; Bathalon, Gaston P; Falco, Christina M; Morgan, Charles A; Niro, Philip J; Tharion, William J

    2005-07-01

    Anecdotal reports from military conflicts suggest cognitive performance and mood are severely degraded by the stress of combat. However, little objective information is available to confirm these observations. Our laboratory had several unique opportunities to study cognitive function in warfighters engaged in exercises designed to simulate the stress of combat. These studies were conducted in different environments with two different types of military volunteers. In one study, subjects were officers, with an average 9 yr of military service, who were members of an elite U.S. Army unit, the Rangers. In the other study, participants were younger, mostly enlisted, trainees with only 3 yr of military experience on average, in training to determine if they would qualify for an elite U.S. Navy unit, the SEALS. We administered a variety of identical, computer-based cognitive tests to both groups. In both groups, during stressful combat-like training, every aspect of cognitive function assessed was severely degraded compared with baseline, pre-stress performance. Relatively simple cognitive functions such as reaction time and vigilance were significantly impaired, as were more complex functions, including memory and logical reasoning. The deficits observed were greater than those typically produced by alcohol intoxication, treatment with sedating drugs, or clinical hypoglycemia. Undoubtedly, such decrements would severely degrade operational effectiveness. Furthermore, it is likely such cognitive decrements would be greater during actual combat. War planners, doctrine developers, and warfighters, especially leaders, need to be aware that combat stress will result in extensive and severe deficits in cognitive performance.

  19. Portuguese War Veterans: Moral Injury and Factors Related to Recovery From PTSD.

    PubMed

    Ferrajão, Paulo Correia; Aragão Oliveira, Rui

    2016-01-01

    This study explored the factors to which a sample of Portuguese war veterans attributed their recovery from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants were a sample of veterans (N = 60) with mental sequelae of the Portuguese Colonial War: 30 suffered from chronic PTSD (unrecovered) and 30 veterans with remission from PTSD (recovered). Two semistructured interviews were conducted. Analysis of the interviews was conducted using the Thematic and Categorical Analysis. Results showed that unrecovered participants reported higher postwar betrayal, appraisal of hostile societal homecoming, social stigmatization, lack of personal resources (mental fatigue and restriction of coping strategies), and reduced perceived social support. Recovered participants verbalized some capability for self-awareness of their own mental states and/or awareness of others' mental states (mentalization ability), a wider repertoire of coping strategies, and higher perceived social support. The authors discussed that recovery from PTSD among veterans can be related to the assimilation of moral injury by developing higher mentalization abilities. © The Author(s) 2015.

  20. Hydrodynamic rupture of liver in combat patient: a case of successful application of "damage control" tactic in area of the hybrid war in East Ukraine.

    PubMed

    Khomenko, Igor; Shapovalov, Vitalii; Tsema, Ievgen; Makarov, Georgii; Palytsia, Roman; Zavodovskyi, Ievgen; Ishchenko, Ivan; Dinets, Andrii; Mishalov, Vladimir

    2017-08-15

    The hybrid war of Russia against Ukraine has been started in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts within the Donbas area in 2014. We report a clinical case of a combat patient who was injured after the multiple launcher rocket system "Grad" shelling, diagnosed with hydrodynamic liver rupture followed by medical management with application of damage control (DC) tactic in conditions of hybrid war. The patient underwent relaparatomy, liver resection, endoscopic papillosphincterotomy, endoscopic retrograde cholecystopancreatography, stenting of the common bile duct, and VAC-therapy. Applied treatment modalities were effective; the patient was discharged on the 49th day after injury. To our best knowledge, this is the first report describing a successful application of DC tactic in the hybrid war in East Ukraine. From this case, we suggest that application of DC tactic at all levels of combat medical care could save more lives.

  1. Postmodern Morals, Ends, and Means: Shifting Ideas About Why, How and for Whom Wars are Fought

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-05-23

    from being used for humanitarian intervention. In fact, unmanned combat vehicles are well suited for such police style enforcement actions. Given...from, for example, the Chinese intervention in the Korean War, which was a political decision for national interests. The distinction between the two...fourth century to the mid seventeenth. In this era, knowledge was authoritative based on its appeal to God and revelation. The modern era, which follows

  2. Legal Services during War.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-03-23

    thorough education about the laws of war, suggesting that even lawyers were ill prepared to address many of the questions that arose. In addition, there...should be "more intensive education of troops prior to combat to help avoid breaches of the laws and usages of war. 147 28 Military Affairs Military...must be determined, Inter lqa , whether damage or injury was caused by US forces during combat. Interests of both the claimant and government are served

  3. [Endovascular surgery in the war].

    PubMed

    Reva, V A; Samokhvalov, I M

    2015-01-01

    Rapid growth of medical technologies has led to implementation of endovascular methods of diagnosis and treatment into rapidly developing battlefield surgery. This work based on analysing all available current publications generalizes the data on using endovascular surgery in combat vascular injury. During the Korean war (1950-1953) American surgeons for the first time performed endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta - the first intravascular intervention carried out in a zone of combat operations. Half a century thereafter, with the beginning of the war in Afghanistan (2001) and in Iraq (2003) surgeons of central hospitals of the USA Armed Forces began performing delayed endovascular operations to the wounded. The development of technologies, advent of mobile angiographs made it possible to later on implement high-tech endovascular interventions in a zone of combat operations. At first, more often they performed implantation of cava filters, somewhat afterward - angioembolization of damaged accessory vessels, stenting and endovascular repair of major arteries. The first in the theatre of war endovascular prosthetic repair of the thoracic aorta for severe closed injury was performed in 2008. Russian experience of using endovascular surgery in combat injuries is limited to diagnostic angiography and regional intraarterial perfusion. Despite the advent of stationary angiographs in large hospitals of the RF Ministry of Defence in the early 1990s, endovascular operations for combat vascular injury are casuistic. Foreign experience in active implementation of endovascular technologies to treatment of war-time injuries has substantiated feasibility of using intravascular interventions in tertiary care military hospitals. Carrying out basic training courses on endovascular surgery should become an organic part of preparing multimodality general battlefield surgeons rendering care on the theatre of combat operations.

  4. Prevalence Estimates of Combat-Related PTSD: A Critical Review

    PubMed Central

    Richardson, Lisa K.; Frueh, B. Christopher; Acierno, Ronald

    2010-01-01

    Objective To provide a critical review of prevalence estimates of combat-related PTSD among military personnel and veterans, and of the relevant factors that may account for the variability of estimates within and across cohorts, including methodological and conceptual factors accounting for differences in prevalence rates across nations, conflicts/wars, and studies. Method We examined MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases for literature on combat-related PTSD. The following terms were used independently and in combinations in this search: PTSD, combat, veterans, military, epidemiology, prevalence. Results The point prevalence of combat-related PTSD in US military veterans since the Vietnam War ranges from about 2 – 17%. Studies of recent conflicts suggest that combat-related PTSD afflicts between 4 – 17% of US Iraq War veterans, but only 3 – 6% of returning UK Iraq War veterans. Thus, the prevalence range is narrower and tends to have a lower ceiling among combat veterans of non-US Western nations. Variability in prevalence is likely due to differences in sampling strategies; measurement strategies; inclusion and measurement of the DSM-IV clinically significant impairment criterion; timing and latency of assessment and potential for recall bias; and combat experiences. Prevalence rates are also likely affected by issues related to PTSD course, chronicity, and comorbidity; symptom overlap with other psychiatric disorders; and sociopolitical and cultural factors that may vary over time and by nation. Conclusions The disorder represents a significant and costly illness to veterans, their families, and society as a whole. However, further carefully conceptualized research is needed to advance our understanding of disorder prevalence, as well as associated information on course, phenomenology, protective factors, treatment, and economic costs. PMID:20073563

  5. Extremity War Injuries XII: Homeland Defense as a Translation of War Lessons Learned.

    PubMed

    Stinner, Maj Daniel J; Schmidt, Andrew H

    2018-06-12

    The 12th Extremity War Injuries Symposium focused on issues related to the transitions in medical care that are occurring as the focus of the war on terror changes. The symposium highlighted the results of Department of Defense-funded research in musculoskeletal injury, the evolution of combat casualty care, and the readiness of the fighting force. Presentations and discussions focused on force readiness of both troops and their medical support as well as the maintenance of the combat care expertise that has been developed during the previous decade of conflict.

  6. Historical approaches to post-combat disorders

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Edgar

    2006-01-01

    Almost every major war in the last century involving western nations has seen combatants diagnosed with a form of post-combat disorder. Some took a psychological form (exhaustion, combat fatigue, combat stress reaction and post-traumatic stress disorder), while others were characterized by medically unexplained symptoms (soldier's heart, effort syndrome, shell shock, non-ulcer dyspepsia, effects of Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome). Although many of these disorders have common symptoms, the explanations attached to them showed considerable diversity often reflected in the labels themselves. These causal hypotheses ranged from the effects of climate, compressive forces released by shell explosions, side effects of vaccinations, changes in diet, toxic effects of organophosphates, oil-well fires or depleted-uranium munitions. Military history suggests that these disorders, which coexisted in the civilian population, reflected popular health fears and emerged in the gaps left by the advance of medical science. While the current Iraq conflict has yet to produce a syndrome typified by medically unexplained symptoms, it is unlikely that we have seen the last of post-combat disorders as past experience suggests that they have the capacity to catch both military planners and doctors by surprise. PMID:16687259

  7. Historical approaches to post-combat disorders.

    PubMed

    Jones, Edgar

    2006-04-29

    Almost every major war in the last century involving western nations has seen combatants diagnosed with a form of post-combat disorder. Some took a psychological form (exhaustion, combat fatigue, combat stress reaction and post-traumatic stress disorder), while others were characterized by medically unexplained symptoms (soldier's heart, effort syndrome, shell shock, non-ulcer dyspepsia, effects of Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome). Although many of these disorders have common symptoms, the explanations attached to them showed considerable diversity often reflected in the labels themselves. These causal hypotheses ranged from the effects of climate, compressive forces released by shell explosions, side effects of vaccinations, changes in diet, toxic effects of organophosphates, oil-well fires or depleted-uranium munitions. Military history suggests that these disorders, which coexisted in the civilian population, reflected popular health fears and emerged in the gaps left by the advance of medical science. While the current Iraq conflict has yet to produce a syndrome typified by medically unexplained symptoms, it is unlikely that we have seen the last of post-combat disorders as past experience suggests that they have the capacity to catch both military planners and doctors by surprise.

  8. The Moral Frameworks and Foundations of Contesting Orientations.

    PubMed

    Shields, David Light; Funk, Christopher D; Bredemeier, Brenda Light

    2016-04-01

    According to contesting theory (Shields & Bredemeier, 2011), people conceptualize competition either through a metaphor of partnership or war. These two alternate metaphors suggest differing sociomoral relationships among the participants. In the current study of intercollegiate athletes (n = 610), we investigated the two approaches to contesting in relation to formalist and consequentialist moral frameworks (Brady & Wheeler, 1996) and individualizing and binding moral foundations (Haidt, 2001). Correlational analysis indicated that the partnership approach correlated significantly with all four moral dimensions, while the war approach correlated with formalist and consequentialist frameworks and binding foundations (i.e., appeals to in-group loyalty, authority, and purity). Multiple regressions demonstrated that the best predictors of a partnership approach were formalist thinking and endorsement of individualizing moral foundations (i.e., appeal to fairness and welfare). Among our primary variables, the best predictors of a war orientation were consequentialist thinking and endorsement of binding foundations.

  9. Leadership, cohesion, morale, and the mental health of UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

    PubMed

    Jones, Norman; Seddon, Rachel; Fear, Nicola T; McAllister, Pete; Wessely, Simon; Greenberg, Neil

    2012-01-01

    UK Armed Forces (AF) personnel deployed to Afghanistan are frequently exposed to intense combat and yet little is known about the short-term mental health consequences of this exposure and the potential mitigating effects of military factors such as cohesion, morale, and leadership. To assess the possible modulating influence of cohesion, morale, and leadership on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and common mental disorders resulting from combat exposure among UK AF personnel deployed to Afghanistan, UK AF personnel, during their deployment to Afghanistan in 2010, completed a self-report survey about aspects of their current deployment, including perceived levels of cohesion, morale, leadership, combat exposure, and their mental health status. Outcomes were symptoms of common mental disorder and symptoms of PTSD. Combat exposure was associated with both PTSD symptoms and symptoms of common mental disorder. Of the 1,431 participants, 17.1% reported caseness levels of common mental disorder, and 2.7% were classified as probable PTSD cases. Greater self-reported levels of unit cohesion, morale, and perceived good leadership were all associated with lower levels of common mental disorder and PTSD. Greater levels of unit cohesion, morale, and good leadership may help to modulate the effects of combat exposure and the subsequent development of mental health problems among UK Armed Forces personnel deployed to Afghanistan. © 2012 Guilford Publications, Inc.

  10. Hardships and personal strategies of Vietnam War nurses.

    PubMed

    Scannell-Desch, E A

    2000-08-01

    This study describes hardships faced in Vietnam and personal strategies used to deal with these hardships as defined by 24 female military nurses who served during the war. Purposive sampling was used, and data were generated using four core questions and in-depth interviews. The research methodology was phenomenology, incorporating data analysis procedures of Colaizzi, Lincoln and Guba, and Van Manen. Eight hardship and nine personal strategy themes were identified. This study found that caring for young, severely injured, and disfigured soldiers was a significant hardship and that nurses struggled with the moral dilemmas inherent in mass casualty situations, triage policies, and the practice of returning recovered soldiers to combat. Most nurses relied on personally proven and familiar strategies to reduce or buffer the effects of emotional hardships, whereas some discovered and used new strategies.

  11. Development and evaluation of the Expressions of Moral Injury Scale-Military Version.

    PubMed

    Currier, Joseph M; Farnsworth, Jacob K; Drescher, Kent D; McDermott, Ryon C; Sims, Brook M; Albright, David L

    2018-05-01

    There is consensus that military personnel can encounter a far more diverse set of challenges than researchers and clinicians have historically appreciated. Moral injury (MI) represents an emerging construct to capture behavioural, social, and spiritual suffering that may transcend and overlap with mental health diagnoses (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder). The Expressions of Moral Injury Scale-Military Version (EMIS-M) was developed to provide a reliable and valid means for assessing the warning signs of a MI in military populations. Drawing on independent samples of veterans who had served in a war-zone environment, factor analytic results revealed 2 distinct factors related to MI expressions directed at both self (9 items) and others (8 items). These subscales generated excellent internal consistency and temporal stability over a 6-month period. When compared to measures of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and other theoretically relevant constructs (e.g., forgiveness, social support, moral emotions, and combat exposure), EMIS-M scores demonstrated strong convergent, divergent, and incremental validity. In addition, although structural equation modelling findings supported a possible general MI factor in Study 2, the patterns of associations for self- and other-directed expressions yielded evidence for differential validity with varying forms of forgiveness and combat exposure. As such, the EMIS-M provides a face valid, psychometrically validated tool for assessing expressions of apparent MI subtypes in research and clinical settings. Looking ahead, the EMIS-M will hopefully advance the scientific understanding of MI while supporting innovation for clinicians to tailor evidence-based treatments and/or develop novel approaches for addressing MI in their work. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Girls and war: an extra vulnerability.

    PubMed

    Black, M

    1998-01-01

    It is no longer possible to consider the raping of girls as an isolated atrocity of war. In Uganda, guerrilla forces have kidnapped 6000-10,000 children and have forced the "most desirable" girls to become "wives" of warlords. Girls who manage to escape are deeply traumatized and suffer ill health as well as possible social ostracism. In refugee camps, recognition that adolescent girls face special risks of rape and of engaging in the informal prostitution that may expose them to HIV/AIDS has led to the introduction of new measures to increase female security. Families in refugee camps in Burundi and Somalia protect female honor by submitting their daughters to very early marriage, which also abuses the girls' rights. Girls conscripted to military groups are forced to transport materials, cook, or help loot villages. In conditions of war, even girls who remain at home protected by their families must assume extra responsibilities, especially if men go off to fight leaving women with the agricultural and livestock burdens. Girls will be the first children withdrawn from school to help keep the household afloat. Girls and women are also expected to tend those wounded by the very war that destroys the health care services that are vital to meet women's reproductive needs. Efforts are being made to identify rape as a specific war crime, and these efforts should be extended to the kidnapping and forced recruitment of children into combat roles. Moral codes must be reestablished, even if they are only nominal at present.

  13. Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in World War II Veterans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engdahl, Brian E.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Four posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scales were compared in a community sample of 330 former prisoners of war and World War II combat veterans. The Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and the Impact of Event Scale demonstrated moderate relationships with PTSD. (SLD)

  14. Impact of Battalion and Smaller African-American Combat Units on Integration of the U.S. Army in the European Theater of Operations During World War II

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-12

    WORLD WAR II A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements...other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a ...combat units fought in World War II, and this is a small pool of veterans to gather information on their achievements during a normal human life span

  15. Cyber Warfare: An Evolution in Warfare not Just War Theory

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-05

    cyber warfare is greatly debated. While some argue that Just War Theory is irrelevant to cyber warfare , a careful analysis demonstrates that it is a...useful tool for considering the morality of cyber warfare . This paper examines the application of Just War Theory to cyber warfare and contends that...Just War Theory is a useful tool for considering the morality of cyber warfare .

  16. Prevalence estimates of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder: critical review.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Lisa K; Frueh, B Christopher; Acierno, Ronald

    2010-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to provide a critical review of prevalence estimates of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military personnel and veterans, and of the relevant factors that may account for the variability of estimates within and across cohorts, including methodological and conceptual factors accounting for differences in prevalence rates across nations, conflicts/wars, and studies. MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were examined for literature on combat-related PTSD. The following terms were used independently and in combinations in this search: PTSD, combat, veterans, military, epidemiology, prevalence. The point prevalence of combat-related PTSD in US military veterans since the Vietnam War ranged from approximately 2% to 17%. Studies of recent conflicts suggest that combat-related PTSD afflicts between 4% and 17% of US Iraq War veterans, but only 3-6% of returning UK Iraq War veterans. Thus, the prevalence range is narrower and tends to have a lower ceiling among combat veterans of non-US Western nations. Variability in prevalence is likely due to differences in sampling strategies; measurement strategies; inclusion and measurement of the DSM-IV clinically significant impairment criterion; timing and latency of assessment and potential for recall bias; and combat experiences. Prevalence rates are also likely affected by issues related to PTSD course, chronicity, and comorbidity; symptom overlap with other psychiatric disorders; and sociopolitical and cultural factors that may vary over time and by nation. The disorder represents a significant and costly illness to veterans, their families, and society as a whole. Further carefully conceptualized research, however, is needed to advance our understanding of disorder prevalence, as well as associated information on course, phenomenology, protective factors, treatment, and economic costs.

  17. The Course and Correlates of Combat-Related PTSD in Australian Vietnam Veterans in the Three Decades After the War.

    PubMed

    O'Toole, Brian I; Catts, Stanley V

    2017-02-01

    Australian male Vietnam veterans (N = 388) were assessed 22 and 36 years after their return to Australia using standardized diagnostic interviews, with added data from Army records and self-report questionnaires. Among veterans who ever had posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 50.3% had a current diagnosis at the second assessment; of those who had a current diagnosis at Wave 1, 46.9% were also current at Wave 2. Late onset occurred for 19.0% of veterans, of whom 60.8% were current at Wave 2. Multivariate analysis compared veterans with no history of PTSD (n = 231) with veterans who had ever had PTSD (n = 157) to assess risk factors for PTSD incidence; and veterans with a history, but not current PTSD (n = 78) with veterans who had current PTSD at the second assessment (n = 79) to assess risk factors for failure to remit. Incidence was associated with lower education, shorter Army training predeployment, higher combat, excess drinking, and help-seeking after return to Australia. Prevalence was associated with having a father who saw combat in World War II, being injured in battle, having a lower intelligence test score, experiencing higher combat, and having a diagnosis of phobia at the first assessment. Only combat was common to incidence and prevalence. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

  18. Combat exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms and risk-taking behavior in veterans of the Second Lebanon War.

    PubMed

    Svetlicky, Vlad; Solomon, Zahava; Benbenishty, Rami; Levi, Ofir; Lubin, Gadi

    2010-01-01

    Prior research has revealed heightened risk-taking behavior among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examined whether the risktaking behavior is a direct outcome of the traumatic exposure or whether this relationship is mediated by posttraumatic stress symptoms. The sample was comprised of 180 traumatized Israeli reserve soldiers, who sought treatment in the wake of the Second Lebanon War. Combat exposure was indirectly associated with risk-taking behavior primarily through its relationship with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results of the multivariate analyses depict the implication of posttraumatic stress symptoms in risk taking behavior, and the role of self-medication and of aggression in traumatized veterans.

  19. War exposure and post-traumatic stress as predictors of Portuguese colonial war veterans' physical health.

    PubMed

    Maia, Angela; McIntyre, Teresa; Pereira, M Graça; Ribeiro, Eugènia

    2011-05-01

    The relationship between war exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been largely investigated but the impact of the combat experience on physical health has only recently merited attention. The authors investigated the relationship between war exposure and psychological and physical health among 350 Portuguese colonial war veterans. The role of current PTSD symptoms as a mediator of these relationships was also investigated. The results showed that 39% of the veterans met criteria for current PTSD diagnosis and psychological distress was present in half of the sample. Pain, fatigue, and sleep problems were the most reported physical symptoms and mental health and gastro-intestinal problems, the most reported illnesses. Combat exposure variables were significant predictors of current health. The results indicated that veterans with higher exposure to war trauma maintained higher current levels of psychological distress and presented more physical health problems and physical symptoms than those less exposed. Mediation analyses showed that current PTSD was a full mediator of the relationship between war exposure and physical health outcomes.

  20. Religious Moral Beliefs Inversely Related to Trauma Experiences Severity and Presented Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Bosnia and Herzegovina War Veterans.

    PubMed

    Hasanović, Mevludin; Pajević, Izet

    2015-08-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the correlation of the level of religious moral beliefs (RMB) with trauma experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity in war veterans of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample consists of 120 Bosnian war veterans divided into two equal groups-one with and one without PTSD. We used the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the RMB belief scale. We then correlated the severity of trauma experiences and PTSD symptoms with veterans' scores on the RMB scale. The score on the RMB scale was negatively correlated to severity of trauma experiences and PTSD symptoms (Pearson's r = -0.509, P = 0.004; Pearson's r = -0.325, P < 0.001, respectively). The RMB may have protective role in the mental health stability of severely traumatized war veterans.

  1. War, Journalism, and Oral History.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rice, Gary

    2000-01-01

    Describes a project where students conducted oral history with either a war correspondent or a U.S. combat veteran for the course "War and the News Media: From Vietnam through Desert Storm and Beyond." Discusses how the students prepared for the interviews and the evaluation of their projects. (CMK)

  2. History of Combat Pay

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-01

    distribution of risks, the equal eligibility criteria and monetary compensation of HFP and IDP failed to equitably recognize the dire risks of war zones...notions of equity . The wide distribution of risks receiving special pay may also dilute the impact of recognition on servicemember morale. In 2003, the...recognition for the latent risks of low-intensity conflicts as the hazards of open war. Equalization of special pay among individuals exposed to risk

  3. In Search of the Good War: Just War and Realpolitik in Our Time

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-10-01

    1914, few formal treaties governed armed conflict. Early efforts included the American Lieber Code in 1863, the first Geneva Convention of 1864...making interstate war a rare phenomenon. The trials at Nuremberg and Tokyo following the war established the precedent that war crimes carried...consequences. Nuremberg seemed an ideal marriage of law and morality, and later treaties banned genocide and created the Inter- national Criminal Court

  4. Breaking New Ground on War and Peace.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bock, Paul

    1983-01-01

    The American Catholic Church, which has historically supported America's involvement in wars through the concept of just wars, has broken new ground with its Pastoral Letter on War, Armaments, and Peace, which challenges the morality of present defense policy and nuclear war. Reasons for the change in attitude are discussed. (IS)

  5. Men, Women and War: Gender Differences in Attitudes towards War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zur, O.; And Others

    This study showed that war does have an appeal to both men and women, but that appeal is different and is related to the set of moral concerns that are unique to each gender. To assess the different aspects of men's and women's attitudes towards war, a 48-item Likert-type scale was constructed and administered to 148 students. Results showed that…

  6. Catalog of War Games

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-10-09

    PROGRAM CATALOG OF WAR GAMES 92-30805 U *3fl91\\k~o 9 2 SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE I ,i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE la. REPORT SECURITY...4401 Ford Ave ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. AIyxndriA. VA 229i2-14O1 --. 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) Catalog of War Games 12...SCURITY CLASSIFICATiON OF THIS PAGE DECLARATION OF ACCORD 1. PURPOSE This catalog provides information on the primary war games , combat simulations

  7. Psychodynamic Treatment of Combat Veterans with PTSD at Risk for Suicide.

    PubMed

    Hendin, Herbert

    2017-01-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder is a condition associated with suicide in both military personnel and combat veterans. Most veterans with PTSD, however, are not at risk of suicide. The major factor distinguishing those who attempted or were preoccupied with suicide is persistent severe guilt over behavior in combat while emotionally out of control. A 12-session short-term, psychodynamic psychotherapy, presented here, showed promise of success in dissipating the guilt from combat-related actions in veterans of the war in Vietnam. Preliminary work with combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan indicates it may be equally successful in treating them. Basic aspects of the psychodynamic approach could also be incorporated into current therapies and should improve their ability to treat veterans with PTSD at risk for suicide. Case examples are provided.

  8. Impact of the Manning, Training, and Utilization of Black Combat Units during World War II on the Racial Integration of the Army

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-12-10

    still originated at the beaches of Normandy. In September 1944, Allies captured the ports of Brest , France and Antwerp, Belgium; however it would...the origins and implementation of the US Army’s segregationist policies and practices for the formation and utilization of black combat units from... originally opposed creating more black divisions based upon feedback about their ineffectiveness in World War I, it approved this action to

  9. Anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in Korean War veterans 50 years after the war.

    PubMed

    Ikin, Jillian F; Sim, Malcolm R; McKenzie, Dean P; Horsley, Keith W A; Wilson, Eileen J; Moore, Michael R; Jelfs, Paul; Harrex, Warren K; Henderson, Scott

    2007-06-01

    There has been no comprehensive investigation of psychological health in Australia's Korean War veteran population, and few researchers are investigating the health of coalition Korean War veterans into old age. To investigate the association between war service, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in Australia's 7525 surviving male Korean War veterans and a community comparison group. A survey was conducted using a self-report postal questionnaire which included the PTSD Checklist, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and the Combat Exposure Scale. Post-traumatic stress disorder (OR 6.63, P<0.001), anxiety (OR 5.74, P<0.001) and depression (OR 5.45, P<0.001) were more prevalent in veterans than in the comparison group. These disorders were strongly associated with heavy combat and low rank. Effective intervention is necessary to reduce the considerable psychological morbidity experienced by Korean War veterans. Attention to risk factors and early intervention will be necessary to prevent similar long-term psychological morbidity in veterans of more recent conflicts.

  10. Belief in exposure to chemical and biological agents in Persian Gulf War soldiers.

    PubMed

    Stuart, John A; Ursano, Robert J; Fullerton, Carol S; Wessely, Simon

    2008-02-01

    This is the first longitudinal cohort study of Persian Gulf War US soldiers to examine belief in exposure to chemical and biological weapons before and shortly after combat. A longitudinal sample of n = 1250 male Persian Gulf War US Army soldiers were surveyed 3 to 4 months before and 6 to 10 months after the 1991 War. Six to 10 months after combat, 4.6% of the cohort believed they had been exposed to chemical and biological weapons. Adjusting for demographics only, those who reported a greater number of combat exposures (odds ratio, OR: 18.8), or higher combat stress (OR: 12.27) were more likely to believe they were exposed. Adjusting for all variables soldiers who reported higher combat stress continued to be most likely (OR: 6.58) to believe they had been exposed to chemical and biological weapons. Individuals reporting higher combat stress are at substantially greater risk of reporting they have been exposed to chemical or biological weapons.

  11. Ethics and the Military Profession War and Morality,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-04-01

    34The Problem of War in Hegel’s Thought." Journal of the History of Ideas, 22 (1960), 463. Banduro, Albert . Aggression: A Social Learning Analysis...London: Hogarth Press, 1886-1939.. 1933 letter to Albert Einstein in which Freud discusses the causes of war. Does not treat war as caused by innate...Argues against biblical injunctions for pacifism. Marrin, Albert . War and the Christian Conscience. Chicago: Regnery, 1971. A collection of comments

  12. Providing for the Casualties of War: The American Experience Through World War II

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-01-01

    Freud sug- gested that this may be an inherent trait, that “conflicts of interest between man and man are resolved, in principle, by the recourse to...violence” (Einstein and Freud , 1931– 1932). Although people have not been able to overcome their essential proclivity to make war on one another over...and methods of treatment of combat casualties. (Bliss, 1949) Army Psychiatry on the Eve of World War II After World War I, the writings of Sigmund

  13. Predictors of Moral Disengagement in Sport.

    PubMed

    Shields, David Light; Funk, Christopher D; Bredemeier, Brenda Light

    2015-12-01

    Researchers have made productive use of Bandura's (1991) construct of moral disengagement (MD) to help explain why sport participants deviate from ethical ideals. In this study of intercollegiate athletes from diverse sports (N = 713), we examined MD in relation to other character-related variables: empathy, moral identity, moral attentiveness, and contesting orientations. We also examined whether moral attentiveness conforms to the pattern of "bracketed morality" found in moral reasoning (Shields & Bredemeier, 1995) and moral behavior (Kavussanu, Boardley, Sagar, & Ring, 2013). Results indicated that MD correlated positively with perceptual moral attentiveness and war contesting orientation; MD correlated negatively with empathy, moral identity, reflective moral attentiveness, and partnership contesting orientation. Results of hierarchical regression demonstrated that gender, contesting orientations, moral identity, and one form of moral attentiveness were significant predictors of MD. Finally, sport participants were found to be less morally attentive in sport than in everyday life.

  14. Just War Theory and Presidential Discourse Prior to Conflict

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-12-04

    Case for Combat , Edward J. Lordan lists last resort as a theme, among others, that has been used to persuade Americans to enter conflicts from the...Topic This paper studies the public statements of US presidents to ascertain justifications for war or armed intervention. Edward J. Lordan used a...similar approach in his book The Case for Combat : How Presidents Persuade Americans to go to War. In it, he examines presidential messaging and the

  15. From Combat to Legacies: Novels of the Vietnam War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johannessen, Larry R.

    1995-01-01

    Discusses novels of the Vietnam War, their usefulness, and the interest they hold for students. Considers four categories of Vietnam novels: the Vietnam experience, the war at home, the refugee experience, and the war's effect on the next generation. (SR)

  16. Objective Versus Subjective Measurement of Stress and Social Support: Combat-Related Reactions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Zahava; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Studied combat intensity, social support, and related stress reactions among soldiers who fought in the 1982 Israeli-Lebanon War, comparing those who experienced combat stress reaction (N=382) and those who did not (N=344). Subjective indicators were found to be stronger predictors than were objective indicators. Combat stress reaction was clearly…

  17. The Combatant Commander and Effective Operational HUMINT: Lessons From the Double Cross System of World War II and the CJ2X of Operation Joint Guard

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-05-19

    www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/history/renderplain.pl?file=history/war/wwtwo/spying/sis_0/> [27 March 2003]. 37 Ibid. 38 “Operation Overlord,” Saving Private Ryan Online...Security, (Washington, DC: 2002), 17; National Strategy for Combating Terrorism. Washington, DC: 2003. “Operation Overlord,” Saving Private Ryan Online

  18. Marital Relations and Combat Stress Reaction: The Wives' Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Zahava; And Others

    1992-01-01

    Examined changes over time in marital relations of Israeli combat veterans who sustained combat stress reaction (CSR) during 1982 Lebanon War. Interviewed wives of CSR veterans and non-CSR veterans. CRS couples were characterized at four points in time by more conflict, less intimacy, less consensus, less cohesion, and less expressiveness that…

  19. The moral ties that bind . . . Even to out-groups: the interactive effect of moral identity and the binding moral foundations.

    PubMed

    Smith, Isaac H; Aquino, Karl; Koleva, Spassena; Graham, Jesse

    2014-08-01

    Throughout history, principles such as obedience, loyalty, and purity have been instrumental in binding people together and helping them thrive as groups, tribes, and nations. However, these same principles have also led to in-group favoritism, war, and even genocide. Does adhering to the binding moral foundations that underlie such principles unavoidably lead to the derogation of out-group members? We demonstrated that for people with a strong moral identity, the answer is "no," because they are more likely than those with a weak moral identity to extend moral concern to people belonging to a perceived out-group. Across three studies, strongly endorsing the binding moral foundations indeed predicted support for the torture of out-group members (Studies 1a and 1b) and withholding of necessary help from out-group members (Study 2), but this relationship was attenuated among participants who also had a strong moral identity. © The Author(s) 2014.

  20. The Civil-Military Gap and Women in Combat: The Elite’s Attitude Transformation, 1991-2013

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-02-12

    women in combat, a social issue at the heart of the civil-military gap, as the US regrouped after the Gulf War then fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. The...the issue of women in combat (WIC), the first of three social issues cited by RAND.6 This study examines WIC from the end of the Gulf War through...US laws prevented women from serving in combat.41 It is apparent the two groups worked together to find common ground that addressed the tension

  1. [Psychiatric aid during the Great Patriotic War].

    PubMed

    2010-05-01

    The article presents an observe of questions of organization of psychiatric aid during the Great Patriotic War, main disadvantages of the first period of war, their dependence from circumstances of prewar period, ignoring of experience of last war. There was marked the role of famous native psychiatrists in organization of psychiatric aid to military servicemen in theatre of combat actions.

  2. Combat Neurosis in the Battered Teacher.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Science News, 1978

    1978-01-01

    Investigates the effect of school violence on classroom teachers. The study of 253 Los Angeles inner city classroom teachers reveals that many of them have developed conditions similar to the combat neurosis found in soldiers at war. (HM)

  3. 597 Days: A Division’s Morale During Sustained Combat

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-05-22

    Republic (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1948), 35. 20 David H. Marlowe , Psychological and Psychosocial Consequences of Combat and Deployment...Marshall, Men Against Fire: The problem of Battle Command, 138; Marlowe , Psychological and Psychosocial Consequences of Combat and Deployment, 51; Vessey...ret), interview. 25 Dave Grossman, On Killing (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1995), 90, 143. 26 Marlowe , Psychological and Psychosocial

  4. U. S.-Thailand Combatant Commander Considerations for the Asia-Pacific Rebalance

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-05-01

    ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER Joint Military Operations Department Naval War ...paper submitted to the Naval War College faculty in partial satisfaction of the requirements of the Joint Military Operations Department. The contents...Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) NAVAL WAR COLLEGE Newport, R.I. U.S. – Thailand: Combatant Commander Considerations for the Asia

  5. Narrative approach in understanding the drivers for resilience of military combat medics.

    PubMed

    Russell, Cristel Antonia; Gibbons, S W; Abraham, P A; Howe, E R; Deuster, P; Russell, D W

    2017-12-10

    Qualitative insights may demonstrate how combat medics (CM) deal with stressors and identify how resilience can potentially develop. Yet, qualitative research is scant in comparison to the many quantitative studies of health outcomes associated with military service. Semistructured qualitative interviews were used to collect personal narratives of US Army CMs who had previously served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Thematic analysis revealed three key driving forces for how resilience develops in the context of combat and war. The first was patriotism, which captures loyalty and full commitment to the military and its missions. The second was commitment to their family, reflecting the balance of responsibility to family of origin with the obligation one feels towards their military family. The last driving force was faith, or the drive to reach towards the transcendent to provide a moral compass and develop empathy in the face of difficult situations. An individual's commitment to country, military family and faith strengthens their resilience, and this can be used to inform future research efforts as well as current clinical practice. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  6. Operational Artillery in the Korean War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-05-23

    employ artillery in a war of annihilation requires adherence to specific principles to maximize the effectiveness of combat power at the right time and...Policy (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1977), xxii. 24 “The Korean War rescued NSC-68 from oblivion and made it the foundation of American...multiple firing units at the right time and place with the purpose of supporting the decisive operations of maneuver. Fire planning in the Korean War

  7. Incidence and epidemiology of combat injuries sustained during "the surge" portion of operation Iraqi Freedom by a U.S. Army brigade combat team.

    PubMed

    Belmont, Philip J; Goodman, Gens P; Zacchilli, Michael; Posner, Matthew; Evans, Clifford; Owens, Brett D

    2010-01-01

    A prospective, longitudinal analysis of injuries sustained by a large combat-deployed maneuver unit has not been previously performed. A detailed description of the combat casualty care statistics, distribution of wounds, and mechanisms of injury incurred by a U.S. Army Brigade Combat Team during "The Surge" phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom was performed using a centralized casualty database and an electronic medical record system. Among the 4,122 soldiers deployed, there were 500 combat wounds in 390 combat casualties. The combat casualty rate for the Brigade Combat Team was 75.7 per 1,000 soldier combat-years. The % killed in action (KIA) was 22.1%, and the %died of wounds was 3.2%. The distribution of these wounds was as follows: head/neck 36.2%, thorax 7.5%, abdomen 6.9%, and extremities 49.4%. The percentage of combat wounds showed a significant increase in the head/neck region (p < 0.0001) and a decrease in the extremities (p < 0.03) compared with data from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The percentage of thoracic wounds (p < 0.03) was significantly less than historical data from World War II and Vietnam. The %KIA was significantly greater in those soldiers injured by an explosion (26.3%) compared with those soldiers injured by a gunshot wound (4.6%; p = 0.003). Improvised explosive devices accounted for 77.7% of all combat wounds. There was a significantly higher proportion of head/neck wounds compared with previous U.S. conflicts. The 22.1% KIA was comparable with previous U.S. conflicts despite improvements in individual/vehicular body armor and is largely attributable to the lethality of improvised explosive devices. The lethality of a gunshot wound in Operation Iraqi Freedom has decreased to 4.6% with the use of individual body armor.

  8. Moral Warfare in Counterinsurgency Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-05-11

    Moral Warfare in Counterinsurgency Operations A Monograph by MAJOR David C. Chiarenza US Army School of Advanced Military Studies United...OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 11-05-2007 2. REPORT TYPE AMSP Monograph 3...Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT This study explores the moral level of war in the context of

  9. Suicide Prevention in the Pacific War (WWII).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suzuki, Peter T.

    1991-01-01

    During war against Japan, there were two facets of U.S. program to prevent suicide among the Japanese: research component in Foreign Morale Analysis Division of Office of War Information and a suicide prevention program itself put into effect toward the end of the war in battles of Saipan and Okinawa and undertaken by U.S. GIs. (Author/NB)

  10. Postdischarge Cause-of-Death Analysis of Combat-Related Burn Patients

    PubMed Central

    Escolas, Sandra M.; Orman, Jean A.; Chung, Kevin K.; Renz, Evan M.

    2017-01-01

    Combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in up to 8.8% of combat-related casualties suffering burns. From World War I through Desert Storm, burns have been associated with approximately 4% of the combat-related deaths. Experiencing a blast injury and exposure to killing and death while deployed has been shown to increase suicide risk. Although several studies of military populations have investigated risk factors for death among burn patients during the acute phase, no studies have reported mortality rates, cause-of-death, or the prevalence of suicide after hospital discharge. This study examined the case fatality rate, causes of death, and the prevalence of suicide among 830 combat burn patients discharged from the sole burn center in the U.S. Department of Defense, between March 7, 2003 and March 6, 2013. Cause-of-death was determined through the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s National Death Index. A total of 11 deaths occurred among the 830 burn survivors, for an overall case fatality rate of 1.3%. Of the 11 who died, five deaths were related to accidental poisoning by exposure to drugs; three were related to operations of war (two after returning to the war zone), and the remaining three died from other accidental causes (one explosion and two vehicle crashes). There was no indication of suicide or suspicion of suicide as a cause-of-death for the former patients included in this study, suggesting that combat burn injury did not appear to increase the risk of death by suicide in our study population. Further research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to the apparent resilience of combat burn survivors. PMID:26629656

  11. The Morality of Employing Remotely Piloted Weapon Systems in Combat

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    ethics of remotely piloted weapon systems involve utilitarianism and Just War Theory. Although the other two perspectives, pacifism and realism, do...perspectives of utilitarianism , Just War Theory, pacifism, and realism are evaluated to justify the claim. With the exception of pacifism, each of these...of utilitarianism , Just War Theory, pacifism, and realism are evaluated to justify the claim. With the exception of pacifism, each of these

  12. Posttraumatic Stress in U.S. Marines: The Role of Unit Cohesion and Combat Exposure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armistead-Jehle, Patrick; Johnston, Scott L.; Wade, Nathaniel G.; Ecklund, Christofer J.

    2011-01-01

    Combat exposure is a consistent predictor of posttraumatic stress (PTS). Understanding factors that might buffer the effects of combat exposure is crucial for helping service members weather the stress of war. In a study of U.S. Marines returning from Iraq, hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that unit cohesion and combat exposure…

  13. Relationships among Moral and Contesting Variables and Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior in Sport

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shields, David Light; Funk, Christopher D.; Bredemeier, Brenda Light

    2018-01-01

    The current study of US intercollegiate athletes (n = 1066) involved in multiple sports investigated relationships among moral (moral reasoning maturity, moral value evaluation [MVE], and moral identity), contesting (partnership and war orientations) and behavioral (prosocial and antisocial) variables in sport. Among other relationships, results…

  14. Abductive networks applied to electronic combat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montgomery, Gerard J.; Hess, Paul; Hwang, Jong S.

    1990-08-01

    A practical approach to dealing with combinatorial decision problems and uncertainties associated with electronic combat through the use of networks of high-level functional elements called abductive networks is presented. It describes the application of the Abductory Induction Mechanism (AIMTM) a supervised inductive learning tool for synthesizing polynomial abductive networks to the electronic combat problem domain. From databases of historical expert-generated or simulated combat engagements AIM can often induce compact and robust network models for making effective real-time electronic combat decisions despite significant uncertainties or a combinatorial explosion of possible situations. The feasibility of applying abductive networks to realize advanced combat decision aiding capabilities was demonstrated by applying AIM to a set of electronic combat simulations. The networks synthesized by AIM generated accurate assessments of the intent lethality and overall risk associated with a variety of simulated threats and produced reasonable estimates of the expected effectiveness of a group of electronic countermeasures for a large number of simulated combat scenarios. This paper presents the application of abductive networks to electronic combat summarizes the results of experiments performed using AIM discusses the benefits and limitations of applying abductive networks to electronic combat and indicates why abductive networks can often result in capabilities not attainable using alternative approaches. 1. ELECTRONIC COMBAT. UNCERTAINTY. AND MACHINE LEARNING Electronic combat has become an essential part of the ability to make war and has become increasingly complex since

  15. The role of sexual assault on the risk of PTSD among Gulf War veterans.

    PubMed

    Kang, Han; Dalager, Nancy; Mahan, Clare; Ishii, Erick

    2005-03-01

    The 1991 Gulf War was the first major military deployment where female troops were integrated into almost every military unit, except for combat ground units. We evaluated the impact of reported sexual trauma during this deployment on the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the war. A nested case-control analysis was conducted using the data collected in a population-based health survey of 30,000 Gulf War era veterans. A total of 1381 Gulf War veterans with current PTSD were compared with 10,060 Gulf veteran controls without PTSD for self-reported in-theater experiences of sexual harassment/assault and combat exposure. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for PTSD associated with a report of sexual assault was 5.41 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.19-9.17) in female veterans and 6.21 (95% CI, 2.26-17.04) in male veterans. The aOR for PTSD associated with "high" combat exposure was also statistically significant (aOR, 4.03 [95% CI, 1.97-8.23] for females; aOR, 4.45 [95% CI, 3.54-5.60] for males). Notwithstanding a possibility of recall bias of combat and sexual trauma, for both men and women, sexual trauma as well as combat exposure appear to be strong risk factors for PTSD.

  16. Evaluation and management of combat-related spinal injuries: a review based on recent experiences.

    PubMed

    Schoenfeld, Andrew J; Lehman, Ronald A; Hsu, Joseph R

    2012-09-01

    The current approach to the evaluation and treatment of military casualties in the Global War on Terror is informed by medical experience from prior conflicts and combat encounters from the last 10 years. In an effort to standardize the care provided to military casualties in the ongoing conflicts, the Department of Defense (DoD) has published Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) that deal specifically with the combat casualty sustaining a spinal injury. However, the combat experience with spine injuries in the present conflicts remains incompletely described. To describe the CPGs for the care of the combat casualty with suspected spine injuries and discuss them in light of the published military experience with combat-related spinal trauma. Literature review. A literature review was conducted regarding published works that discussed the incidence, epidemiology, and management of combat-related spinal trauma. The CPGs, established by the DoD, are discussed in light of actual military experiences with spine trauma, the present situation in the forward surgical teams and combat support hospitals treating casualties in theater, and recent publications in the field of spine surgery. In the conventional wars fought by the United States between 1950 and 1991 (Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War I), the incidence of spine injuries remained close to 1% of all combat casualties. However, in the Global War on Terror, the enemy has relied on implements of asymmetric warfare, including sniper attacks, ambush, roadside bombs, and improvised explosive devices. The increase in explosive mechanisms of injury has elevated the number of soldiers exposed to blunt force trauma and, consequently, recent publications reported the highest incidence of combat-related spinal injuries in American military history. Wounded soldiers are expeditiously evacuated through the echelons of care but typically do not receive surgical management in theater. The current CPGs for the care of soldiers with combat

  17. The Life-Long Mortality Risks Of World War II Experiences

    PubMed Central

    Elder, Glen H.; Brown, James Scott; Martin, Leslie R.; Friedman, Howard W.

    2009-01-01

    Objective This longitudinal study of American veterans investigated the mortality risks of five World War II military experiences (i.e., combat exposure) and their variation among veterans in the post-war years. Methods The male subjects (N=854) are members of the Stanford-Terman study, and 38 percent served in World War II. Cox models (proportional hazards regressions) compared the relative mortality risk associated with each military experience. Results Overseas duty, service in the Pacific and exposure to combat significantly increased the mortality risks of veterans in the study. Individual differences in education, mental health in 1950, and age at entry into the military, as well as personality factors made no difference in these results. Conclusions A gradient is observable such that active duty on the home front, followed by overseas duty, service in the Pacific, and combat exposure markedly increased the risk of relatively early mortality. Potential linking mechanisms include heavy drinking. PMID:20161074

  18. The Indigenous and Exogenous Aspects of Moral Education: A Comparative Analysis of the U.S. Military Occupation in Japan and Germany after World War II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shibata, Masako

    During the U.S. military occupation of Japan after World War II, few sectors of Japanese society were left untouched. Reforms during the occupation included education, religion, moral values, and gender relations. By contrast, in Germany, except in the Soviet-controlled zone, no radical changes were introduced in the education system during the…

  19. The effects of combat exposure, abusive violence, and sense of coherence on PTSD and depression in Portuguese colonial war veterans.

    PubMed

    Ferrajão, Paulo Correia; Oliveira, Rui Aragão

    2016-01-01

    We analyzed the effects of 3 war components-combat exposure (CES), observation of abusive violence (OBS), and participation in abusive violence (PARTC)-and sense of coherence (SOC) on the development of both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among a sample of war veterans. We also analyzed the role of SOC as a mediator of the effects of CES, OBS, and PARTC on both depression and PTSD symptoms. Sample was composed of 120 Portuguese Colonial War veterans. A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of these variables on depression and PTSD diagnosis. Mediation test was performed by conducting several hierarchical regression analyses. Results showed that OBS and PARTC, and lower levels of SOC were associated with increased odds for exceeding the clinical cutoff scores for diagnosis of depression. All variables were associated with increased odds for exceeding the clinical cutoff scores for diagnosis of PTSD. In mediation analysis, at first step, PARTC was not a significant predictor of both PTSD and depression symptoms, and PARTC did not enter in subsequent analysis. SOC was a full mediator of the effects of OBS and CES on both depression and PTSD symptoms. We propose that treatment of war veterans should aim the reconciliation of traumatic incongruent experiences in veterans' personal schemas to strengthen veterans' sense of coherence, especially for those exposed to acts of abusive violence. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Voices from Vietnam: The New Literature from America's Longest War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kneeshaw, Stephen

    1988-01-01

    Provides an essay review of seven books, written since 1983, on the Vietnam War. The titles include: THE BAD WAR: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR (1987); IN THE COMBAT ZONE: AN ORAL HISTORY OF AMERICAN WOMEN IN VIETNAM, 1966-1975 (1987); and DEAR AMERICA: LETTERS HOME FROM VIETNAM (1985). (JDH)

  1. Psychiatry in the Korean War: perils, PIES, and prisoners of war.

    PubMed

    Ritchie, Elspeth Cameron

    2002-11-01

    In the initial months of the Korean War, very high numbers of psychological casualties occurred among American troops, 250 per 1,000 per annum. Initially, these men were evacuated to Japan or the United States, and very few of them were returned to duty. Then the principles of early and far-forward treatment, learned in the previous world wars, were reinstituted. Up to 80% of neuropsychiatric casualties were returned to duty. During and after the war, the prisoners of war were believed to have been "brainwashed," have "give-it-upitis," and exhibit apathy and depression. Mistakenly believed to be signs of moral decay, the psychiatric symptoms during and after release were probably a result of extended inhumane treatment and vitamin deficiencies.

  2. Morality and politics: Comparing alternate theories.

    PubMed

    Miles, Andrew; Vaisey, Stephen

    2015-09-01

    Debates about the American "culture wars" have led scholars to develop several theories relating morality to political attitudes and behaviors. However, researchers have not adequately compared these theories, nor have they examined the overall contribution of morality to explaining political variation. This study uses nationally representative data to compare the utility of 19 moral constructs from four research traditions - associated with the work of Hunter, Lakoff, Haidt, and Schwartz - for predicting political orientation (liberalism/conservatism). Results indicate that morality explains a third of the variation in political orientation - more than basic demographic and religious predictors - but that no one theory provides a fully adequate explanation of this phenomenon. Instead, political orientation is best predicted by selected moral constructs that are unique to each of the four traditions, and by two moral constructs that crosscut them. Future work should investigate how these moral constructs can be synthesized to create a more comprehensive theory of morality and politics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Casualties of War: Combat Trauma and the Return of the Combat Veteran

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiely, Denis O.; Swift, Lisa

    2009-01-01

    The experience of the combat soldier and the road back to civilian life are recurrent themes in American literature and cinema. Whether the treatment is tragic (Stephen Crane's "Red Badge of Courage", Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried", or Tony Scott's "Blackhawk Down"), satirical (Joseph Heller's "Catch Twenty-Two" and Robert Altman's…

  4. Mental health care in the Lebanon War, 1982.

    PubMed

    Noy, S; Levy, R; Solomon, Z

    1984-04-01

    Lessons in mental health care learned from the October 1973 War were applied in the Lebanon War 1982. A three-echelon system of management was followed according to the practices prevalent in Western armies. The clinical pictures were essentially similar to those observed in other wars. Combat stress reactions (CSR) comprised 15 to 20% of the total casualties during the active phase of the war; the rate of late reactions was 30 to 40% of the total CSR. Treatment on the battlefield was more effective than treatment following airlift to the rear, in returning soldiers to their units. The role of stress in causing CSR, and the importance of leadership and cohesion in its prevention were evident. The important lessons learned from the Lebanon War are discussed and include: 1) the need for a broad definition of CSR; 2) the importance of forward unit intervention; 3) the necessity of mobility and divisibility of mental health treatment units; 4) fighting units should not be dispersed immediately after combat; and 5) the management of stress reactions to be the responsibility not only of the mental health services, but of all sections of the medical corps, both in treatment and prevention.

  5. American physicians and dual loyalty obligations in the "war on terror"

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Jerome Amir

    2003-01-01

    Background Post-September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has labeled thousands of Afghan war detainees "unlawful combatants". This label effectively deprives these detainees of the protection they would receive as "prisoners of war" under international humanitarian law. Reports have emerged that indicate that thousands of detainees being held in secret military facilities outside the United States are being subjected to questionable "stress and duress" interrogation tactics by U.S. authorities. If true, American military physicians could be inadvertently becoming complicit in detainee abuse. Moreover, the American government's openly negative views towards such detainees could result in military physicians not wanting to provide reasonable care to detainees, despite it being their ethical duty to do so. Discussion This paper assesses the physician's obligations to treat war detainees in the light of relevant instruments of international humanitarian law and medical ethics. It briefly outlines how detainee abuse flourished in apartheid South Africa when state physicians became morally detached from the interests of their detainee patients. I caution U.S physicians not to let the same mindset befall them. I urge the U.S. medical community to advocate for detainee rights in the U.S, regardless of the political culture the detainee emerged from. I offer recommendations to U.S physicians facing dual loyalty conflicts of interest in the "war on terror". Summary If U.S. physicians are faced with a conflict of interest between following national policies or international principles of humanitarian law and medical ethics, they should opt to adhere to the latter when treating war detainees. It is important for the U.S. medical community to speak out against possible detainee abuse by the U.S. government. PMID:12892567

  6. The Effects of Alcohol Problems, PTSD, and Combat Exposure on Nonphysical and Physical Aggression Among Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

    PubMed Central

    Stappenbeck, Cynthia A.; Hellmuth, Julianne C.; Simpson, Tracy; Jakupcak, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    Aggression among combat veterans is of great concern. Although some studies have found an association between combat exposure and aggressive behavior following deployment, others conclude that aggression is more strongly associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and that alcohol misuse may influence this association. Many of these studies have assessed aggression as a single construct, whereas the current study explored both nonphysical aggression only and physical aggression in a sample of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans (N = 337; 91% male). We found that alcohol problems interacted with PTSD symptom severity to predict nonphysical aggression only. At low levels of PTSD symptoms, veterans with alcohol problems were more likely to perpetrate nonphysical aggression only, as compared with no aggression, than veterans without an alcohol problem. There was no difference in the likelihood of nonphysical aggression only between those with and without alcohol problems at high levels of PTSD symptoms. The likelihood of nonphysical aggression only, as compared with no aggression, was also greater among younger veterans. Greater combat exposure and PTSD symptom severity were associated with an increased likelihood of perpetrating physical aggression, as compared with no aggression. Ethnic minority status and younger age were also associated with physical aggression, as compared with no aggression. Findings suggest that a more detailed assessment of veterans’ aggressive behavior, as well as their alcohol problems and PTSD symptoms, by researchers and clinicians is needed in order to determine how best to intervene. PMID:25225593

  7. Reaction of Vietnam Veterans to the Persian Gulf War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kobrick, Felice R.

    1993-01-01

    Reviews evolution of the concept of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder and analyzes reports of Vietnam veterans' reactions to the Persian Gulf War. Presents case study of Vietnam veteran whose traumatic memories were reawakened with the onset of the Persian Gulf War, and discusses implications for social work practice. (Author/NB)

  8. Nuclear war effects studied

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widespread starvation resulting from changes in climate in the aftermath of a large-scale nuclear war could kill far more people than would the bombs themselves. That prediction was made in a recent study by the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), an a rm of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). “Noncombatant and combatant countries alike” would risk mass starvation; SCOPE predicted that all told, 2.5 billion people could die as a result of crop failures and breakdowns in food distribution after a nuclear war.

  9. Transitions: Combat Veterans as College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ackerman, Robert; DiRamio, David; Garza Mitchell, Regina L.

    2009-01-01

    The experience of war makes those who fight a special group within the general population. The purpose of this study was to investigate how combat veterans who become college students make the transition to campus life, in order to identify how administrators can acknowledge and support them. A total of six women and 19 men were interviewed; 24…

  10. DefenseLink Special: Remember the Flying Tigers of World War II

    Science.gov Websites

    Us Remembering The Flying Tigers The Flying Tigers of World War II Americans have not always waited during the early days of World War II before the United States officially became a combatant. Some them as heroes during the early period of World War II when Japan had the upper hand. The Flying Tigers

  11. Children and war.

    PubMed

    Pearn, J

    2003-04-01

    Children bear disproportionate consequences of armed conflict. The 21st century continues to see patterns of children enmeshed in international violence between opposing combatant forces, as victims of terrorist warfare, and, perhaps most tragically of all, as victims of civil wars. Innocent children so often are the victims of high-energy wounding from military ordinance. They sustain high-energy tissue damage and massive burns - injuries that are not commonly seen in civilian populations. Children have also been deliberately targeted victims in genocidal civil wars in Africa in the past decade, and hundreds of thousands have been killed and maimed in the context of close-quarter, hand-to-hand assaults of great ferocity. Paediatricians serve as uniformed military surgeons and as civilian doctors in both international and civil wars, and have a significant strategic role to play as advocates for the rights and welfare of children in the context of the evolving 'Laws of War'. One chronic legacy of contemporary warfare is blast injury to children from landmines. Such blasts leave children without feet or lower limbs, with genital injuries, blindness and deafness. This pattern of injury has become one of the post-civil war syndromes encountered by all intensivists and surgeons serving in four of the world's continents. The continued advocacy for the international ban on the manufacture, commerce and military use of antipersonnel landmines is a part of all paediatricians' obligation to promote the ethos of the Laws of War. Post-traumatic stress disorder remains an undertreated legacy of children who have been trapped in the shot and shell of battle as well as those displaced as refugees. An urgent, unfocused and unmet challenge has been the increase in, and plight of, child soldiers themselves. A new class of combatant comprises these children, who also become enmeshed in the triad of anarchic civil war, light-weight weaponry and drug or alcohol addiction. The

  12. Keeping Up With the Drones: Is Just War Theory Obsolete

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-04-29

    the laws of armed conflict. For centuries, just war principles have defined how responsible states have agreed to ethically wage war. The manner in...conflict. For centuries, just war principles have defined how responsible states have agreed to ethically wage war. The manner in which unmanned...3 will be morally and ethically waged. Failure to address the gaps this new technology exposes in traditional teachings will have profound

  13. A war psychiatry approach to warfare in the Middle Byzantine period.

    PubMed

    Ntafoulis, Pavlos

    2016-12-01

    Combat stress cases were traced in historical texts and military manuals on warfare from the Middle Byzantine period; they were mainly labelled as cowardice. Soldiers suffered from nostalgia or exhaustion; officers looked stunned, or could not speak during the battle. Cruel punishments were often enforced. Suicide and alcohol abuse were rarely mentioned. The Byzantines' evacuation system for battle casualties was well organized. Psychological operations were conducted and prisoners-of-war were usually part of them. The Byzantine army had 'parakletores', officers assigned to encourage soldiers before combat. The leaders dealt with combat stress by using their rhetoric skills and emphasizing religious faith in eternal life. The treatment of the 'cowards' was rather similar to modern war psychiatry principles of treatment. No description of PTSD was found. © The Author(s) 2016.

  14. On the Effectiveness of Military Institutions: Historical Case Studies from World War I, The Interwar Period, and World War II. Volume 3. World War II

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-04-01

    ting the claims of U the tortured economy against those et the reeling military organization. I I I_ I I I I I I U I U 21. i II. S.rateqic...1 25. Henry I. Shaw, et . 41., History of u. S. Marine operaCions in World I war r (5 vols., Washington, DC, 1958-2971); Jeter A. Zsley and Philip A...Combat Troops, Bruce Jacobs, Soldiers (New 3 York, 1958), pp. 169-560; Stouffer, et al., The American Soldier: Combat and Its Afternath (New York, 1965

  15. Empirical research on complex networks modeling of combat SoS based on data from real war-game, Part I: Statistical characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Lei; Kou, Yingxin; Li, Zhanwu; Xu, An; Wu, Cheng

    2018-01-01

    We build a complex networks model of combat System-of-Systems (SoS) based on empirical data from a real war-game, this model is a combination of command & control (C2) subnetwork, sensors subnetwork, influencers subnetwork and logistical support subnetwork, each subnetwork has idiographic components and statistical characteristics. The C2 subnetwork is the core of whole combat SoS, it has a hierarchical structure with no modularity, of which robustness is strong enough to maintain normal operation after any two nodes is destroyed; the sensors subnetwork and influencers subnetwork are like sense organ and limbs of whole combat SoS, they are both flat modular networks of which degree distribution obey GEV distribution and power-law distribution respectively. The communication network is the combination of all subnetworks, it is an assortative Small-World network with core-periphery structure, the Intelligence & Communication Stations/Command Center integrated with C2 nodes in the first three level act as the hub nodes in communication network, and all the fourth-level C2 nodes, sensors, influencers and logistical support nodes have communication capability, they act as the periphery nodes in communication network, its degree distribution obeys exponential distribution in the beginning, Gaussian distribution in the middle, and power-law distribution in the end, and its path length obeys GEV distribution. The betweenness centrality distribution, closeness centrality distribution and eigenvector centrality are also been analyzed to measure the vulnerability of nodes.

  16. Teaching about World War II: An ERIC/ChESS Sample.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schlene, Vickie L.

    1991-01-01

    Presents nine documents from the ERIC database dealing with teaching about World War II. Includes articles addressing the lessons of Pearl Harbor, the Holocaust, the wartime internment of Japanese Americans, industry's response to the war, and the moral lessons of Nazism. (SG)

  17. The implication of combat-induced stress reaction, PTSD, and attachment in parenting among war veterans.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Estee; Zerach, Gadi; Solomon, Zahava

    2011-10-01

    This study examined parental functioning, parental satisfaction, and concern for offspring during their child's military service, among war veterans, some of whom suffered from acute combat-induced stress reaction (CSR) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, we examined the additive and interactive contributions of CSR, PTSD and attachment dimensions to parenting measures. The sample consisted of 477 participants divided into two groups: a clinical group of veterans who had been diagnosed with CSR on the battlefield (N = 267), and a matched control group of veterans who did not suffer from CSR (NCSR; N = 210). CSR, PTSD, avoidant-attachment, and anxious-attachment, were all related to lower levels of parental functioning and satisfaction. Veterans who suffered from both CSR and PTSD reported more concern for their offspring during their child's military service compared to veterans with PTSD but without antecedent CSR. Attachment dimensions and specifically attachment-avoidance, made the greatest contribution to parenting measures, followed by posttraumatic symptoms. In addition, attachment-avoidance moderated the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms and parental functioning. Theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed.

  18. Amicicide: The Problem of Friendly Fire in Modern War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-12-01

    episodes of the Korean War was the stubborn, defense of the British 29th Brigade along the Imjin River north of Seoul in April 1951.67 Faced by a...antiaircraft fire over Paestum beach in Italy. Amicicide: The Problem of Friendly Fire in Modern War by Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Shrader, U.S...Data Shrader, Charles R. Amicieide: the problem of friendly fire in modern war . (Research survey/Combat Studies Institute, U.S. Army Command and

  19. External Qi therapy to treat symptoms of Agent Orange Sequelae in Korean combat veterans of the Vietnam War.

    PubMed

    Lee, Myeong Soo; Woo, Won-Hong; Lim, Hyun-Ja; Hong, Sung-Soo; Kim, Hye-Jung; Moon, Sun-Rock

    2004-01-01

    We investigated the efficacy of Qi therapy as a non-pharmacological treatment for various symptoms presented by Korean combat veterans of the Vietnam War with Agent Orange Sequelae. Nine subjects volunteered to receive 30 minutes of Qi therapy, twice per day for 7 days. There was marked improvement in 89% of the patients with impaired physical activity, 86% of those with psychological disorder, 78% of those with heavy drug use, and 67% of those with fatigue, indigestion and high blood glucose levels. This data suggests that Qi therapy combined with conventional treatment has positive effects in reducing and managing the pain, psychosomatic disorders, and substance abuse in patients with Agent Orange Sequelae. We cannot completely discount the possible influence of the placebo effect, and more objective, clinical measures are needed to study the long-term effects of Qi therapy.

  20. A survey on the measure of combat readiness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Kwong Fook; Nor, Norazman Mohamad; Soon, Lee Lai

    2014-09-01

    Measuring the combat readiness in military forces involves the measures of tangible and intangible elements of combat power. Though these measures are applicable, the mathematical models and formulae used focus mainly on either the tangible or the intangible elements. In this paper, a review is done to highlight the research gap in the formulation of a mathematical model that incorporates tangible elements with intangible elements to measure the combat readiness of a military force. It highlights the missing link between the tangible and intangible elements of combat power. To bridge the gap and missing link, a mathematical model could be formulated that measures both the tangible and intangible aspects of combat readiness by establishing the relationship between the causal (tangible and intangible) elements and its effects on the measure of combat readiness. The model uses multiple regression analysis as well as mathematical modeling and simulation which digest the capability component reflecting its assets and resources, the morale component reflecting human needs, and the quality of life component reflecting soldiers' state of satisfaction in life. The results of the review provide a mean to bridge the research gap through the formulation of a mathematical model that shows the total measure of a military force's combat readiness. The results also significantly identify parameters for each of the variables and factors in the model.

  1. The Military Casualty with Combat Related Acute Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-05-01

    explored. A researcher designed "Combat Fatigue Questionnaire" was mailed to 600 USAF nurses selected randomly. Three hundred sixty one USAF nurses...psychiatry noted: "Exhaustion was selected because it best described the appearance of most psychia- tric casualties" (p. xvii). Ernie Pyle, a World War II...Haber & Runyon, PL 1977), 600 (13.3% of the total USAF nurse population) names were selected . The "Combat Fatigue Questionnaire" was mailed between

  2. 77 FR 22183 - National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2012

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-12

    ... Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2012 By the President of the United States of America A... combat and pressing onward in the face of tremendous adversity. Their extraordinary service reflects our... Prisoner of War Recognition Day, we pay solemn tribute to those patriots who gave their freedom to preserve...

  3. Naval War College. Volume 60, Number 2, Spring 2007

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-01

    attacks of grave conse- quences. The aspiration of this small-wars force element is to prevent even one nuclear, biological , or chemical weapon attack...153 Preventive Attack and Weapons of Mass...Default screen Bioethics and Armed Conflict: Moral Dilemmas of Medicine and War, by Michael L. Gross reviewed by Arthur M. Smith, MD

  4. One hundred years of lessons about the impact of war on mental health; two steps forward, one step back.

    PubMed

    McFarlane, Alexander C

    2015-08-01

    This paper outlines the substantial stigmatization of soldiers who suffered psychiatric disorders during World War I, and how there was little acceptance of the enduring impact of prolonged combat exposure once the war ended. Recent decades of research highlight the delayed impact of combat exposure and its long-term neurobiological consequences. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

  5. Women in Combat: Is the Current Policy Obsolete

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-02-23

    gender issues were cited by fewer than 1 percent of their respondents when asked about issues that affect morale in recently gender -integrated units...37 GENDER ISSUES /POLICIES THAT EFFECT MILITARY CAPABILITY..................42 Pregnancy... Gender Issues ,” Report No. GAO/NSAID-99-7, 19 October 1998, p. 4. 2 personal experiences as a combat pilot and military commander frame my

  6. Psychosocial and Moral Development of PTSD-Diagnosed Combat Veterans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, John G.; Baker, Stanley B.

    2007-01-01

    Two related studies were conducted in order to investigate whether psychosocial and moral development appeared to have been disrupted and arrested in veterans diagnosed as having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Study 1 was devoted to developing a measure of late adolescence, early adulthood, and adulthood stages of psychosocial…

  7. Personnel Attrition Rates in Historical Land Combat Operations: An Annotated Bibliography

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-06-01

    1986, Combat Casualties Among US Navy Personnel in Vietnam. Cochrane-1959, The 3rd Division at Chateau Thierry , July 1918. Cockrell-1974, Research Study...Chateau Thierry , July 1918. CIVIL Fox-1889, Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865. Livermore-1900, Numbers and Losses in the Civil War... Thierry , July 1918. Wainstein-1973b, Rates of Advance in Infantry Division Attacks in the Normandy-Northern France and Siegfried Line Campaigns. DURATION

  8. Does Combat Exposure Make You a More Violent or Criminal Person? Evidence from the Vietnam Draft

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rohlfs, Chris

    2010-01-01

    This study exploits the differential effects of the Vietnam War across birth cohorts to measure the effects of combat exposure on later violence and crime. Combat exposure and violent acts are measured using self-reports from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. I find large positive effects on violence for blacks, suggestive evidence…

  9. Law, Morality and the Relocation Camps.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stearns, Hal

    1990-01-01

    Presents a lesson examining the historical background of the U.S. government's relocation and internment of Japanese-Americans and Japanese aliens during World War II. Asks secondary students to consider both the legal and moral dimensions of the relocation effort and current compensation arguments. Includes handouts and suggestions for role…

  10. Treatment seeking for posttraumatic stress in Israel Defense Forces veterans deployed in the Second Lebanon War (2006) and "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip (2009): a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Levi, Ofir; Lubin, Gadi

    2018-05-01

    The goal of the study was to determine the long-term prevalence of combat-related treatment seeking and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Israel's veterans deployed to the Second Lebanon War (2006) and "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip (2009). The prevalence of treatment seeking and DSM-IV-TR diagnoses among Israel Defense Force (IDF) veterans was assessed using seven and five year's surveillance and records. The whereabouts and combat exposure of veterans during the war was determined based on the IDF's Operations Directorate records. Overall prevalence of treatment seeking was 1.32% and 0.38% in the Second Lebanon War and "Operation Cast Lead", respectively. The prevalence of treatment-seeking veterans from the Second Lebanon War and in "Operation Cast Lead" was significantly higher in soldiers deployed to high combat-exposure zones (2.19% and 3.1%, respectively), relative to low combat-exposure zones (0.24% and 0.06%, respectively), and relative to soldiers deployed elsewhere (0.26% and 0.02%, respectively). PTSD prevalence was similar among treatment-seeking veterans deployed in high combat-exposure zones in both combats. There is a gap of anywhere between 3% and 11% between treatment seeking by IDF veterans following war deployment and the actual prevalence of PTSD in this soldier population.

  11. Institutional Guidance of Affective Bonding: Moral Values Development in Brazilian Military Education.

    PubMed

    Wortmeyer, Daniela Schmitz; Branco, Angela Uchoa

    2016-09-01

    In this article, our aim is to analyze institutional practices guided to promote the development of moral values within the context of military education of Brazilian Army combatant commissioned officers. From a cultural psychological approach, we discuss how social guidance within military culture operates at different levels of the affective-semiotic regulation of individuals, structuring complex experiences that give rise to hypergeneralized meaning fields regarding morality and military values. For this goal, we first introduce some theoretical topics related to values development, emphasizing their affective roots and role in the emergence, maintenance, amplification and attenuation of all relations between the person and the environment. Following a brief discussion on how social institutions try to promote changes in personal values, we provide an overview of values present in the military culture and socialization. Finally, the text focuses on the education of Brazilian Army combatant commissioned officers, describing how practices related to different levels of affective-semiotic experience combine in order to promote the internalization and externalization of specific moral values. We conclude suggesting issues for future investigation.

  12. Plastic Surgery Challenges in War Wounded I: Flap-Based Extremity Reconstruction

    PubMed Central

    Sabino, Jennifer M.; Slater, Julia; Valerio, Ian L.

    2016-01-01

    Scope and Significance: Reconstruction of traumatic injuries requiring tissue transfer begins with aggressive resuscitation and stabilization. Systematic advances in acute casualty care at the point of injury have improved survival and allowed for increasingly complex treatment before definitive reconstruction at tertiary medical facilities outside the combat zone. As a result, the complexity of the limb salvage algorithm has increased over 14 years of combat activities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Problem: Severe poly-extremity trauma in combat casualties has led to a large number of extremity salvage cases. Advanced reconstructive techniques coupled with regenerative medicine applications have played a critical role in the restoration, recovery, and rehabilitation of functional limb salvage. Translational Relevance: The past 14 years of war trauma have increased our understanding of tissue transfer for extremity reconstruction in the treatment of combat casualties. Injury patterns, flap choice, and reconstruction timing are critical variables to consider for optimal outcomes. Clinical Relevance: Subacute reconstruction with specifically chosen flap tissue and donor site location based on individual injuries result in successful tissue transfer, even in critically injured patients. These considerations can be combined with regenerative therapies to optimize massive wound coverage and limb salvage form and function in previously active patients. Summary: Traditional soft tissue reconstruction is integral in the treatment of war extremity trauma. Pedicle and free flaps are a critically important part of the reconstructive ladder for salvaging extreme extremity injuries that are seen as a result of the current practice of war. PMID:27679751

  13. An Investigation of the Combat Attitudes of Air Force Civil Engineers.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-04-01

    Leadership Management and Development Center (LMDC) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, to develop the Potential for Combat Effectiveness Model (PCEM) and its...Barracks, PA: US Army War College. Leadership Management Development Center. (1986). Organizational Assessment Package Survey# Factors and Variables

  14. At War, with Shakespeare - Student Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derrick, Thomas J.

    2003-01-01

    Discusses one professor's decision, in the aftermath of the destruction of the World Trade Center, to use a Shakespeare course to help students' process their feelings about military combat and cultural conflict. The professor uses Baxter Magolda's student development theory to understand student attitudes about war as presented in student…

  15. Combat Multipliers: African-American Soldiers in Four Wars

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-01-01

    historical record should also be commended. Reginal G. Clemmons Major General, U.S. Army Commandant, National War College Washington, DC May 2003 ii...Adjutant and Inspector General Maurice Grivot had approved and endorsed, respectively, the raising of the Native Guards in May 1861, they never

  16. U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues. Third Edition, Volume 1. Theory of War and Strategy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-01

    Japanese wars. That inability was tied in with a trend in Europe at the time to combine elan with a military focus on moral force, bloodshed, and...most famous and influential theory of insurgency warfare. His concepts, designed initially for the Chinese fight against the Japanese in World War II... Japanese ; victory would come in time through attrition. He believed the Chinese should avoid large battles except in the rare instances when they had the

  17. United States Naval War College, 1919-1941: An Institutional Response to Naval Preparedness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1975-06-01

    studied and were well understood." For a brief, lucid account of War Plan ORANGE, see Louis Morton, "War Plan Orange; Evo- lution of a Strategy...believed "there is one hope—a dream only—to avoid war, and that is that at some time the moral sense of the populations of the r 25 Commander Harold R

  18. Adaptive Disclosure: A Combat Specific PTSD Treatment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-31

    to determine whether AD is as least as effective as CPT, cognitive only version (CPT-C), in terms of its impact on deployment-related psychological ...be used to determine treatment efficacy. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Active-duty, Marine Corps, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Cognitive Therapy 16...the early stages of the wars suggest that 10-18% of combat troops experience deployment-related psychological health problems, such as posttraumatic

  19. The Quest for a Helicopter Suitable for Combat Rescue, 1967-1983.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-04-01

    the war draqged on" (2:7). From this need came the development of the helicopter as a - ascue -,hicle, a development that came late in World War 11. Even...question of future conflicts and the coming jet age forced policy makers to consider the reorganization and expansion of a rescue force capable of...to existing aging H-3s" (6:92). The inadequacies of the USAF’s combat rescue helicopter force, both in terms of mission capabiitic: and number of

  20. The influence of war on the development of neurosurgery.

    PubMed

    Dowdy, Justin; Pait, T Glenn

    2014-01-01

    The treatment of craniospinal war wounds proved to be a significant driving force in the early growth of neurosurgery as a specialty. This publication explores the historical relationship between the evolution of combat methodology from antiquity through modern conflicts as it dovetails with and drives corresponding advancements in the field of neurosurgery. Whether it's the basic management principles for intracranial projectile wounds derived from World War I experiences, the drastic improvement in the outcomes and management of spinal cord injuries observed in World War II, or the fact that both of these wars played a crucial role in the development of a training system that is the origin of modern residency programs, the influence of wartime experiences is pervasive.

  1. A League of Airmen: IU. S. Air Power in the Gulf War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-01-01

    the urgency of the situation in early August 1990 persuaded General Schwarzkopf to deploy combat power to the Gulf rapidly and take a calculated risk...of the early 1980s. However, the urgency of this threat was gradually attenuated as a result of the Iran-Iraq War. Alter initial Iranian successes...ta:tics during the Gulf War were, for the most part, a depar - ture from post-Word War II experience. The closest analog was the breakout from the

  2. Leveraging Trauma Lessons from War to Win in a Complex Global Environment.

    PubMed

    Remick, Kyle N

    2016-01-01

    The US military has made great strides in combat casualty care since 2001. As the Army concludes combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, it faces new operational challenges in trauma care. The military medical community must stay ahead of the curve through sustaining current investments in combat casualty care research. This article describes lessons learned at war from a Joint Trauma System perspective in order to place in context how we should proceed in order to provide optimal care for our Warfighters in the future.

  3. The Estimation of Lanchester Attrition-Rate Coefficients for an Aggregated Combat Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-06-01

    34 This was the beginning of the war game as a serious -- miäui ..^.^.,,-..^„..-^■.■^■^-^..^■^■-^^^■-■■^^-■.^■.w^^,^^^^^.--1- ■ ■ .^.aiaaggijjMattajagaa...war games , assessments regarding tit effects of combat and other decisions were made subjectively by a control team of experienced military...single game , it is not a feasible mechanism for analyzing a broid spectrum of system alternatives in a responsive manner to meet planning cycle

  4. A modern combat trauma.

    PubMed

    Popivanov, Georgi; Mutafchiyski, V M; Belokonski, E I; Parashkevov, A B; Koutin, G L

    2014-03-01

    The world remains plagued by wars and terrorist attacks, and improvised explosive devices (IED) are the main weapons of our current enemies, causing almost two-thirds of all combat injuries. We wished to analyse the pattern of blast trauma on the modern battlefield and to compare it with combat gunshot injuries. Analysis of a consecutive series of combat trauma patients presenting to two Bulgarian combat surgical teams in Afghanistan over 11 months. Demographics, injury patterns and Injury Severity Scores (ISS) were compared between blast and gunshot-injured casualties using Fisher's Exact Test. The blast victims had significantly higher median ISS (20.54 vs 9.23) and higher proportion of ISS>16 (60% vs 33.92%, p=0.008) than gunshot cases. They also had more frequent involvement of three or more body regions (47.22% vs 3.58%, p<0.0001). A significantly higher frequency of head (27.27% vs 3.57%), facial (20% vs 0%) and extremities injuries (85.45% vs 42.86%) and burns (12.72% vs 0%) was noted among the victims of explosion (p<0.0001). Based on clinical examination and diagnostic imaging, primary blast injury was identified in 24/55 (43.6%), secondary blast injury in 37 blast cases (67.3%), tertiary in 15 (27.3%) and quaternary blast injury (all burns) in seven (12.72%). Our results corroborate the 'multidimensional' injury pattern of blast trauma. The complexity of the blast trauma demands a good knowledge and a special training of the military surgeons and hospital personnel before deployment.

  5. The Effects of World War II on Economic and Health Outcomes across Europe.

    PubMed

    Kesternich, Iris; Siflinger, Bettina; Smith, James P; Winter, Joachim K

    2014-03-01

    We investigate long-run effects of World War II on socio-economic status and health of older individuals in Europe. We analyze data from SHARELIFE, a retrospective survey conducted as part of SHARE in Europe in 2009. SHARELIFE provides detailed data on events in childhood during and after the war for over 20,000 individuals in 13 European countries. We construct several measures of war exposure-experience of dispossession, persecution, combat in local areas, and hunger periods. Exposure to war and more importantly to individual-level shocks caused by the war significantly predicts economic and health outcomes at older ages.

  6. The Effects of World War II on Economic and Health Outcomes across Europe

    PubMed Central

    Kesternich, Iris; Siflinger, Bettina; Smith, James P.; Winter, Joachim K.

    2013-01-01

    We investigate long-run effects of World War II on socio-economic status and health of older individuals in Europe. We analyze data from SHARELIFE, a retrospective survey conducted as part of SHARE in Europe in 2009. SHARELIFE provides detailed data on events in childhood during and after the war for over 20,000 individuals in 13 European countries. We construct several measures of war exposure—experience of dispossession, persecution, combat in local areas, and hunger periods. Exposure to war and more importantly to individual-level shocks caused by the war significantly predicts economic and health outcomes at older ages. PMID:24850973

  7. The Silent Enemy. Combat Stress Reaction.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-04-01

    intense anxiety, thus the term "shell shock." Such men were thought to have brain damage resulting from the concussion of high explosive shell blasts...French casualties returning to combat. (23:989) Upon the entrance of United States forces into World War I, Thomas W. Salmon, who held the job as...that battle stress is directly related to battle intensity. This was clearly 9 Shown in the Battle of Metz from September to November, 1944. The 5th

  8. Association of combatant status and sexual violence with health and mental health outcomes in postconflict Liberia.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Kirsten; Asher, Jana; Rosborough, Stephanie; Raja, Amisha; Panjabi, Rajesh; Beadling, Charles; Lawry, Lynn

    2008-08-13

    Liberia's wars since 1989 have cost tens of thousands of lives and left many people mentally and physically traumatized. To assess the prevalence and impact of war-related psychosocial trauma, including information on participation in the Liberian civil wars, exposure to sexual violence, social functioning, and mental health. A cross-sectional, population-based, multistage random cluster survey of 1666 adults aged 18 years or older using structured interviews and questionnaires, conducted during a 3-week period in May 2008 in Liberia. Symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social functioning, exposure to sexual violence, and health and mental health needs among Liberian adults who witnessed or participated in the conflicts during the last 2 decades. In the Liberian adult household-based population, 40% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36%-45%; n = 672/1659) met symptom criteria for MDD, 44% (95% CI, 38%-49%; n = 718/1661) met symptom criteria for PTSD, and 8% (95% CI, 5%-10%; n = 133/1666) met criteria for social dysfunction. Thirty-three percent of respondents (549/1666) reported having served time with fighting forces, and 33.2% of former combatant respondents (182/549) were female. Former combatants experienced higher rates of exposure to sexual violence than noncombatants: among females, 42.3% (95% CI, 35.4%-49.1%) vs 9.2% (95% CI, 6.7%-11.7%), respectively; among males, 32.6% (95% CI, 27.6%-37.6%) vs 7.4% (95% CI, 4.5%-10.4%). The rates of symptoms of PTSD, MDD, and suicidal ideation were higher among former combatants than noncombatants and among those who experienced sexual violence vs those who did not. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms among female former combatants who experienced sexual violence (74%; 95% CI, 63%-84%) was higher than among those who did not experience sexual violence (44%; 95% CI, 33%-53%). The prevalence of PTSD symptoms among male former combatants who experienced sexual violence was higher

  9. Some problems associated with war experience in men of the Vietnam generation.

    PubMed

    Yager, T; Laufer, R; Gallops, M

    1984-04-01

    A national sample of men who were of military age during the Vietnam War (n = 1,342) was interviewed six to 15 years after veterans in the sample had left the service. Our findings showed that violent experiences in war were associated with a variety of behavioral and emotional problems. When preservice background factors were statistically controlled, combat exposure showed an association with arrests and convictions (generally for nonviolent offenses), with drinking, and with symptoms of traumatic stress. Participants in atrocities reported more stress symptoms and greater use of heroin and marijuana than did other veterans. Veterans who experienced no combat and did not take part in atrocities, however, did not differ appreciably from nonveterans. Not all men who experienced combat or took part in atrocities reported personal difficulties; almost three fourths of heavy-combat veterans were not arrested after the service. Tape recorded responses of the ten blacks and 18 whites who took part in atrocities suggested that soldiers' emotional responses may have been determined by their ability or inability to dehumanize the victims. Future research would benefit from a closer coordination of clinical and epidemiologic approaches.

  10. A Case Study in Jewish Moral Education: (Non-)Rape of the Beautiful Captive

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Resnick, David

    2004-01-01

    The challenge of teaching classic religious texts with flawed moral messages from a contemporary point of view is examined in the case of the Beautiful Captive of War (Deuteronomy 21:10-14). A moral dilemma is generated by contradictory ethical stands within the Jewish tradition, between which students have to choose. This dilemma is explored in…

  11. U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues. Volume 1. Theory of War and Strategy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

    273 Tami Davis Biddle 21. John Warden’s Five Ring Model and the Indirect Approach to War ..........................295 Clayton K. S. Chun...266 Chapter 21 Figure 21-1. John Warden’s Five Ring Model...strategy from the battlefield to the civilian rear, thus blur- ring the difference between combatant and noncombatant.22 At the same time, the military

  12. Outcome of intensive inpatient treatment for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Johnson, D R; Rosenheck, R; Fontana, A; Lubin, H; Charney, D; Southwick, S

    1996-06-01

    This study analyzed the outcome of a 4-month intensive inpatient program for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Vietnam veterans. The subjects were 51 male veterans with PTSD who completed the inpatient treatment program. Comprehensive measures of PTSD and psychiatric symptoms, as well as social functioning, were assessed at admission, discharge, and 6, 12, and 18 months after discharge. The overall study group showed an increase in symptoms from admission to follow-up and a decrease in violent actions and thoughts and legal problems. Family and interpersonal relationships and overall morale were improved at discharge but then returned to pretreatment levels at 18 months. Patient evaluations also indicated that the program affected morale and interpersonal relationships but not symptoms. The chronic nature of combat-related PTSD among Vietnam veterans is evident. The study raises the possibility that long-term intensive inpatient treatment is not effective, and other forms of treatment should be considered after rigorous study of such variables as length of stay, trauma versus rehabilitation focus, and patient characteristics.

  13. The Law of War and the Operational Commander

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-02-08

    includes law that governs the decision to go to war and that governing the conducts of combatants: this paper focuses on the latter body. It is not the ...Hays Parks, "Rolling Thunder and the Law of War," Air University Review, Winter 1971, p. 3. ś .Ikd., pp. 17-19. 20 command structure and a lack of...apply to the USCG. Two other federal statutes (14 USC 89 and 19 USC 1581(a)) permit USCG personnel to go on board vessels and make inquiries

  14. War Strategy Divergence Place Cultures on a Collision Course

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-04-23

    adversary. Along that definitional continuum, there is not much maneuver space between rival—threat--enemy. Conversely, ―foreigners in the eyes of...thinking, and the American way of war.‖29 Therefore it is understandable that they are relevant to our definitions of how we describe war. In...preservation or the restoration of the perceived cosmological and moral order which the empire embodied, whether it was threatened by external enemies or

  15. Emergency Physicians at War.

    PubMed

    Muck, Andrew E; Givens, Melissa; Bebarta, Vikhyat S; Mason, Phillip E; Goolsby, Craig

    2018-05-01

    Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF-A) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) represent the first major, sustained wars in which emergency physicians (EPs) fully participated as an integrated part of the military's health system. EPs proved invaluable in the deployments, and they frequently used the full spectrum of trauma and medical care skills. The roles EPs served expanded over the years of the conflicts and demonstrated the unique skill set of emergency medicine (EM) training. EPs supported elite special operations units, served in medical command positions, and developed and staffed flying intensive care units. EPs have brought their combat experience home to civilian practice. This narrative review summarizes the history, contributions, and lessons learned by EPs during OEF-A/OIF and describes changes to daily clinical practice of EM derived from the combat environment.

  16. Bodily Pain, Combat, and the Politics of Memoirs: Between the American Civil War and the War in Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Bourke, Joanna

    2013-05-01

    This article analyses the languages of wartime pain as seen in British and American memoirs from the American Civil War to the present. How did the rhetoric of wounding in these war memoirs change over time? One of the central shifts lies in the way that wounded men presented themselves as stoic in spite of severe wounding. From 1939, and in an even more dramatic fashion by the war in Vietnam, physical suffering remained a test of manliness, but the tone was defiant and aggressive rather than stoic or resigned. The article also looks at the role of individual publishers and the introduction of psychological dimensions of wounding in latter memoirs.

  17. Atypical Modulations of N170 Component during Emotional Processing and Their Links to Social Behaviors in Ex-combatants.

    PubMed

    Trujillo, Sandra P; Valencia, Stella; Trujillo, Natalia; Ugarriza, Juan E; Rodríguez, Mónica V; Rendón, Jorge; Pineda, David A; López, José D; Ibañez, Agustín; Parra, Mario A

    2017-01-01

    Emotional processing (EP) is crucial for the elaboration and implementation of adaptive social strategies. EP is also necessary for the expression of social cognition and behavior (SCB) patterns. It is well-known that war contexts induce socio-emotional atypical functioning, in particular for those who participate in combats. Thus, ex-combatants represent an ideal non-clinical population to explore EP modulation and to evaluate its relation with SCB. The aim of this study was to explore EP and its relation with SCB dimensions such as empathy, theory of mind and social skills in a sample of 50 subjects, of which 30 were ex-combatants from illegally armed groups in Colombia, and 20 controls without combat experience. We adapted an Emotional Recognition Task for faces and words and synchronized it with electroencephalographic recording. Ex-combatants presented with higher assertion skills and showed more pronounced brain responses to faces than Controls. They did not show the bias toward anger observed in control participants whereby the latter group was more likely to misclassify neutral faces as angry. However, ex-combatants showed an atypical word valence processing. That is, words with different emotions yielded no differences in N170 modulations. SCB variables were successfully predicted by neurocognitive variables. Our results suggest that in ex-combatants the links between EP and SCB functions are reorganized. This may reflect neurocognitive modulations associated to chronic exposure to war experiences.

  18. Atypical Modulations of N170 Component during Emotional Processing and Their Links to Social Behaviors in Ex-combatants

    PubMed Central

    Trujillo, Sandra P.; Valencia, Stella; Trujillo, Natalia; Ugarriza, Juan E.; Rodríguez, Mónica V.; Rendón, Jorge; Pineda, David A.; López, José D.; Ibañez, Agustín; Parra, Mario A.

    2017-01-01

    Emotional processing (EP) is crucial for the elaboration and implementation of adaptive social strategies. EP is also necessary for the expression of social cognition and behavior (SCB) patterns. It is well-known that war contexts induce socio-emotional atypical functioning, in particular for those who participate in combats. Thus, ex-combatants represent an ideal non-clinical population to explore EP modulation and to evaluate its relation with SCB. The aim of this study was to explore EP and its relation with SCB dimensions such as empathy, theory of mind and social skills in a sample of 50 subjects, of which 30 were ex-combatants from illegally armed groups in Colombia, and 20 controls without combat experience. We adapted an Emotional Recognition Task for faces and words and synchronized it with electroencephalographic recording. Ex-combatants presented with higher assertion skills and showed more pronounced brain responses to faces than Controls. They did not show the bias toward anger observed in control participants whereby the latter group was more likely to misclassify neutral faces as angry. However, ex-combatants showed an atypical word valence processing. That is, words with different emotions yielded no differences in N170 modulations. SCB variables were successfully predicted by neurocognitive variables. Our results suggest that in ex-combatants the links between EP and SCB functions are reorganized. This may reflect neurocognitive modulations associated to chronic exposure to war experiences. PMID:28588462

  19. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Institutionalized World War II Veterans.

    PubMed

    Herrmann, Nathan; Eryavec, Goran

    1994-01-01

    Relatively little is known about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in World War II (WWII) veterans, despite the significant number of studies on this problem in Vietnam veterans. The authors document the prevalence of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders and investigate the etiological correlates of the syndrome in elderly, institutionalized WWII veterans. Sixty-two cognitively intact subjects (mean age 74.2 years), residents in a veterans' long-term care facility, were assessed for past and present psychopathology. A second investigator, blind to patients' psychiatric status, determined the degree of combat exposure and administered a checklist of pre-war and wartime variables. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 23%. Of those veterans with PTSD, 57% experienced chronic symptoms. The lifetime prevalence of other diagnoses was also high, including 3 7% for major depression and 53% for alcohol abuse. There was a strong correlation between the severity of the combat stressor and the development of PTSD. Significant correlations between PTSD and some pre-war variables were also found: more family histories of alcohol abuse, more deaths of close family members in early life, and less likelihood of having held a job for more than 1 year prior to the war. PTSD in elderly, institutionalized WWII veterans is a common, serious problem that is often unrecognized. Copyright © 1994 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Bodily Pain, Combat, and the Politics of Memoirs: Between the American Civil War and the War in Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    Bourke, Joanna

    2014-01-01

    This article analyses the languages of wartime pain as seen in British and American memoirs from the American Civil War to the present. How did the rhetoric of wounding in these war memoirs change over time? One of the central shifts lies in the way that wounded men presented themselves as stoic in spite of severe wounding. From 1939, and in an even more dramatic fashion by the war in Vietnam, physical suffering remained a test of manliness, but the tone was defiant and aggressive rather than stoic or resigned. The article also looks at the role of individual publishers and the introduction of psychological dimensions of wounding in latter memoirs. PMID:24489402

  1. Moral dilemmas faced by hospitals in time of war: the Rambam Medical Center during the second Lebanon war.

    PubMed

    Bar-El, Yaron; Reisner, Shimon; Beyar, Rafael

    2014-02-01

    Rambam Medical Center, the only tertiary care center and largest hospital in northern Israel, was subjected to continuous rocket attacks in 2006. This extreme situation posed serious and unprecedented ethical dilemmas to the hospital management. An ambiguous situation arose that required routine patient care in a tertiary modern hospital together with implementation of emergency measures while under direct fire. The physicians responsible for hospital management at that time share some of the moral dilemmas faced, the policy they chose to follow, and offer a retrospective critical reflection in this paper. The hospital's first priority was defined as delivery of emergency surgical and medical services to the wounded from the battlefields and home front, while concomitantly providing the civilian population with all elective medical and surgical services. The need for acute medical service was even more apparent as the situation of conflict led to closure of many ambulatory clinics, while urgent or planned medical care such as open heart surgery and chemotherapy continued. The hospital management took actions to minimize risks to patients, staff, and visitors during the ongoing attacks. Wards were relocated to unused underground spaces and corridors. However due to the shortage of shielded spaces, not all wards and patients could be relocated to safer areas. Modern warfare will most likely continue to involve civilian populations and institutes, blurring the division between peaceful high-tech medicine and the rough battlefront. Hospitals in high war-risk areas must be prepared to function and deliver treatment while under fire or facing similar threats.

  2. Alice Welford (1887-1918), a nurse in World War I: The impact of kindness and compassion.

    PubMed

    Watkins, PeterJ; Watkins, Valerie J

    2017-02-01

    The contribution of nurses to the morale of wounded and dying young men during World War 1 was immense. Alice Welford came from the small North Yorkshire village of Crathorne, joined the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service in 1915 and spent the following two and one half years in nursing casualties from some of the fiercest battles of the war including Gallipoli and Salonika. She kept an autograph book inscribed by wounded and dying soldiers, with poignant verses and humorous drawings showing love, wit and tragedy. Despite the dreadful conditions, kindness and compassion brought them comfort and raised their morale - a critical message for today, and Alice's gift to us from World War I.

  3. A Study of How Letters to the Editor Published in "The Stars and Stripes" Newspaper between March 1, 1918, and November 15, 1918, Reflected the Morale of the Troops during World War I

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatch, Vicky Ann

    2009-01-01

    This dissertation is a qualitative historical study that examines the state of morale of World War I soldiers as reflected in letters to the editor published in "The Stars and Stripes" newspaper between March 1, 1918, and November 15, 1918. The narrative includes extensive use of the actual words published in the soldiers' letters in order to…

  4. Unethical battlefield conduct reported by soldiers serving in the Iraq war.

    PubMed

    Wilk, Joshua E; Bliese, Paul D; Thomas, Jeffrey L; Wood, Michael D; McGurk, Dennis; Castro, Carl A; Hoge, Charles W

    2013-04-01

    Research involving military service members has shown a strong relationship between combat experiences and increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems. Comparatively little research has examined the relationship between combat experiences, PTSD, aggression, and unethical conduct on the battlefield, although news stories sometimes suggest links between unethical conduct and disorders such as PTSD. This study systematically examined whether unethical conduct is a proxy for aggression and whether specific combat experiences and PTSD are independently associated with unethical behavior. The results of this study indicate that aggression (β = 0.30) and specific combat experiences (particularly, witnessing war atrocities [β = 0.14] and fighting [β = 0.13]) are much more strongly associated with unethical conduct than is PTSD (β = 0.04).

  5. Actualizing Moral Education in Japan's Tertiary Sector: Reitaku University's Response to Today's Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nakayama, Osamu

    2015-01-01

    While moral education is taught in the primary--and some in--the secondary grades, morality and ethics education has not been a subject since World War II in tertiary grades. Neverless Japanese universities have neither academic departments nor courses solely devoted to scholarship or instruction in the area of moral studies. In this article, the…

  6. Combat science: the emergence of Operational Research in World War II.

    PubMed

    Rau, Erik P

    2005-12-01

    World War II became known as the "wizard war" because the cycles of developing countermeasures and counter-countermeasures to the weapons deployed by all sides drove rapid technological change. However, technological innovation was not the only contribution scientists made to the war effort. Through Operational Research (OR)--the scientific scrutiny of new weapons, their deployment and relative efficiency--scientists also influenced how warfare itself was conducted. This new scientific field emerged in the UK, where it helped to tighten the defense against the Luftwaffe. It quickly spread to other aspects of the military machine, improving both antisubmarine campaigns and bombing strategy. But although this analytical approach to warfare offered military commanders a factual basis on which to base difficult decisions and deal with tactical and strategic uncertainty, it was not without controversy. Indeed, several recommendations that came out of OR sparked disputes over the allocation of resources and strategic priorities.

  7. Littoral Combat Ship Open Ocean Anti-Submarine Warfare

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-01

    maintain stealth and its defense in order to properly conduct an attack on a surface vessel (Sternhell and Thorndike 2014, 102). This statement...its target, the surface combatants can counter by increasing their speed (Sternhell and Thorndike 2014). While the maximum speed of the current...120316_PS.pdf Sternhell, Charles M, and Alan M Thorndike . 2014. “Antisubmarine Warfare in World War II.” CNA Analysis & Solutions. Accessed April 14, 2014

  8. The Image of War Correspondents in Anglo-American Fiction. Journalism Monographs Number Ninety-Seven.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Good, Howard

    The work of war correspondents involves violence, danger, and drama; and what they endure to get a story is often as interesting as the actual news itself. Anglo-American fiction tends toward an ironic, even cynical, view of combat reporting that serves as a corrective to the notion, fostered in journalists' autobiographies, that war is fun. It…

  9. Sexual Healthcare for Wounded Warriors with Serious Combat-Related Injuries and Disabilities.

    PubMed

    Tepper, Mitchell S

    2014-04-01

    Short of the rich literature on sexuality in men following spinal cord injury, started largely by physicians and mental health professionals within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system following earlier wars, little attention has been paid to the sexual healthcare of wounded warriors with other serious combat-related injuries. The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND)-resulted in physical injuries including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), amputations, and serious burns. There are wounded warriors who are left blind or deaf, and a significant percent of OEF/OIF/OND warriors acquire other "invisible" injuries. While the signature injury of the war in Iraq is said to be TBI, there are a substantial number of service members surviving with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many with serious injury are struggling with co-occurring depression. Furthermore, many of our wounded warriors are surviving with polytrauma (multiple traumatic injuries, i.e., amputation plus burns). One specific constellation of injuries seen too frequently among our service members in Afghanistan is referred to as a Dismounted Complex Blast Injury (DCBI) sometimes resulting in orchiectomy and/or penile injury. As with other blast injuries, burns, shrapnel injuries, vision loss, hearing loss, TBI, and PTSD often accompany DCBIs. All of the above injuries have significant sexual, endocrine, psychological, and relationship issues that need to be addressed. This article presents an overview of the effects of serious, combat-related injuries on sexual health and provides medical and other health professionals a framework within which to address comprehensive sexual healthcare using a medical rehabilitation model. Sexual healthcare for persons with combat-related disabilities presents a complex array of biopsychosocial and relational issues that call for a coordinated

  10. [Epidemiology of war injuries, about two conflicts: Iraq and Afghanistan].

    PubMed

    Pasquier, P; de Rudnicki, S; Donat, N; Auroy, Y; Merat, S

    2011-11-01

    Since March 2003, military operations in Iraq "Operation Iraqi Freedom" (OIF) and in Afghanistan "Operation Enduring Freedom" (OEF), have made many wounded and killed in action (KIA). This article proposes to highlight the specific epidemiology of combat casualties, met in these both non-conventional and asymmetric conflicts. Personal protective equipments, Kevlar helmet and body armor, proved their efficiency in changing features of war injuries. Health Force Services organized trauma care system in different levels, with three main objectives: immediate basic medical care in battalion aid station, forward surgery and early aeromedical evacuation. The Joint Theater Trauma Registry (JTTR), a war injury registry, provides medical data, analyzed from the combat theater to the military hospital in United States. This analysis concluded that during modern conflicts, most injuries are caused by explosive devices; injuries are more severe and interestingly more specifically the head region and extremities than the trunk. Hemorrhage is the first cause of death, leading to the concept of avoidable death. Specific databases focused on mechanisms and severity of injuries, diagnostic and treatment difficulties, outcomes can guide research programs to improve war injuries prevention and treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. The War in Vietnam: A Story in Photographs. The Constitution Community: Postwar United States (1945 to Early 1970s).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Linda Darus

    During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military gave the press unprecedented freedom of access to combat zones. This allowed newspaper reporters, photographers, and television crews to document a war involving U.S. sons and daughters on the other side of the world. This willingness to allow war documentation also was extended to the military's own…

  12. Self-Compassion as a Prospective Predictor of PTSD Symptom Severity Among Trauma-Exposed U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

    PubMed Central

    Hiraoka, Regina; Meyer, Eric C.; Kimbrel, Nathan A.; DeBeer, Bryann B.; Gulliver, Suzy Bird; Morissette, Sandra B.

    2016-01-01

    U. S. combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. Self-compassion, characterized by self-kindness, a sense of common humanity when faced with suffering, and mindful awareness of suffering, is a potentially modifiable factor implicated in the development and maintenance of PTSD. We examined the concurrent and prospective relationship between self-compassion and PTSD symptom severity after accounting for level of combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity. Participants at baseline assessment were 115 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans exposed to 1 or more traumatic events during deployment (n = 101 at follow-up). PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV at baseline and 12 months. Self-compassion and combat exposure were assessed at baseline via self-report. Self-compassion was associated with baseline PTSD symptoms after accounting for combat exposure (β = −.59; p < .001; ΔR2 = .34; f2 = .67; large effect) and predicted 12-month PTSD symptom severity after accounting for combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity (β = −.24; p = .008; ΔR2 = .03; f2 = .08; small effect). Findings suggest that interventions that increase self-compassion may be beneficial for treating chronic PTSD symptoms among some Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. PMID:25808565

  13. Self-Compassion as a prospective predictor of PTSD symptom severity among trauma-exposed U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

    PubMed

    Hiraoka, Regina; Meyer, Eric C; Kimbrel, Nathan A; DeBeer, Bryann B; Gulliver, Suzy Bird; Morissette, Sandra B

    2015-04-01

    U.S. combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. Self-compassion, characterized by self-kindness, a sense of common humanity when faced with suffering, and mindful awareness of suffering, is a potentially modifiable factor implicated in the development and maintenance of PTSD. We examined the concurrent and prospective relationship between self-compassion and PTSD symptom severity after accounting for level of combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity in 115 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans exposed to 1 or more traumatic events during deployment. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV (CAPS-IV) at baseline and 12 months (n =101). Self-compassion and combat exposure were assessed at baseline via self-report. Self-compassion was associated with baseline PTSD symptoms after accounting for combat exposure (β = -.59; p < .001; ΔR(2) = .34; f(2) = .67; large effect) and predicted 12-month PTSD symptom severity after accounting for combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity (β = -.24; p = .008; ΔR(2) = .03; f(2) = .08; small effect). Findings suggest that interventions that increase self-compassion may be beneficial for treating chronic PTSD symptoms among some Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

  14. "Moral Realism" and Justness in War in Gregory of Tours'"Historia Francorum".

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reynolds, Burnam W.

    1982-01-01

    Examines how the concept of justness influenced the conduct of wars in the early Middle Ages. The author offers a new interpretation of Gregory of Tours' perspective on war as found in his "Historia Francorum." (AM)

  15. Assessing Lebanese Children's Reactions to War-Related Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    El Zein, Heyam Lutfi; Ammar, Diala F.

    2011-01-01

    This exploratory study investigates the psychological effect of the 2006 war on Lebanese children. A sample of 110 exposed and 105 nonexposed children (9-12 years) balanced for age and gender were assessed using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The analysis aimed at investigating the effect of proximity, exposure to combat, and family…

  16. On Timothy Findley's "The Wars" and Classrooms as Communities of Remembrance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chinnery, Ann

    2014-01-01

    In this paper I explore the connection between narrative ethics and the increasing emphasis on historical consciousness as a way to cultivate moral responsibility in history education. I use Timothy Findley's World War I novel, "The Wars," as an example of how teachers might help students to see history neither simply as a…

  17. Gulf War Air Power Survey.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-01

    Because a Coalition frontal assault raised the likelihood of heavy Coalition losses , the President authorized the addition of more ground and air forces...although the greatest weight of effort was directed against air defenses, airfields, and command elements of the Iraqi regime. Although sortie rates remained...first week of the war, most on the first night and only sparingly after that. Not surprisingly, most Iraqi air combat sorties and air-to-air losses (14

  18. Are injuries from terror and war similar? A comparison study of civilians and soldiers.

    PubMed

    Peleg, Kobi; Jaffe, Dena H

    2010-08-01

    To compare injuries and hospital utilization and outcomes from terror and war for civilians and soldiers. Injuries from terror and war are not necessarily comparable, especially among civilians and soldiers. For example, civilians have less direct exposure to conflict and are unprepared for injury, whereas soldiers are psychologically and physically prepared for combat on battlefields that are often far from trauma centers. Evidence-based studies distinguishing and characterizing differences in injuries according to conflict type and population group are lacking. A retrospective study was performed using hospitalization data from the Israel National Trauma Registry (10/2000-12/2006). Terror and war accounted for trauma hospitalizations among 1784 civilians and 802 soldiers. Most civilians (93%) were injured in terror and transferred to trauma centers by land, whereas soldiers were transferred by land and air. Critical injuries and injuries to multiple body regions were more likely in terror than war. Soldiers tended to present with less severe injuries from war than from terror. Rates of first admission to orthopedic surgery were greater for all casualties with the exception of civilians injured in terror who were equally likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit. In-hospital mortality was higher among terror (7%) than war (2%) casualties, and particularly among civilians. This study provides evidence that substantial differences exist in injury characteristics and hospital resources required to treat civilians and soldiers injured in terror and war. Hospital preparedness and management should focus on treating combat injuries that result from specific causes-terror or war.

  19. 3 CFR 8799 - Proclamation 8799 of April 9, 2012. National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2012

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2012 8799 Proclamation 8799 Presidential Documents Proclamations Proclamation 8799 of April 9, 2012 Proc. 8799 National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2012By the...’s call with courage and valor, braving the peril of combat and pressing onward in the face of...

  20. USAF Women in Combat Policy and Implementation in the All-Volunteer Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-09-01

    were or how equal we allowed women to be, America did not want her mothers, sisters, wives, aunts, or girlfriends walking off to war. Morality...to North Vietnam’s suppliers, Russia and China , to bring pressure on Ho Chi Minh to come to the peace table. This did not work as well as Nixon hoped...Nixon eliminated the draft. Vietnam was not the only event which held American interest during this term. Nixon’s visit to China , the Yom Kippur War

  1. Profiteering on the Iran-Iraq war

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brzoska, M.

    1987-06-01

    The military gear delivered from the US in the Iran-contra affair represents only a minor portion of arms sales to the combatants in the Iraq-Iran war. That war has now lasted more than six years and has deeply influenced the international arms market. Occurring during a period when other demand for arms has been relatively low, the war has nourished new suppliers and has revived both the legal and illegal private arms market. The erratic behavior of the USSR and the US, until recently by far the most important arms suppliers to the Third World, has pushed Iran and Iraqmore » toward more commercially oriented sources, including many in the Third World. Both countries have had ample supplies of weapons during the war, and these weapons have served their purpose. Mainly because of its duration, the war already ranks third among post-World War II wars - after the Vietnam war and the Biafra war - in battlefield victims, with 300,000-500,000 casualties. The economic cost has risen to nearly $500 billion in weapons, destruction, and lost income. While it is hard to see anything but losers on the battlefield, the arms traffickers are profiting. Total Iranian arms imports since August 1980 have been higher than $10 billion, while Iraq has imported more than $30 billion worth. It is difficult to know whether making arms more difficult to obtain would have stopped the war, but judging from other recent wars, such as those between India and Pakistan, between Uganda and Tanzania, and in the Middle East, it seems likely that hostilities could have been stopped long ago. 12 references.« less

  2. Demonizing in the Gulf War: Reading the Archetypes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zorn, Jeff

    1991-01-01

    Argues the artificial, propagandistic quality of demonizing the enemy, a technique used by both sides in the Persian Gulf War. Asserts that principled and effective foreign policymaking requires intelligence and moral courage, whereas demonizing the enemy requires only a phrase book and the will to injure. (PRA)

  3. posttraumatic stress and its relationship to physical health functioning in a sample of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans seeking postdeployment VA health care.

    PubMed

    Jakupcak, Matthew; Luterek, Jane; Hunt, Stephen; Conybeare, Daniel; McFall, Miles

    2008-05-01

    The relationship between posttraumatic stress and physical health functioning was examined in a sample of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans seeking postdeployment VA care. Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans (N = 108) who presented for treatment to a specialty postdeployment care clinic completed self-report questionnaires that assessed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chemical exposure, combat exposure, and physical health functioning. As predicted, PTSD symptom severity was significantly associated with poorer health functioning, even after accounting for demographic factors, combat and chemical exposure, and health risk behaviors. These results highlight the unique influence of PTSD on the physical health in treatment seeking Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans.

  4. The Fluidic Metaphor: A View into the Nature and Future of War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    United States Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting Marine Corps University 2076 South Street Marine Corps Combat Command Development ...internal environment.14 It is this definition and concept of war that serves as the basis for development of the fluidic metaphor. Side 1 Side 2 D I M...some technological or doctrinal development has given one side a distinct if not decisive advantage in the next war. The advantage afforded by an RMA

  5. Prevention of Infections Associated with Combat-Related Extremity Injuries

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-01

    benefit over NPWT alone in a complex ortho- pedic injury goat model using P. aureuginosa. Instillation of an antiseptic, hypochlorous acid solution...antispectic has not been widely assessed clinically, and data discouraged hypochlorous acid (Dakin’s) solution use during World War I.247 The use of NPWT with...Abstract: During combat operations , extremities continue to be the most common sites of injury with associated high rates of infectious complications

  6. Modern Tactics in the Moral Domain: Smart Weapons and the Production of the Combat Stress Reaction

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-12-19

    Kubie , Karl A. Menninger, John Romano, and John C. Whitehorn, "Combat Exhaustion," The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, v. 104 (July-Dec, 1946), pp...Bartemeier, Leo H., Kubie , Lawrence, Menninger, Karl A.,Romano, John, & Whitehorn, John C., "Combat Exhaustion." The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, v

  7. Physical and mental health costs of traumatic war experiences among Civil War veterans.

    PubMed

    Pizarro, Judith; Silver, Roxane Cohen; Prause, JoAnn

    2006-02-01

    Hundreds of thousands of soldiers face exposure to combat during wars across the globe. The health effects of traumatic war experiences have not been adequately assessed across the lifetime of these veterans. To identify the role of traumatic war experiences in predicting postwar nervous and physical disease and mortality using archival data from military and medical records of veterans from the Civil War. An archival examination of military and medical records of Civil War veterans was conducted. Degree of trauma experienced (prisoner-of-war experience, percentage of company killed, being wounded, and early age at enlistment), signs of lifetime physician-diagnosed disease, and age at death were recorded. The US Pension Board surgeons conducted standardized medical examinations of Civil War veterans over their postwar lifetimes. Military records of 17,700 Civil War veterans were matched to postwar medical records. Signs of physician-diagnosed disease, including cardiac, gastrointestinal, and nervous disease; number of unique ailments within each disease; and mortality. Military trauma was related to signs of disease and mortality. A greater percentage of company killed was associated with signs of postwar cardiac and gastrointestinal disease (incidence risk ratio [IRR], 1.34; P < .02), comorbid nervous and physical disease (IRR, 1.51; P < .005), and more unique ailments within each disease (IRR, 1.14; P < .005). Younger soldiers (<18 years), compared with older enlistees (>30 years), showed a higher mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.52), signs of comorbid nervous and physical disease (IRR, 1.93), and more unique ailments within each disease (IRR, 1.32) (P < .005 for all), controlling for time lived and other covariates. Greater exposure to death of military comrades and younger exposure to war trauma were associated with increased signs of physician-diagnosed cardiac, gastrointestinal, and nervous disease and more unique disease ailments across the life of Civil War

  8. Arming Commanders to Combat PTSD: A Time for Change - Attacking the Stressors Vice the Symptoms

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    using psychiatric, developmental, psychodynamic, family support, cognitive-behavioral, and existential - humanistic approaches either individually or in...relates to coping with the fiscal, and humanistic challenges that manifest within a nation at war, and those who experience the trauma of combat. The

  9. Masculinities in the Motherland: Gender and Authority in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, 1945-1968

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser, Erica L.

    2009-01-01

    This dissertation starts from the premise that World War II changed Soviet ideas about manhood. The Soviet Union lost twenty-seven million combatants and civilians in World War II--twenty million of whom were men. Delineating, performing, negotiating, and resisting a variety of cultural ideas about manliness shaped Soviet militarism and ideology…

  10. Mitigating the Tyranny, a Moral Responsibility

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    to their society they must be physically and emotionally equipped to handle life outside the warzone; it is, therefore, the military’s obligation...Moral Responsibilities of Victors in War, Warfare studies AY10 Coursebook , edited by Sharon McBride, (Maxwell AFB, Al: Air University Press, October... Coursebook , edited by Sharon McBride, page156-167. Maxwell AFB, AL [or Ala.]: Air University Press, October 2009. Myhr, Kjell-Ivar. ―Norsk F-16 pilot

  11. World War II War Production-Why Were the B-17 and B-24 Produced in Parallel?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-03-01

    Winton, A Black Hole in the Wild Blue Yonder: The Need for a Comprehensive Theory of Airpower (Air Command and Staff College War Theory Coursebook ... statistical comparisons made, of which most are summarized as follows2: 1. Statistical data compiled on the utilization of both planes showed that the B-17 was...easier to maintain and therefore more available for combat. 2. Statistical data on time from aircraft acceptance to delivery in theater showed that

  12. Cult of deterrence: A moral and strategic critique of the anti-ballistic missile treaty. Master`s thesis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pringle, C.S.

    1997-12-30

    Ballistic missile defense is the morally and strategically superior alternative to the current system of deterrence, provided that it is responsibly implemented. Analysis of the Just War Criteria and the utilitarian justifications of deterrence present a moral obligation to pursue the alternative strategy of missile defense as a means of defending the United States. However, the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty does not allow earnest pursuit of this alternative, despite recent efforts to exploit its loopholes and broaden its meaning beyond any reasonable limit. Moreover, deterrence can no longer provide the guarantee of security that it did during the Cold War.more » Offense-Defense Theory shows that revisionist states are not subject to the same calculations of effective deterrence that the Soviet Union was during that period. This strategic analysis underlies the moral evaluations and further supports missile defense. The cult of deterrence is presented as an explanation for the failure to adapt national security policy to the new international structure, as European powers failed to perceive the offense-defense balance prior to World War I. The ABM regime threatens to reproduce those same mistakes with even greater consequences.« less

  13. Three Generations, Three Wars: African American Veterans.

    PubMed

    Black, Helen K

    2016-02-01

    This article emerged from pilot research exploring experiences of war and suffering among African American veterans who served in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Men's experiences as soldiers reflected both racism and the social change that occurred in the Unites States while they served. We used techniques of narrative elicitation, conducting qualitative, ethnographic interviews with each of five veterans in his home. Interviews focused on unique and shared experiences as an African American man and a soldier. Three important themes emerged: (a) Expectations related to War--Although men viewed service to country as an expected part of life, they also expected equal treatment in war, which did not occur; (b) Suffering as an African American--Informants interpreted experiences of suffering in war as related to the lower status of African American servicemen; and (c) Perception of present identity--Each man was honed by the sum of his experiences, including those of combat, racism, and postwar opportunities and obstacles. From 40 to 70 years after the wars were fought, there are few scholarly narrative studies on African American veterans, despite the fact that Korean War Veterans are entering old-old age and few World War II Veterans are alive. The value of pilot research that offers narratives of unheard voices is significant; larger studies can interview more African American veterans to advance knowledge that might soon be lost. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Analysis of Life-Saving Interventions Performed by Out-of-Hospital Combat Medical Personnel

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-01

    emergency medicine physician assistants who completed a formal 1-year fellowship in emergency medi- cine ). Combat medics certified as National...war on terror 2001–2004. Ann Surg. 2007;245:986–991. 3. Kelly JF, Ritenour AE, McLaughlin DF, et al. Injury severity and causes of death from

  15. The Culture Wars Come to Campus--Again

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reindl, Travis

    2006-01-01

    As primary contributors to the marketplace of ideas, colleges and universities have historically been the locus of contention for the worldviews of the left and right. Debate has become more heated in recent years, fueled by the war in Iraq and the renewed prominence of moral issues such as reproductive rights and same-sex marriage. In this…

  16. Cost effectiveness of virtual reality graded exposure therapy with physiological monitoring for the treatment of combat related post traumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Wood, Dennis Patrick; Murphy, Jennifer; McLay, Robert; Koffman, Robert; Spira, James; Obrecht, Robert E; Pyne, Jeff; Wiederhold, Brenda K

    2009-01-01

    Virtual Reality Graded Exposure Therapy (VRGET) is an effective treatment for combat-related PTSD. We summarize the outcomes of a VRGET pilot study with 12 participants who completed one to multiple combat tours in support of the War on Terrorism and who were subsequently diagnosed with combat-related PTSD. Details of the collaborative program amongst the Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC), Office of Naval Research, the Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) and the Navy Hospital Camp Pendleton are discussed as is the VRGET outcomes of significant reductions in PTSD symptoms severity. We also described the estimated cost-effectiveness of VRGET for the treatment of combat-related PTSD, as contrasted to Treatment as Usual (TAU) for combat-related PTSD.

  17. Suicide prevention in the Pacific War (WW II).

    PubMed

    Suzuki, P T

    1991-01-01

    During the war against Japan, there were two facets of an American program to prevent suicide among the Japanese. One was a research component in the Foreign Morale Analysis Division (FMAD), a subunit of the Office of War Information. The principal FMAD figure who did most of the research on Japanese suicide and ways to prevent suicide among the Japanese military was the anthropologist Ruth Benedict, assisted by her Japanese-American aide Robert Hashima. The second facet was the suicide prevention program itself, which was put into effect toward the end of the war in the battles of Saipan and Okinawa. This program of action was undertaken by American GIs. These unheralded activities in suicide prevention merit a place in the annals of suicide prevention programs.

  18. Acute respiratory distress syndrome in combat casualties: military medicine and advances in mechanical ventilation.

    PubMed

    Morris, Michael James

    2006-11-01

    Military medicine has made numerous enduring contributions to the advancement of pulmonary medicine. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was first recognized as a complication in battlefield casualties in World War I and continued to play a significant role in the treatment of casualties through the Vietnam War. Innovative surgeons during World War II devised methods to assist their patients with positive pressure breathing. This concept was later adopted and applied to the development of mechanical ventilation in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The continued treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome in combat casualties by military physicians has provided a major impetus for advances in modern mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit medicine.

  19. U.S. War Costs: Two Parts Temporary, One Part Permanent.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Ryan D

    2014-05-01

    Military spending, fatalities, and the destruction of capital, all of which are immediately felt and are often large, are the most overt costs of war. They are also relatively short-lived. But the costs of war borne by combatants and their caretakers, which includes families, communities, and the modern welfare state, tend instead to be lifelong. In this paper I show that a significant component of the budgetary costs associated with U.S. wars is long-lived. One third to one half of the total present value of historical war costs are benefits distributed over the remaining life spans of veterans and their dependents. Even thirty years after the end of hostilities, typically half of all benefits remain to be paid. Estimates of the costs of injuries and deaths suggest that the private burden of war borne by survivors, namely the uncompensated costs of service-related injuries, are also large and long-lived.

  20. U.S. War Costs: Two Parts Temporary, One Part Permanent

    PubMed Central

    Edwards, Ryan D.

    2014-01-01

    Military spending, fatalities, and the destruction of capital, all of which are immediately felt and are often large, are the most overt costs of war. They are also relatively short-lived. But the costs of war borne by combatants and their caretakers, which includes families, communities, and the modern welfare state, tend instead to be lifelong. In this paper I show that a significant component of the budgetary costs associated with U.S. wars is long-lived. One third to one half of the total present value of historical war costs are benefits distributed over the remaining life spans of veterans and their dependents. Even thirty years after the end of hostilities, typically half of all benefits remain to be paid. Estimates of the costs of injuries and deaths suggest that the private burden of war borne by survivors, namely the uncompensated costs of service-related injuries, are also large and long-lived. PMID:25221367

  1. Aviators and Air Combat: A Study of the U.S. Eighth Air Force and R.A.F. Bomber Command

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-07-01

    These were the human qualities, above all others, that air war seemed to demand . The reasons for this are apparent from the nature of the conflict. If we...are fundamentally similar with respect to the human dimension. Even so, the terrific demands placed on aerial combatants in a Clausewitzian sense...Bomber Offensive. Subsequent chapters of the thesis deal directly with issues arising out of the extraordinarily demanding nature of air combat

  2. Emergency Department Patients Support the Use of Combat Medics in Their Clinical Care

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-07-01

    indirect supervision is the growing complexity of modern medi- cine . If this level of supervised and controlled training is required of aviation and...readiness of brigade combat teams fighting the Global War on Terror . J Surg Res. 2007;138:25–31. 4. Mabry RL, Apodaca A, Penrod J, et al. Impact of

  3. Marital Adjustment, Parental Functioning, and Emotional Sharing in War Veterans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Zahava; Debby-Aharon, Shimrit; Zerach, Gadi; Horesh, Danny

    2011-01-01

    The current study aimed to examine the implications of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and emotional sharing in marital adjustment and parental functioning among Israeli veterans of the 1982 Lebanon War. The sample consisted of combat stress reaction (CSR) veterans (n = 264) and non-CSR veterans (n = 209). Results show that traumatized…

  4. Guessing right for the next war: streamlining, pooling, and right-timing force design decisions for an environment of uncertainty

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-05-25

    Guessing Right for the Next War: Streamlining, Pooling, and Right-Timing Force Design Decisions for an Environment of Uncertainty A...JUN 2016 – MAY 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Guessing Right for the Next War: Streamlining, Pooling, and Right- Timing Force Design Decisions for an...committing to one force design solution to modern combat. The Army after World War II shied away from temporary organizational systems like these in

  5. The long darkness: Psychological and moral perspectives on nuclear winter

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Grinspoon, L.

    1986-01-01

    This book presents papers on the risks of nuclear weapons. Topics considered include nuclear war and climatic catastrophe, evolutionary and developmental considerations, a biological comment on Erikson's notion of pseudospeciation, national security, unexamined assumptions and inescapable consequences, opposing the nuclear threat (the convergence of moral analysis and empirical data), and nuclear winter.

  6. Cultural shift in mental illness: a comparison of stress responses in World War I and the Vietnam War.

    PubMed

    Skinner, Rasjid; Kaplick, Paul M

    2017-12-01

    Post-traumatic stress disorder is an established diagnostic category. In particular, over the past 20 years, there has been an interest in culture as a fundamental factor in post-traumatic stress disorder symptom manifestation. However, only a very limited portion of this literature studies the historical variability of post-traumatic stress within a particular culture. Therefore, this study examines whether stress responses to violence associated with armed conflicts have been a culturally stable reaction in Western troops. We have compared historical records from World War I to those of the Vietnam War. Reference is also made to observations of combat trauma reactions in pre-World War I conflicts, World War II, the Korean War, the Falklands War, and the First Gulf War. The data set consisted of literature that was published during and after these armed conflicts. Accounts of World War I Shell Shock that describe symptom presentation, incidence (both acute and delayed), and prognosis were compared to the observations made of Vietnam War post-traumatic stress disorder victims. Results suggest that the conditions observed in Vietnam veterans were not the same as those which were observed in World War I trauma victims. The paper argues that the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder cannot be stretched to cover the typical battle trauma reactions of World War I. It is suggested that relatively subtle changes in culture, over little more than a generation, have had a profound effect on how mental illness forms, manifests itself, and is effectively treated. We add new evidence to the argument that post-traumatic stress disorder in its current conceptualisation does not adequately account, not only for ethnocultural variation but also for historical variation in stress responses within the same culture.

  7. Dehumanization increases instrumental violence, but not moral violence.

    PubMed

    Rai, Tage S; Valdesolo, Piercarlo; Graham, Jesse

    2017-08-08

    Across five experiments, we show that dehumanization-the act of perceiving victims as not completely human-increases instrumental, but not moral, violence. In attitude surveys, ascribing reduced capacities for cognitive, experiential, and emotional states to victims predicted support for practices where victims are harmed to achieve instrumental goals, including sweatshop labor, animal experimentation, and drone strikes that result in civilian casualties, but not practices where harm is perceived as morally righteous, including capital punishment, killing in war, and drone strikes that kill terrorists. In vignette experiments, using dehumanizing compared with humanizing language increased participants' willingness to harm strangers for money, but not participants' willingness to harm strangers for their immoral behavior. Participants also spontaneously dehumanized strangers when they imagined harming them for money, but not when they imagined harming them for their immoral behavior. Finally, participants humanized strangers who were low in humanity if they imagined harming them for immoral behavior, but not money, suggesting that morally motivated perpetrators may humanize victims to justify violence against them. Our findings indicate that dehumanization enables violence that perpetrators see as unethical, but instrumentally beneficial. In contrast, dehumanization does not contribute to moral violence because morally motivated perpetrators wish to harm complete human beings who are capable of deserving blame, experiencing suffering, and understanding its meaning.

  8. Dehumanization increases instrumental violence, but not moral violence

    PubMed Central

    Rai, Tage S.; Valdesolo, Piercarlo; Graham, Jesse

    2017-01-01

    Across five experiments, we show that dehumanization—the act of perceiving victims as not completely human—increases instrumental, but not moral, violence. In attitude surveys, ascribing reduced capacities for cognitive, experiential, and emotional states to victims predicted support for practices where victims are harmed to achieve instrumental goals, including sweatshop labor, animal experimentation, and drone strikes that result in civilian casualties, but not practices where harm is perceived as morally righteous, including capital punishment, killing in war, and drone strikes that kill terrorists. In vignette experiments, using dehumanizing compared with humanizing language increased participants’ willingness to harm strangers for money, but not participants’ willingness to harm strangers for their immoral behavior. Participants also spontaneously dehumanized strangers when they imagined harming them for money, but not when they imagined harming them for their immoral behavior. Finally, participants humanized strangers who were low in humanity if they imagined harming them for immoral behavior, but not money, suggesting that morally motivated perpetrators may humanize victims to justify violence against them. Our findings indicate that dehumanization enables violence that perpetrators see as unethical, but instrumentally beneficial. In contrast, dehumanization does not contribute to moral violence because morally motivated perpetrators wish to harm complete human beings who are capable of deserving blame, experiencing suffering, and understanding its meaning. PMID:28739935

  9. Moral Intuitions, Moral Expertise and Moral Reasoning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musschenga, Albert W.

    2009-01-01

    In this article I examine the consequences of the dominance of intuitive thinking in moral judging and deciding for the role of moral reasoning in moral education. I argue that evidence for the reliability of moral intuitions is lacking. We cannot determine when we can trust our intuitive moral judgements. Deliberate and critical reasoning is…

  10. The Calculus of War: The Role and Use of Quantitative Decision Aids at the Tactical Level of War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-01

    significantly. Ceilings of unbroken clouds came down to only several hundred feet altitude. Blowing sand mixed with heavy oil smoke to further obscure...Analysts go off into the murky world of materiel marketing . Allow the OR scientists return to the pure mode of enhancing combat operations. If necessary...Roots of Stategy , Book 2 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 1987), p. 66. 36 Larry H. Addington, The Patterns of War Since the 18th Century

  11. Evaluating GPA and Satisfaction Rates for Veteran Populations Transitioning from Combat to College Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lemos, Fernando Fuentes, Jr.

    2013-01-01

    Nationwide, colleges and universities are bracing for an influx of military veterans returning to their hometowns after having served their country, many after serving in combat operations. Regional universities have long prepared for this anticipated increase in college attendance by men and women who have served the country during times of war.…

  12. The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and paternal parenting of adult children among ex-prisoners of war: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Zerach, Gadi; Greene, Talya; Ein-Dor, Tsachi; Solomon, Zahava

    2012-04-01

    The aversive impact of combat and combat-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on parenting of young children has been examined in a few studies. Nevertheless, the toll of war captivity on parenting and the long-term relations between posttraumatic symptoms and paternal parenting of adult children remains unknown. This longitudinal study examined paternal parenting of adult children among war veterans, some of whom were held in captivity. Furthermore, we examined the mediating role of PTSD symptoms in the association between captivity and parenting. The sample included two groups of male Israeli veterans from the 1973 Yom Kippur War: ex-prisoners of war (ex-POWs) and comparable veterans who had not been held captive. Both groups were assessed via self-report measures of PTSD at three time points: Time 1 (18 after the war), Time 2 (30 after the war), and Time 3 (35 after the war) years after the war. Results shows that ex-POWs reported lower levels of positive parenting compared to comparison group veterans at Time 3. Furthermore, PTSD symptoms at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 mediated the association between captivity experience and parenting at Time 3. In addition, it was found that increases in the levels of PTSD symptom clusters over time were associated with lower levels of positive parenting at Time 3. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  13. Plastic Surgery Challenges in War Wounded II: Regenerative Medicine

    PubMed Central

    Valerio, Ian L.; Sabino, Jennifer M.; Dearth, Christopher L.

    2016-01-01

    Background: A large volume of service members have sustained complex injuries during Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF). These injuries are complicated by contamination with particulate and foreign materials, have high rates of bacterial and/or fungal infections, are often composite-type defects with massive soft tissue wounds, and usually have multisystem involvement. While traditional treatment modalities remain a mainstay for optimal wound care, traditional reconstruction approaches alone may be inadequate to fully address the scope and magnitude of such massive complex wounds. As a result of these difficult clinical problems, the use of regenerative medicine therapies, such as autologous adipose tissue grafting, stem cell therapies, nerve allografts, and dermal regenerate templates/extracellular matrix scaffolds, is increased as adjuncts to traditional reconstructive measures. Basic and Clinical Science Advances: The beneficial applications of regenerative medicine therapies have been well characterized in both in vitro studies and in vivo animal studies. The use of these regenerative medicine techniques in the treatment of combat casualty injuries has been increasing throughout the recent war conflicts. Clinical Care Relevance: Military medicine has shown positive results when utilizing certain regenerative medicine modalities in treating complex war wounds. As a result, multi-institution clinical trials are underway to further evaluate these observations and reconstruction measures. Conclusion: Successful combat casualty wound care often requires a combination of traditional aspects of the reconstructive ladder/elevator with adoption of various regenerative medicine therapies. Due to the recent OIF/OEF conflicts, a high volume of combat casualties have benefited from adoption of regenerative medicine therapies and increased access to innovative clinical trials. Furthermore, many of these patients have had long-term follow-up to report

  14. On lifting the fog of war in the battle on heart disease: Star Wars technology in pursuit of a seamless integration strategy.

    PubMed

    Espinosa, J A; Kosnik, L K; Kraitsik, M; Dillow, J C

    1997-01-01

    In our efforts to reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality we often use terms such as the "battle" or "war" on heart disease. If we believe efforts to reduce cardiac disease are the moral equivalent of war, then perhaps we should explore ways that military strategic and tactical metaphors can be applied through technology to the cardiac battle. In this article we explore three major areas for technological advancement: adaptation of the strategies of outcomes management and evidence-based medicine, computer simulation and animation efforts to create horizontal and vertical integration of strategic efforts, and use of interactive multimedia in "recruiting an army" through community empowerment. The overall goal is to find ways to lift "the fog of war" in the battle on heart disease, in order to further the integration of our various efforts.

  15. [Psychiatric, Cognitive and Emotional Profile in Ex-combatants of Illegal Armed Groups in Colombia].

    PubMed

    Tobón, Carlos; Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel Camilo; Velilla, Lina; Duque, Jon; Ramos, Claudia Patricia; Pineda, David

    2016-01-01

    Exposure to armed conflict produces biological adaptations oriented to handle the highly stressful conditions in war environments. The special features of The Colombian armed create a special scenario to evaluate the human behavior. In this study, psychiatric, cognitive and emotional processing characteristics of a group of Colombian armed illegal forces of ex-combatants are described. Sixty-three ex combatants and 22 controls were assessed with WAIS (IQ), INECO frontal screening (executive functions), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathy), emotional features recognition and MINI (psychiatric profile). When compared to the control group, ex-combatants showed higher frequency of antisocial personality disorder (P=.031) and behavioral dissocial disorder (P=.017). In cognitive profile, the ex-combatants showed a lower score in the executive function test (Me=18.50; RQ=4.00), control (Me=23.00; RQ=5.25), with a poor personal distress in emphatic profile (Me=10.00; RQ=5.00) compared to control group (Me=37.00; RQ=7.25). We found differences in cognitive and psychiatric profile in ex-combatants in comparison with controls. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  16. CACDA JIFFY III War Game. Volume II. Methodology

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-01

    Devens , MA 01433 Commandant USA Air ,Defense School ATTN:’ ATSA-CD-SC-S Fort Bliss, TX 79916 Commandant USA Intelligence Center and School Fort Huachuca...RELEASE: DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED 0 801030o 033 1 Technical Report TR 6-80, Septenber 1980 US Army Combined Arms Studies and Analysis Activity Fort ...manual war game developed and operated at the USATRADOC Combined Arms Combat Developments Activity (CACDA),, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for scenzrio

  17. Virtual Morality: Transitioning from Moral Judgment to Moral Action?

    PubMed Central

    Francis, Kathryn B.; Howard, Charles; Howard, Ian S.; Gummerum, Michaela; Ganis, Giorgio; Anderson, Grace; Terbeck, Sylvia

    2016-01-01

    The nature of moral action versus moral judgment has been extensively debated in numerous disciplines. We introduce Virtual Reality (VR) moral paradigms examining the action individuals take in a high emotionally arousing, direct action-focused, moral scenario. In two studies involving qualitatively different populations, we found a greater endorsement of utilitarian responses–killing one in order to save many others–when action was required in moral virtual dilemmas compared to their judgment counterparts. Heart rate in virtual moral dilemmas was significantly increased when compared to both judgment counterparts and control virtual tasks. Our research suggests that moral action may be viewed as an independent construct to moral judgment, with VR methods delivering new prospects for investigating and assessing moral behaviour. PMID:27723826

  18. The Moral and Ethical Implications of Precision-Guided Munitions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-03-01

    are available electronically at the Air University Research Web site http://research .maxwell.af.mil and the AU Press Web site http...aupress.maxwell.af.mil. Disclaimer Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author and do not necessarily...munitions and their relationship with the just-war tradition. The thesis is straightforward. There are moral, social, and political dilemmas

  19. Religious perspectives on the nuclear weapons debate: excerpts from the bishops' pastoral letter on war and peace, proposed third draft

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    The text of the third draft, issued in April 1983 and approved by the bishops on 3 May 1983, focuses on the morality of the use of nuclear weapons in a first strike, the threat to use them, and their use as a deterrent to war, but it also includes discussions of the just war theory, nonviolence, and peacemaking. Viewed in the context of the traditional modes of accommodation between religion and the state, and in the light of contemporary disharmony between more fundamentalist sects and modern science, the document affords an interesting point for discussion of the moral basesmore » of the uses of technology. More than simply a dogmatic statement of one religious organization, the pastoral letter represents a vigorous new current in moral discretion and responsibility. 114 references.« less

  20. Mortality of first world war military personnel: comparison of two military cohorts.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Nick; Clement, Christine; Summers, Jennifer A; Bannister, John; Harper, Glyn

    2014-12-16

    To identify the impact of the first world war on the lifespan of participating military personnel (including in veterans who survived the war). Comparison of two cohorts of military personnel, followed to death. Military personnel leaving New Zealand to participate in the first world war. From a dataset of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, we randomly selected participants who embarked on troopships in 1914 and a comparison non-combat cohort who departed on troopships in late 1918 (350 in each group). Lifespan based on dates of birth and death from a range of sources (such as individual military files and an official database of birth and death records). A quarter of the 1914 cohort died during the war, with deaths from injury predominating (94%) over deaths from disease (6%). This cohort had a significantly shorter lifespan than the late 1918 "non-combat" cohort, with median ages of death being 65.9 versus 74.2, respectively (a difference of 8.3 years shown also in Kaplan-Meier survival curves, log rank P<0.001). The difference for the lifespan of veterans in the postwar period was more modest, with median ages of death being 72.6 versus 74.3, respectively (a difference of 1.7 years, log rank P=0.043). There was no evidence for differences between the cohorts in terms of occupational class, based on occupation at enlistment. Military personnel going to the first world war in 1914 from New Zealand lost around eight years of life (relative to a comparable military cohort). In the postwar period they continued to have an increased risk of premature death. © Wilson et al 2014.

  1. Effectiveness of brief VR treatment for PTSD in war-fighters: a case study.

    PubMed

    Miyahira, Sarah D; Folen, Raymond A; Hoffman, Hunter G; Garcia-Palacios, Azucena; Schaper, Kim M

    2010-01-01

    War-fighters exposed to combat are at high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a complex and challenging condition to treat. Cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) have been empirically validated as effective treatments for PTSD resulting from sexual assault, vehicular accidents, and disasters. Exposure, imaginal or in vivo, to the traumatic event is a central component of successful CBT treatment. Early studies indicate that CBT with brief virtual reality exposure (VRE) is beneficial in treating PTSD. The case study examined the effectiveness of brief VRE in treating combat-related PTSD.

  2. Combat Search and Rescue: Searching the History; Rescuing the Doctrine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-06-01

    crew search effort KIA 23-Feb USMC Pride 16 AV-8 Capt Wilbourn none KIA 25-Feb USMC Jump 42 AV-8 Capt Walsh none Recovered by USMC in minutes USMC...61 Hallion, Richard P. Storm Over Iraq Air Power and the Gulf War. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992. Hampton, Lt Col Joseph C...Operation DESERT SHIELD Combat SAR Plan, 1 November 1990, in JPRA library. (Secret) Hampton, Lt Col Joseph C. Joint Universal Lessons Learned

  3. The epidemiology of vascular injury in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    PubMed

    White, Joseph M; Stannard, Adam; Burkhardt, Gabriel E; Eastridge, Brian J; Blackbourne, Lorne H; Rasmussen, Todd E

    2011-06-01

    Blood vessel trauma leading to hemorrhage or ischemia presents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after battlefield injury. The objective of this study is to characterize the epidemiology of vascular injury in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan, including categorization of anatomic patterns, mechanism, and management of casualties. The Joint Theater Trauma Registry was interrogated (2002-2009) for vascular injury in US troops to identify specific injury (group 1) and operative intervention (group 2) groups. Battle-related injuries (nonreturn to duty) were used as the denominator to establish injury rates. Mechanism of injury was compared between theaters of war and the management strategies of ligation versus revascularization (repair and interposition grafting) reported. Group 1 included 1570 Troops injured in Iraq (OIF) (n = 1390) and Afghanistan (OEF) (n = 180). Mechanism included explosive (73%), gunshot (27%), and other (<1%) with explosive more common in OIF than OEF (P < 0.05). During this period, 13,076 battle-related injuries occurred resulting in a specific rate of 12% (1570 of 13,076), which was higher in OIF than OEF (12.5% vs 9% respectively; P < 0.05). Of group 1, 60% (n = 940) sustained injury to major or proximal vessels and 40% (n = 630) to minor or distal vessels (unknown vessel, n = 27). Group 2 (operative) comprised 1212 troops defining an operative rate of 9% (1212 of 13,076) and included ligation (n = 660; 54%) or repair (n = 552; 46%). Peak rates in OIF and OEF occurred in November 2004 (15%) and August 2009 (11%), respectively and correlated with combat operational tempo. The rate of vascular injury in modern combat is 5 times that reported in previous wars and varies according to theater of war, mechanism of injury and operational tempo. Methods of reconstruction are now applied to nearly half of the vascular injuries and should be a focus of training for combat surgery. Selective ligation of vascular injury remains an important

  4. How Sustained Conflict Makes Moral Education Impossible: Some Observations from Palestine

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Affouneh, Saida Jaser

    2007-01-01

    This article explores the impact of conflict and war on children's moral education, taking the case of Palestine as an example. It begins by giving a brief background to the emergency situation in Palestine and the impact this has on children. The second section reports research findings about the attitudes of Palestinian teachers, parents and…

  5. Definitions of Violence: Narratives of Survivors From the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    PubMed

    Basic, Goran

    2018-07-01

    Previous research on violence during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina has resulted in a one-sided presentation of the phenomenon of "war violence." Researchers have emphasized the importance of narratives in general but have not analyzed stories on war violence that were the product of interpersonal interaction and meaning-making activity. The aim of this article is to fill this knowledge gap by analyzing survivor narratives of the 1990s war in northwestern Bosnia. The focus is on analyzing interviewees' descriptions of wartime violence and the discursive patterns that contribute to constructing the phenomenon of "war violence." My analysis reveals an intimate relationship between how an interviewee interprets the biographical consequences of war violence and the individual's own war experiences. All interviewees described war violence as something that is morally reprehensible. These narratives, from both perpetrators of violence and those subjected to violence, recount violent situations that not only exist as mental constructions but also live on even after the war; thus, they have real consequences for the individuals and their society.

  6. The Just War Theory and the ethical governance of research.

    PubMed

    Malsch, Ineke

    2013-06-01

    This article analyses current trends in and future expectations of nanotechnology and other key enabling technologies for security as well as dual use nanotechnology from the perspective of the ethical Just War Theory (JWT), interpreted as an instrument to increase the threshold for using armed force for solving conflicts. The aim is to investigate the relevance of the JWT to the ethical governance of research. The analysis gives rise to the following results. From the perspective of the JWT, military research should be evaluated with different criteria than research for civil or civil security applications. From a technological perspective, the boundaries between technologies for civil and military applications are fuzzy. Therefore the JWT offers theoretical grounds for making clear distinctions between research for military, civil security and other applications that are not obvious from a purely technological perspective. Different actors bear responsibility for development of the technology than for resorting to armed force for solving conflicts or for use of weapons and military technologies in combat. Different criteria should be used for moral judgment of decisions made by each type of actor in each context. In addition to evaluation of potential consequences of future use of the weapons or military technologies under development, the JWT also prescribes ethical evaluation of the inherent intent and other foreseeable consequences of the development itself of new military technologies.

  7. The dual moral self: moral centrality and internal moral motivation.

    PubMed

    Krettenauer, Tobias

    2011-01-01

    In this study, the relationship between two aspects of the moral self, moral centrality and internal moral motivation, was analyzed. It is argued that these 2 aspects are conceptually distinct but nonetheless empirically related. Based on a cross-sectional study of 205 adolescents (M age = 14.83 years, SD = 2.21 years) it was found that moral centrality and internal moral motivation, even though substantially correlated, interacted in predicting moral emotion expectancies. Even though moral centrality was unrelated to adolescents' age it predicted a longitudinal increase in internal moral motivation over a 1-year interval. Overall, the findings call for a differentiation of moral centrality and internal moral motivation as 2 distinct but interrelated aspects of moral self-development that follow different developmental trajectories and are differentially related to age. At the same time, the study points out that adolescence may be less important for the development of the moral self than commonly assumed.

  8. Role of morality in the experience of guilt and shame within the armed forces.

    PubMed

    Nazarov, A; Jetly, R; McNeely, H; Kiang, M; Lanius, R; McKinnon, M C

    2015-07-01

    Despite advances in our understanding of mental health issues among military forces, a large proportion of military personnel continue to exhibit deployment-related psychological issues. Recent work has identified symptoms of guilt and shame related to moral injury as contributing significantly to combat-related mental health issues. This systematic scoping review explores the association between morality and symptoms of guilt and shame within military forces. A search of the literature pertaining to guilt, shame and morality within military samples was conducted. Nineteen articles were selected for review. There is strong evidence linking exposure to and the perceived perpetration of moral transgressions with experiences of guilt and shame. Critically, symptoms of guilt and shame were related to adverse mental health outcomes, particularly the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). No studies have explored moral judgment in conjunction with assessments of guilt or moral injury. These findings have important implications for the prevention and treatment of PTSD-related symptoms in military samples. By measuring moral judgment prior to deployment, it may be possible to predict the likelihood of incurring moral injuries and the development of associated symptoms. Early intervention programmes aimed at ameliorating guilt and shame are required to prevent the long-term development of deployment-related psychological distress. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. "The Butter Battle Book": Engaging Children's Thoughts of War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barone, Diane

    1993-01-01

    Discusses how "The Butter Battle Book" by Dr. Seuss can be used to introduce the moral issue of war to young children. Studies the written responses of 1,187 children in grades kindergarten to 6 to the story. Notes that only the fourth- through sixth-grade students (who felt themselves beyond Dr. Seuss) understood the allegorical nature…

  10. Embitterment in War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

    PubMed

    Sabic, Dzevad; Sabic, Adela; Batic-Mujanovic, Olivera

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze frequency of embitterment in war veterans with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was analyzed 174 subjects (from Health Center Zivinice/ Mental Health Center) through a survey conducted in the period from March 2015 to June 2016, of witch 87 war veterans with PTSD and control subjects 87 war veterans without PTSD. The primary outcome measure was the Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTED Scale) who contains 19 items designed to assess features of embitterment reactions to negative life events. Secondary efficacy measures included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale - V (CAPS), the PTSD CheckList (PCL), the Combat Exposure Scale (CES), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale ( WHOQOL-Bref). All subjects were male. The average age of patients in the group war veterans with PTSD was 52·78 ± 5·99. In the control group average age was 51·42 ± 5·98. Statistical data were analyzed in SPSS statistical program. Comparing the results, t tests revealed significant difference between group veterans with PTSD and control group (t=-21·216, p<0·0001). War veterans group with PTSD (X= 51·41 SD= 8·91), war veterans without PTSD (X=14·39, SD=13·61). Embitterment is frequent in war veterans with PTSD.

  11. Embitterment in War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Sabic, Dzevad; Sabic, Adela; Batic-Mujanovic, Olivera

    2018-01-01

    Aim The aim of this study was to analyze frequency of embitterment in war veterans with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients and Methods It was analyzed 174 subjects (from Health Center Zivinice/ Mental Health Center) through a survey conducted in the period from March 2015 to June 2016, of witch 87 war veterans with PTSD and control subjects 87 war veterans without PTSD. The primary outcome measure was the Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTED Scale) who contains 19 items designed to assess features of embitterment reactions to negative life events. Secondary efficacy measures included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale - V (CAPS), the PTSD CheckList (PCL), the Combat Exposure Scale (CES), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-Bref). All subjects were male. The average age of patients in the group war veterans with PTSD was 52·78 ± 5·99. In the control group average age was 51·42 ± 5·98. Statistical data were analyzed in SPSS statistical program. Results Comparing the results, t tests revealed significant difference between group veterans with PTSD and control group (t=–21·216, p<0·0001). War veterans group with PTSD (X= 51·41 SD= 8·91), war veterans without PTSD (X=14·39, SD=13·61). Conclusion Embitterment is frequent in war veterans with PTSD. PMID:29736102

  12. Gulf War Syndrome: a review of current knowledge and understanding.

    PubMed

    Minshall, D

    2014-01-01

    The 1991 Persian Gulf War was a resounding military success for coalition forces, who liberated Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion. The medical legacy we have from the conflict is the poorly understood, yet remarkable, phenomenon of Gulf War Syndrome, which surfaced soon after. Epidemiological research has proven beyond doubt that Gulf War veterans report a wide variety of symptoms, in excess of appropriately matched control subjects, and experience worse general health. Numerous toxic environmental hazards have been suggested as causes of Gulf War Syndrome, yet exhaustive scientific study has failed to provide conclusive proof of any link. No novel or recognised disease has been found to account for the symptomatic burden of veterans, and the optimal treatment remains uncertain. This understanding can be added to from an anthropological perspective, where the narratives of those afflicted provide further insight. The nature of military life was changing at the time of the Gulf War, challenging the identity and beliefs of some veterans and causing socio-cultural distress. The symptomatic presentation of Gulf War Syndrome can be considered an articulation of this disharmony. Gulf War Syndrome can also be considered within the group of post-combat disorders such as shellshock, the like of which have occurred after major wars in the last century. With the current withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Defence Medical Services (DMS) should heed the lessons of history.

  13. Pragmatism, metaphysics, and bioethics: beyond a theory of moral deliberation.

    PubMed

    Pamental, Matthew

    2013-12-01

    Pragmatism has been understood by bioethicists as yet another rival in the "methods wars," as yet another theory of moral deliberation. This has led to criticism of pragmatic bioethics as both theoretically and practically inadequate. Pragmatists' responses to these objections have focused mainly on misunderstandings of pragmatism's epistemology. These responses are insufficient. Pragmatism's commitment to radical empiricism gives it theoretical resources unappreciated by critics and defenders alike. Radical empiricism, unlike its more traditional ancestors, undercuts the gaps between theory and practice, and subjective and objective accounts of experience, and in so doing provides the metaphysical and epistemological basis for a thoroughgoing empirical naturalism in ethics. Pragmatism's strength as an approach to moral problems thus emerges as a result of a much wider array of resources than contemporary interpreters have acknowledged, which makes it a richer, deeper framework for understanding moral deliberation in general and bioethical decision making in particular.

  14. The relationship between moral distress, professional stress, and intent to stay in the nursing profession.

    PubMed

    Borhani, Fariba; Abbaszadeh, Abbas; Nakhaee, Nouzar; Roshanzadeh, Mostafa

    2014-01-01

    Moral distress and professional stress are common problems that can have adverse effects on nurses, patients, and the healthcare system as a whole. Thus, this cross-sectional study aims to examine the relationship between moral distress, professional stress, and intent to stay in the nursing profession. Two hundred and twenty full-time nurses employed at teaching hospitals in the eastern regions of Iran were studied. A 52-item questionnaire based on Corley's Moral Distress Scale, Wolfgang's Health Professions Stress Inventory and Nedd Questionnaire on Intent to Stay in the Profession was used in the study. Additionally, demographic details of the study population were collected. No significant correlation was observed between the intensity and frequency of moral distress, professional stress, and intent to stay in the profession among nurses (P > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between moral distress, professional stress, and age, number of years in service and work setting (P < 0.05). Given the important effect of moral distress and professional stress on nurses, in addition to the educational programs for familiarization of nurses with these concepts, it is recommended that strategies be formulated by the healthcare system to increase nurses' ability to combat their adverse effects.

  15. Gene-environment interaction of ApoE genotype and combat exposure on PTSD.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Michael J; Genderson, Margo; Grant, Michael D; Logue, Mark; Zink, Tyler; McKenzie, Ruth; Franz, Carol E; Panizzon, Matthew; Lohr, James B; Jerskey, Beth; Kremen, William S

    2013-10-01

    Factors determining who develops PTSD following trauma are not well understood. The €4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene is associated with dementia and unfavorable outcome following brain insult. PTSD is also associated with dementia. Given evidence that psychological trauma adversely affects the brain, we hypothesized that the apoE genotype moderates effects of psychological trauma on PTSD pathogenesis. To investigate the moderation of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and combat exposure, we used 172 participants with combat trauma sustained during the Vietnam War. PTSD symptoms were the dependent variable and number of combat experiences, apoE genotype, and the combat experiences × apoE genotype interaction were predictors. We also examined the outcome of a diagnosis of PTSD (n = 39) versus no PTSD diagnosis (n = 131). The combat × apoE genotype interaction was significant for both PTSD symptoms (P = .014) and PTSD diagnosis (P = .009). ApoE genotype moderates the relationship between combat exposure and PTSD symptoms. Although the pathophysiology of PTSD is not well understood, the €4 allele is related to reduced resilience of the brain to insult. Our results are consistent with the €4 allele influencing the effects of psychological trauma on the brain, thereby affecting the risk of PTSD. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. The nature and extent of war injuries sustained by combat specialty personnel killed and wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq, 2003-2011.

    PubMed

    Schoenfeld, Andrew J; Dunn, John C; Bader, Julia O; Belmont, Philip J

    2013-08-01

    Previous studies regarding combat wounding have a limited translational capacity due to inclusion of soldiers from all military branches and occupational specialties as well as a lack of information regarding soldiers who died in theater. A search was performed of the Department of Defense Trauma Registry and Armed Forces Medical Examiner data set for the years 2003 to 2011 to identify all injured personnel with the military specialty 19D (cavalry scout). A manual search was conducted for each record identified, and age, rank, location and manner of injury, mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and extent of wounding were abstracted. The incidence of injuries by body region and rates for specific types of wounds were determined. Statistically significant associations between rank, location of injury, manner of injury, body region involved, and injury mechanism were assessed using χ2 analysis. Associations between ISS, rank, manner of injury, and survival were evaluated by t test with Satterthwaite correction. A total of 701 casualties were identified with 3,189 distinct injuries. Mean (SD) age of injured personnel was 25.9 (6.0) years. Thirty-five percent of the cohort was composed of soldiers who died in theater. Explosions were the most common mechanism of injury (70%), while 18% of wounds occurred owing to gunshot. Extremity wounds and injuries to the head and neck represented 34% of casualty burden. Thoracic trauma occurred in 16%, and abdominal injuries occurred in 17%. Wounds with a frequency exceeding 5% included skin, extremity, facial, brain, and gastrointestinal injuries. Vascular injury occurred in 4%. Gunshot wounds were a greater cause of injury in Afghanistan (p = 0.001) and resulted in a higher percentage of thoracic injuries (p < 0.001). The nature and extent of trauma sustained by combat-specific personnel seems to be different from that experienced by all soldiers deployed to a war zone.

  17. Impunity: Countering Illicit Power in War and Transition

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-01

    Post -Conflict: The Lessons from Timor-Leste..........347 Deniz Kocak CHAPTER 17 A Granular Approach to Combating Corruption and Illicit Power Structures...transregional security,” and central to our task “is strengthening our global network of allies and partners.”4 In the current post -“Big Footprint” era...after the post -2001 political settlement, which was built on the distribution of political power between factions formed during the country’s civil war

  18. Penetrating eye injury in war.

    PubMed

    Biehl, J W; Valdez, J; Hemady, R K; Steidl, S M; Bourke, D L

    1999-11-01

    The percentage of penetrating eye injuries in war has increased significantly in this century compared with the total number of combat injuries. With the increasing use of fragmentation weapons and possibly laser weapons on the battle-field in the future, the rate of eye injuries may exceed the 13% of the total military injuries found in Operations Desert Storm/Shield. During the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), eye injuries revealed that retained foreign bodies and posterior segment injuries have an improved prognosis in future military ophthalmic surgery as a result of modern diagnostic and treatment modalities. Compared with the increasing penetrating eye injuries on the battlefield, advances in ophthalmic surgery are insignificant. Eye armor, such as visors that flip up and down and protect the eyes from laser injury, needs to be developed. Similar eye protection is being developed in civilian sportswear. Penetrating eye injury in the civilian sector is becoming much closer to the military model and is now comparable for several reasons.

  19. Trauma-Induced Weight Loss and Cognitive Deficits among Former Prisoners of War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sutker, Patricia B.; And Others

    1990-01-01

    Compared former prisoners of war (POWs) reporting confinement weight losses greater than 35 percent (N=60), less than 35 percent (N=113), and non-POW combat veterans (N=50) on Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and Wechsler Memory Scale Logical Memory indices. Findings suggest that severe POW confinement stress reflected by trauma-induced…

  20. Can we prevent a second 'Gulf War syndrome'? Population-based healthcare for chronic idiopathic pain and fatigue after war.

    PubMed

    Engel, Charles C; Jaffer, Ambereen; Adkins, Joyce; Riddle, James R; Gibson, Roger

    2004-01-01

    systems for combatants and their families are already being put to pragmatic tests as troops return from war in Iraq and Afghanistan and from other military challenges.

  1. Media triggers of post-traumatic stress disorder 50 years after the Second World War.

    PubMed

    Hilton, C

    1997-08-01

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may present many years after the original trauma. Case studies of two elderly patients are described. Both had experienced life-threatening combat situations and witnessed intense suffering during the Second World War. Marked distress was triggered by the media commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the war. PTSD patients often avoid talking of their traumatic experiences because of associated distress. Without taking a military and trauma history from elderly patients the diagnosis is likely to be missed.

  2. Common morality and moral reform.

    PubMed

    Wallace, K A

    2009-01-01

    The idea of moral reform requires that morality be more than a description of what people do value, for there has to be some measure against which to assess progress. Otherwise, any change is not reform, but simply difference. Therefore, I discuss moral reform in relation to two prescriptive approaches to common morality, which I distinguish as the foundational and the pragmatic. A foundational approach to common morality (e.g., Bernard Gert's) suggests that there is no reform of morality, but of beliefs, values, customs, and practices so as to conform with an unchanging, foundational morality. If, however, there were revision in its foundation (e.g., in rationality), then reform in morality itself would be possible. On a pragmatic view, on the other hand, common morality is relative to human flourishing, and its justification consists in its effectiveness in promoting flourishing. Morality is dependent on what in fact does promote human flourishing and therefore, could be reformed. However, a pragmatic approach, which appears more open to the possibility of moral reform, would need a more robust account of norms by which reform is measured.

  3. Teaching Morally and Teaching Morality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenstermacher, Gary D.; Osguthorpe, Richard D.; Sanger, Matthew N.

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the authors introduce what they believe is an important distinction between teaching morality and teaching morally. In P-12 schools, the moral education debate often focuses on character education programs or other moral curricula. Such programs and curricula are championed as a means of teaching morality and transmitting moral…

  4. Prevention of combat-related infections: antimicrobial therapy in battlefield and barrier measures in French military medical treatment facilities.

    PubMed

    Mérens, Audrey; Rapp, Christophe; Delaune, Deborah; Danis, Julien; Berger, Franck; Michel, Remy

    2014-01-01

    Infection is a major complication associated with combat-related injuries. Beside immobilization, wound irrigation, surgical debridement and delayed coverage, post-injury antimicrobials contribute to reduce combat-related infections, particularly those caused by bacteria of the early contamination flora. In modern warfare, bacteria involved in combat-related infections are mainly Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the late contamination flora. These bacteria are frequently resistant or multiresistant to antibiotics and spread through the deployed chain of care. This article exposes the principles of war wounds antimicrobial prophylaxis recommended in the French Armed Forces and highlights the need for high compliance to hygiene standard precautions, adapted contact precautions and judicious use of antibiotics in French deployed military medical treatment facilities (MTF). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Delayed-onset PTSD among war veterans: the role of life events throughout the life cycle.

    PubMed

    Horesh, Danny; Solomon, Z; Zerach, G; Ein-Dor, T

    2011-09-01

    The underlying mechanisms of delayed-onset PTSD are yet to be understood. This study examines the role of stressful life events throughout the life cycle in delayed-onset PTSD following combat. 675 Israeli veterans from the 1982 Lebanon War, 369 with antecedent combat stress reaction (CSR) and 306 without CSR were assessed prospectively, 1, 2 and 20 years after the war. Veterans were divided into four groups, according to the time of first PTSD onset (first onset at 1983, 1984, and 2002 and no PTSD onset). They were assessed for post-, peri- and pre-traumatic life events, as well as military and socio-demographic characteristics. Our findings indicate that shorter delays in PTSD onset were associated with a higher risk for CSR, a higher number of pre- and post-war life events, more severe subjective battle exposure, greater perceived danger during combat and a more stressful military position. CSR was found to be the most powerful predictor of PTSD onset. A recency effect was also found, with more recent life events proving to be stronger predictors of PTSD onset. First, our findings validate the existence of delayed-onset PTSD, as it was found among a substantial number of participants (16.5%). Second, post-, peri- and pre-traumatic life events are associated with the time of PTSD onset. Thus, practitioners and researchers are encouraged to examine not only the original trauma, but also the stressful experiences throughout the survivors' life cycle. In particular, identification of antecedent CSR may help mental help professionals in targeting high-risk populations.

  6. U.S. Marine Aviation in World War II: VMF 124 in the Solomons.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-04-01

    identify by block number) \\M r in e Fi jhter Squadron (’MF) 124 was formed in 1942 to fly the new F4U Corsair in combat 3 ~a jn t thie Japanese Zero to win...VNF) 124 was formed in September 1942 at Ne Camp Kearney, California. It was the first unit to fly the new F4U Corsair in combat--its purpose was to...war over the Solomons. The pilots, averaging just 21-22 years in age, each had less than 30 hours total flight time in the new Corsair before arriving

  7. Combat exposure severity as a moderator of genetic and environmental liability to post-traumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Wolf, E J; Mitchell, K S; Koenen, K C; Miller, M W

    2014-05-01

    Twin studies of veterans and adults suggest that approximately 30-46% of the variance in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is attributable to genetic factors. The remaining variance is attributable to the non-shared environment, which, by definition, includes combat exposure. This study used a gene by measured environment twin design to determine whether the effects of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the etiology of PTSD are dependent on the level of combat exposure. The sample was drawn from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry (VETR) and included 620 male-male twin pairs who served in the US Military in South East Asia during the Vietnam War era. Analyses were based on data from a clinical diagnostic interview of lifetime PTSD symptoms and a self-report measure of combat exposure. Biometric modeling revealed that the effects of genetic and non-shared environment factors on PTSD varied as a function of level of combat exposure such that the association between these factors and PTSD was stronger at higher levels of combat exposure. Combat exposure may act as a catalyst that augments the impact of hereditary and environmental contributions to PTSD. Individuals with the greatest exposure to combat trauma were at increased risk for PTSD as a function of both genetic and environmental factors. Additional work is needed to determine the biological and environmental mechanisms driving these associations.

  8. The War against the Poor. The Underclass and Antipoverty Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gans, Herbert J.

    For much of its history, America has been waging war against many of its poor people. Chapters 1 through 4 of this book discuss the labeling of the poor as morally inferior, which has increased in the last 15 years, blames them falsely for the ills of the American society and economy, reinforces their mistreatment, increases their misery, and…

  9. The effects of moral judgment and moral identity on moral behavior: an empirical examination of the moral individual.

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Scott J; Ceranic, Tara L

    2007-11-01

    Recognizing limitations in classic cognitive moral development theory, several scholars have drawn from theories of identity to suggest that moral behavior results from both moral judgments and moral identity. The authors conducted 2 survey-based studies with more than 500 students and managers to test this argument. Results demonstrated that moral identity and moral judgments both independently influenced moral behavior. In addition, in situations in which social consensus regarding the moral behavior was not high, moral judgments and moral identity interacted to shape moral behavior. This interaction effect indicated that those who viewed themselves as moral individuals pursued the most extreme alternatives (e.g., never cheating, regularly cheating)--a finding that affirms the motivational power of a moral identity. The authors conclude by considering the implications of this research for both theory and practice. (c) 2007 APA

  10. Moral emotions and moral behavior.

    PubMed

    Tangney, June Price; Stuewig, Jeff; Mashek, Debra J

    2007-01-01

    Moral emotions represent a key element of our human moral apparatus, influencing the link between moral standards and moral behavior. This chapter reviews current theory and research on moral emotions. We first focus on a triad of negatively valenced "self-conscious" emotions-shame, guilt, and embarrassment. As in previous decades, much research remains focused on shame and guilt. We review current thinking on the distinction between shame and guilt, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of these two moral emotions. Several new areas of research are highlighted: research on the domain-specific phenomenon of body shame, styles of coping with shame, psychobiological aspects of shame, the link between childhood abuse and later proneness to shame, and the phenomena of vicarious or "collective" experiences of shame and guilt. In recent years, the concept of moral emotions has been expanded to include several positive emotions-elevation, gratitude, and the sometimes morally relevant experience of pride. Finally, we discuss briefly a morally relevant emotional process-other-oriented empathy.

  11. The Just War Tradition: A Model for Healthcare Ethics.

    PubMed

    Connolly, Chaplain John D

    2018-06-01

    Healthcare ethics committees, physicians, surgeons, nurses, families, and patients themselves are constantly under pressure to make appropriate medically ethical decisions concerning patient care. Various models for healthcare ethics decisions have been proposed throughout the years, but by and large they are focused on making the initial ethical decision. What follows is a proposed model for healthcare ethics that considers the most appropriate decisions before, during, and after any intervention. The Just War Tradition is a model that is thorough in its exploration of the ethics guiding a nation to either engage in or refuse to engage in combatant actions. In recent years, the Just War Tradition has expanded beyond the simple consideration of going to war or not to include how the war is conducted and what the post-war phase would look like ethically. This paper is an exploration of a healthcare ethics decision making model using the tenets of the Just War Tradition as a framework. It discusses the initial consult level of decision making prior to any medical intervention, then goes further in considering the ongoing ethical paradigm during medical intervention and post intervention. Thus, this proposal is a more holistic approach to healthcare ethics decision making that encourages healthcare ethics committees to consider alternate models and ways of processing so that ultimately what is best for patient, family, staff, and the environment is all taken into consideration.

  12. Liberalism, legal moralism and moral disagreement.

    PubMed

    Kuflik, Arthur

    2005-01-01

    According to "legal moralism" it is part of law's proper role to "enforce morality as such". I explore the idea that legal moralism runs afoul of morality itself: there are good moral reasons not to require by law all that there is nevertheless good moral reason to do. I suggest that many such reasons have broad common-sense appeal and could be appreciated even in a society in which everyone completely agreed about what morality requires. But I also critique legal moralism from the special perspective of liberal political justice. Liberalism requires that citizens who disagree with one another on a number of morally significant matters nevertheless coexist and cooperate within a political framework of basic rights protections. When it comes to working out the most basic terms of their political association, citizens are expected to address one another within the limits of what Rawls has called "public reason". Critics of liberalism claim that this is an essentially a-moral (or expedient) attempt to evade substantive moral issues--such as the moral status of the fetus. I argue, on the contrary, that liberalism's emphasis on public reason is itself grounded in very deep--though (suitably) "non-comprehensive"--moral considerations.

  13. Anger, impulsivity, and anger control in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Chemtob, C M; Hamada, R S; Roitblat, H L; Muraoka, M Y

    1994-08-01

    Empirical evidence of a relationship between combat-related PTSD and increased anger is lacking. In this study, 24 veterans of the Vietnam War with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scored significantly higher on an Anger factor comprising multiple measures of anger than did comparison groups of 23 well-adjusted Vietnam combat veterans and 12 noncombat Vietnam-era veterans with psychiatric diagnoses. In contrast, the 3 groups did not differ significantly on orthogonal factors, one of which comprised cognitive impulsivity measures and the other of which reflected motor impulsivity. Changes in heart rate in response to provocation loaded positively on the Anger factor and negatively on the 2 Impulsivity factors. Concurrent depression and trait anxiety did not have an effect on level of anger in individuals with PTSD. These empirical findings support and extend the clinical evidence regarding PTSD and anger.

  14. Edward D. Churchill as a combat consultant: lessons for the senior visiting surgeons and today's military medical corps.

    PubMed

    Cannon, Jeremy W; Fischer, Josef E

    2010-03-01

    In World War II, Edward D. Churchill volunteered as a combat consultant. In this role, he mentored many junior surgeons and challenged the Army leadership to treat hemorrhagic shock with blood rather than plasma. These lessons have continued relevance for today's Senior Visiting Surgeons and our military medical corps.

  15. Combat Exposure Severity as a Moderator of Genetic and Environmental Liability to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Wolf, Erika J.; Mitchell, Karen S.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Miller, Mark W.

    2014-01-01

    Background Twin studies of veterans and adults suggest that approximately 30–46% of the variance in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is attributable to genetic factors. The remaining variance is attributable to the non-shared environment, which, by definition, includes combat exposure. This study used a gene by measured environment twin design to examine if the effect of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the etiology PTSD were dependent on level of combat exposure. Methods The sample was drawn from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry and included 620 male-male twin pairs who served in the U.S. Military in South East Asia during the Vietnam War era. Analyses were based on data from a clinical diagnostic interview of lifetime PTSD symptoms and a self-report measure of combat exposure. Results Biometric modeling revealed that the effect of genetic and non-shared environment factors on PTSD varied as a function of level of combat exposure such that the association between these factors and PTSD was stronger at higher levels of combat exposure. Conclusions Combat exposure may act as a catalyst that augments the impact of hereditary and environmental contributions to PTSD. Individuals with the greatest exposure to combat trauma were at increased risk for PTSD as a function of both genetic and other environmental factors. Additional work is needed to determine the biological and environmental mechanisms driving these associations. PMID:24001428

  16. Appetitive Aggression and Adverse Childhood Experiences Shape Violent Behavior in Females Formerly Associated with Combat

    PubMed Central

    Augsburger, Mareike; Meyer-Parlapanis, Danie; Bambonye, Manassé; Elbert, Thomas; Crombach, Anselm

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of violent experiences during childhood, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and appetitive aggression on everyday violent behavior in Burundian females with varying participation in war. Moreover, group differences in trauma-related and aggression variables were expected. Appetitive aggression describes the perception of violence perpetration as fascinating and appealing and is a common phenomenon in former combatants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 158 females, either former combatants, supporters of armed forces or civilians during the civil war in Burundi. The PTSD Symptom Scale Interview was used to assess PTSD symptom severity, the Appetitive Aggression Scale to measure appetitive aggression and the Domestic and Community Violence Checklist to assess both childhood maltreatment and recent aggressive behavior. Former combatants had experienced more traumatic events, perpetrated more violence and reported higher levels of appetitive aggression than supporters and civilians. They also suffered more severely from PTSD symptoms than civilians but not than supporters. The groups did not differ regarding childhood maltreatment. Both appetitive aggression and childhood violence predicted ongoing aggressive behavior, whereas the latter outperformed PTSD symptom severity. These findings support current research showing that adverse childhood experiences and a positive attitude toward aggression serve as the basis for aggressive behavior and promote an ongoing cycle of violence in post-conflict regions. Female members of armed groups are in need of demobilization procedures including trauma-related care and interventions addressing appetitive aggression. PMID:26635666

  17. Gastrointestinal problems in modern wars: clinical features and possible mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei-Feng; Guo, Xiao-Xu; Yang, Yun-Sheng

    2015-01-01

    Gastrointestinal problems are common during wars, and they have exerted significant adverse effects on the health of service members involved in warfare. The spectrum of digestive diseases has varied during wars of different eras. At the end of the 20th century, new frontiers of military medical research emerged due to the occurrence of high-tech wars such as the Gulf War and the Kosovo War, in which ground combat was no longer the primary method of field operations. The risk to the military personnel who face trauma has been greatly reduced, but disease and non-battle injuries (DNBIs) such as neuropsychological disorders and digestive diseases seemed to be increased. Data revealed that gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and noncardiac chest pain are common among military personnel during modern wars. In addition, a large number of deployed soldiers and veterans who participated in recent wars presented with chronic gastrointestinal complaints, which fulfilled with the Rome III criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). It was also noted that many veterans who returned from the Gulf War suffered not only from chronic digestive symptoms but also from neuropsychological dysfunction; however, they also showed symptoms of other systems. Presently, this broad range of unexplained symptoms is known as "Gulf War syndrome". The mechanism that underlies Gulf War syndrome remains unclear, but many factors have been associated with this syndrome such as war trauma, stress, infections, immune dysfunction, radiological factors, anthrax vaccination and so on. Some have questioned if the diagnosis of FGIDs can be reached given the complexity of the military situation. As a result, further studies are needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disease among military personnel.

  18. A qualitative analysis of the experience and impact of killing in hand-to-hand combat.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Peter R; Simpson, Duncan

    2014-08-01

    A growing body of research suggests that killing during military combat is closely associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as a number of other adverse mental health related conditions (e.g., dissociative experiences, violent behavior, functional impairment). This article provides first-person perspectives on the experiences and impact of killing by service members with the goal of expanding our understanding of the impact of taking a life during war. In audio-recorded phenomenological interviews, 9 service members described their experiences and the subsequent impact of killing during hand-to-hand combat. A description, supported by participant quotations, was constructed to represent the participants' experiences. Results suggest the experience and aftermath of taking a life in hand-to-hand combat was disturbing, psychologically stressful, and necessitated some form of coping after the event. Service members who killed in hand-to-hand combat viewed their actions as necessary to preserve their life and that killing in hand-to-hand combat was more emotionally taxing than killing by shooting. Our findings may help to improve providers' understanding of service members' first-person experiences of killing in hand-to-hand combat and thus provide the basis for the development of a connected and genuine relationship with such military clients. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

  19. Nursing Care of Women Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

    PubMed

    Conard, Patricia L; Armstrong, Myrna L

    2018-04-01

    The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are unlike earlier wars, and the women veterans who have served in them are unlike veterans of earlier wars. Now these veterans are presenting with distinctive general, genitourinary, reproductive, and behavioral health issues. When seeking health care after deployment, they may be accessing multiple health care providers across numerous sites, including the Veterans Health Administration and civilian facilities. Enhanced levels of understanding, respect, and concern for the many combat-related health challenges experienced by these veterans will help civilian nurses and other clinicians provide optimum care. Provision of health care to women veterans should be multidisciplinary and effectively coordinated among various health care providers and facilities to ensure that their post-deployment health and wellness needs are met. © 2018 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

  20. Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior

    PubMed Central

    Stuewig, Jeff; Mashek, Debra J.

    2011-01-01

    Moral emotions represent a key element of our human moral apparatus, influencing the link between moral standards and moral behavior. This chapter reviews current theory and research on moral emotions. We first focus on a triad of negatively valenced “self-conscious” emotions—shame, guilt, and embarrassment. As in previous decades, much research remains focused on shame and guilt. We review current thinking on the distinction between shame and guilt, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of these two moral emotions. Several new areas of research are highlighted: research on the domain-specific phenomenon of body shame, styles of coping with shame, psychobiological aspects of shame, the link between childhood abuse and later proneness to shame, and the phenomena of vicarious or “collective” experiences of shame and guilt. In recent years, the concept of moral emotions has been expanded to include several positive emotions—elevation, gratitude, and the sometimes morally relevant experience of pride. Finally, we discuss briefly a morally relevant emotional process—other-oriented empathy. PMID:16953797

  1. Moral sensitivity, moral distress, and moral courage among baccalaureate Filipino nursing students.

    PubMed

    Escolar-Chua, Rowena L

    2018-06-01

    Moral distress, moral sensitivity, and moral courage among healthcare professionals have been explored considerably in recent years. However, there is a paucity of studies exploring these topics among baccalaureate nursing students. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between and among moral distress, moral sensitivity, and moral courage of undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. The research employed a descriptive-correlational design to explore the relationships between and among moral distress, moral sensitivity, and moral courage of undergraduate nursing students. Participants and research context: A total of 293 baccalaureate Filipino nursing students who have been exposed to various clinical areas participated in the study. Ethical considerations: Institutional review board approval was sought prior to the conduct of the study. Self-determination was assured and anonymity and confidentiality were guaranteed to all participants. Results indicate that a majority of the nursing students in the clinical areas encounter morally distressing situations that compromise quality patient care. However, despite the fact that they want to do what is in the best interest of their patients, their perception of being the inexperienced among the healthcare team drives the majority of them to ignore morally distressing situations to avoid conflict and confrontation. Another interesting finding is that 79.20% of the respondents hardly consider quitting the nursing profession even if they frequently encounter morally distressing situations. Analysis also shows associations between moral distress intensity and frequency ( r = 0.13, p < 0.05) and moral distress intensity and moral sensitivity ( r = 0.25, p < 0.05). The dimensions of moral courage are also related to both moral distress and moral sensitivity. Results of the study imply that moral distress is a reality among all healthcare professionals including nursing students and requires more

  2. Managing future Gulf War Syndromes: international lessons and new models of care

    PubMed Central

    Engel, Charles C; Hyams, Kenneth C; Scott, Ken

    2006-01-01

    After the 1991 Gulf War, veterans of the conflict from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other nations described chronic idiopathic symptoms that became popularly known as ‘Gulf War Syndrome’. Nearly 15 years later, some 250 million dollars in United States medical research has failed to confirm a novel war-related syndrome and controversy over the existence and causes of idiopathic physical symptoms has persisted. Wartime exposures implicated as possible causes of subsequent symptoms include oil well fire smoke, infectious diseases, vaccines, chemical and biological warfare agents, depleted uranium munitions and post-traumatic stress disorder. Recent historical analyses have identified controversial idiopathic symptom syndromes associated with nearly every modern war, suggesting that war typically sets into motion interrelated physical, emotional and fiscal consequences for veterans and for society. We anticipate future controversial war syndromes and maintain that a population-based approach to care can mitigate their impact. This paper delineates essential features of the model, describes its public health and scientific underpinnings and details how several countries are trying to implement it. With troops returning from combat in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, the model is already getting put to the test. PMID:16687273

  3. Managing future Gulf War Syndromes: international lessons and new models of care.

    PubMed

    Engel, Charles C; Hyams, Kenneth C; Scott, Ken

    2006-04-29

    After the 1991 Gulf War, veterans of the conflict from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other nations described chronic idiopathic symptoms that became popularly known as 'Gulf War Syndrome'. Nearly 15 years later, some 250 million dollars in United States medical research has failed to confirm a novel war-related syndrome and controversy over the existence and causes of idiopathic physical symptoms has persisted. Wartime exposures implicated as possible causes of subsequent symptoms include oil well fire smoke, infectious diseases, vaccines, chemical and biological warfare agents, depleted uranium munitions and post-traumatic stress disorder. Recent historical analyses have identified controversial idiopathic symptom syndromes associated with nearly every modern war, suggesting that war typically sets into motion interrelated physical, emotional and fiscal consequences for veterans and for society. We anticipate future controversial war syndromes and maintain that a population-based approach to care can mitigate their impact. This paper delineates essential features of the model, describes its public health and scientific underpinnings and details how several countries are trying to implement it. With troops returning from combat in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, the model is already getting put to the test.

  4. Moral responsibility for (un)healthy behaviour.

    PubMed

    Brown, Rebecca C H

    2013-11-01

    Combatting chronic, lifestyle-related disease has become a healthcare priority in the developed world. The role personal responsibility should play in healthcare provision has growing pertinence given the growing significance of individual lifestyle choices for health. Media reporting focussing on the 'bad behaviour' of individuals suffering lifestyle-related disease, and policies aimed at encouraging 'responsibilisation' in healthcare highlight the importance of understanding the scope of responsibility ascriptions in this context. Research into the social determinants of health and psychological mechanisms of health behaviour could undermine some commonly held and tacit assumptions about the moral responsibility of agents for the sorts of lifestyles they adopt. I use Philip Petit's conception of freedom as 'fitness to be held responsible' to consider the significance of some of this evidence for assessing the moral responsibility of agents. I propose that, in some cases, factors outside the agent's control may influence behaviour in such a way as to undermine her freedom along the three dimensions described by Pettit: freedom of action; a sense of identification with one's actions; and whether one's social position renders one vulnerable to pressure from more powerful others.

  5. Moral responsibility for (un)healthy behaviour

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Rebecca C H

    2013-01-01

    Combatting chronic, lifestyle-related disease has become a healthcare priority in the developed world. The role personal responsibility should play in healthcare provision has growing pertinence given the growing significance of individual lifestyle choices for health. Media reporting focussing on the ‘bad behaviour’ of individuals suffering lifestyle-related disease, and policies aimed at encouraging ‘responsibilisation’ in healthcare highlight the importance of understanding the scope of responsibility ascriptions in this context. Research into the social determinants of health and psychological mechanisms of health behaviour could undermine some commonly held and tacit assumptions about the moral responsibility of agents for the sorts of lifestyles they adopt. I use Philip Petit's conception of freedom as ‘fitness to be held responsible’ to consider the significance of some of this evidence for assessing the moral responsibility of agents. I propose that, in some cases, factors outside the agent's control may influence behaviour in such a way as to undermine her freedom along the three dimensions described by Pettit: freedom of action; a sense of identification with one's actions; and whether one's social position renders one vulnerable to pressure from more powerful others. PMID:23315854

  6. Musculoskeletal Injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan: Epidemiology and Outcomes Following a Decade of War.

    PubMed

    Belmont, Philip J; Owens, Brett D; Schoenfeld, Andrew J

    2016-06-01

    The combined wars in Afghanistan and Iraq represent the longest ongoing conflicts in American military history, with a combined casualty estimate of >59,000 service members. The nature of combat over the last decade has led to precipitous increases in severe orthopaedic injuries, including traumatic amputations and injuries to the spine. Nearly 75% of all injuries sustained in combat now are caused by explosive mechanisms, and fractures comprise 40% of all musculoskeletal injuries. Injuries to the axial skeleton are more frequent among personnel exposed to combat, and spinal trauma is identified in nearly 40% of those killed. Musculoskeletal injuries are expensive and generate some of the highest rates of long-term disability. Noncombat musculoskeletal injuries are endemic within deployed military service members and occur at a greater than threefold rate compared with combat musculoskeletal injuries. Service members with musculoskeletal injuries or behavioral health conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and psychosis, and those occupying a low socioeconomic status, have an increased risk of inferior outcomes.

  7. Microvascular reconstructive surgery in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom: the US military experience performing free flaps in a combat zone.

    PubMed

    Klem, Christopher; Sniezek, Joseph C; Moore, Brian; Davis, Michael R; Coppit, George; Schmalbach, Cecelia

    2013-08-01

    Local nationals with complex wounds resulting from traumatic combat injuries during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom usually must undergo reconstructive surgery in the combat zone. While the use of microvascular free-tissue transfer (free flaps) for traumatic reconstruction is well documented in the literature, various complicating factors exist when these intricate surgical procedures are performed in a theater of war. The microvascular experiences of six military surgeons deployed during a 30-month period between 2006 and 2011 in Iraq and Afghanistan were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-nine patients presented with complex traumatic wounds. Thirty-one free flaps were performed for the 29 patients. Location of tissue defects included the lower extremity (15), face/neck (8), upper extremity (6). Limb salvage was successful in all but one patient. Six of eight patients with head and neck wounds were tolerating oral intake at the time of discharge. There were three flap losses in 3 patients; two patients who experienced flap loss underwent a successful second free or regional flap. Minor complications occurred in six patients. Microvascular free tissue transfer for complex tissue defects in a combat zone is a critically important task and can improve quality of life for host-nation patients. Major US combat hospitals deployed to a war zone should include personnel who are trained and capable of performing these complex reconstructive procedures and who understand the many nuances of optimizing outcomes in this challenging environment.

  8. Combat stressors and post-traumatic stress in deployed military healthcare professionals: an integrative review.

    PubMed

    Gibbons, Susanne W; Hickling, Edward J; Watts, Dorraine D

    2012-01-01

      While there has been a growing body of literature on the impact of combat stressors and post-traumatic stress on military service members involved in current conflicts, there has been little available information that directly examines the impact of these on healthcare providers. Aims for this integrative review included: (1) identifying exposures, experiences and other factors influencing stress responses in military healthcare providers previously engaged in a war effort and (2) describing the incidence of post-traumatic stress and related mental health problems in this population. Using Cooper's integrative review method, relevant documents were collected and analysed using content categories and a coding scheme to assist with identifying and recording data for units of analysis. Literature searches (including all years to present) were conducted using keywords for stress reaction, for healthcare provider and for military war effort involvement. Literature was obtained using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the National Library of Medicine and the American Psychological Association databases. Evidence suggests that similar to military combatants, military healthcare provider exposure to life-threatening situations will increase the probability of adverse psychological disorders following these traumatic experiences. The presence of a strong sense of meaning and purpose, within a supportive environment appear to help mediate the impact of these dangerous and stressful events. Results of this review and other supporting literature indicate the need for a systematic approach to studying combat stress and post-traumatic stress in deployed healthcare providers. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  9. Fostering Nurses' Moral Agency and Moral Identity: The Importance of Moral Community.

    PubMed

    Liaschenko, Joan; Peter, Elizabeth

    2016-09-01

    It may be the case that the most challenging moral problem of the twenty-first century will be the relationship between the individual moral agent and the practices and institutions in which the moral agent is embedded. In this paper, we continue the efforts that one of us, Joan Liaschenko, first called for in 1993, that of using feminist ethics as a lens for viewing the relationship between individual nurses as moral agents and the highly complex institutions in which they do the work of nursing. Feminist ethics, with its emphasis on the inextricable relationship between ethics and politics, provides a useful lens to understand the work of nurses in context. Using Margaret Urban Walker's and Hilde Lindemann's concepts of identity, relationships, values, and moral agency, we argue that health care institutions can be moral communities and profoundly affect the work and identity and, therefore, the moral agency of all who work within those structures, including nurses. Nurses are not only shaped by these organizations but also have the power to shape them. Because moral agency is intimately connected to one's identity, moral identity work is essential for nurses to exercise their moral agency and to foster moral community in health care organizations. We first provide a brief history of nursing's morally problematic relationship with institutions and examine the impact institutional master narratives and corporatism exert today on nurses' moral identities and agency. We close by emphasizing the significance of ongoing dialogue in creating and sustaining moral communities, repairing moral identities, and strengthening moral agency. © 2016 The Hastings Center.

  10. Reorienting the GWOT to Win the Moral Level of War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-05-25

    50 Giovanna Borradori, Philosophy In A Time of Terror: Dialogues with Juergen Habermas and Jacques Derrida (Chicago: The University of...60 BIBLIOGRAPHY Borradori, Giovanna. Philosophy In A Time of Terror: Dialogues with Juergen Habermas and Jacques Derrida . Chicago: The University of...will, last for decades. 17 Deregulating the State’s Monopoly on War In the 18th Century, Jean- Jacques Rousseau presented his theory of the Social

  11. Musculoskeletal injuries in Homer's Iliad: the War of Troy revisited.

    PubMed

    Kömürcü, Erkam; Tok, Fatih; Simşek, Ayşe; Ozçakar, Levent

    2014-04-01

    Homer's Iliad--the most famous and influential epic poem--has been previously reviewed with respect to head, craniomaxillofacial, neck, thoracic, and hand injuries in the literature. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no data regarding musculoskeletal injuries. This article describes the musculoskeletal injuries that had ensued during the war of Troy. The Turkish translation of the original epic poem Iliad was reviewed for musculoskeletal injuries, that is, their descriptions, outcome, the weapons used, and the engaged warriors. Extremity injuries were evaluated as regards the affected bones. The pertinent treatment methods were also recorded. In total, 103 musculoskeletal injuries were detected during 81 combats. The most commonly involved areas were the shoulder (15.5%), the head (14.5%), the cervical vertebrae (14.5%), and the thoracic vertebrae (8.7%). The weapons used were spear (n = 52); sword (n = 9); arrow (n = 9); stone (n = 8); and cane, animal, the hand, Chariot race, and broken yoke (n = 1 for each). Fifty-four combats (66.6%) resulted in death. Therapeutic herbs, compound of milk, and essence of fig were used as treatment alternatives. While providing a historic snapshot on the war of Troy, in this article, the authors have reviewed the musculoskeletal injuries and their management in those ancient times. Despite the long period in between, unfortunately, physicians/surgeons are still faced with war injuries in current medical practice. The authors strongly hope that, at least in the near future, physicians will be left with only natural health problems and without those artificially generated by human beings.

  12. The long-term implications of war captivity for mortality and health.

    PubMed

    Solomon, Zahava; Greene, Talya; Ein-Dor, Tsachi; Zerach, Gadi; Benyamini, Yael; Ohry, Avi

    2014-10-01

    The current study aims to (1) assess the long-term impact of war captivity on mortality and various health aspects and (2) evaluate the potential mediating role of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms. Israeli ex-prisoners of war (ex-POWs) (N = 154) and a matched control group of combat veterans (N = 161) were assessed on health conditions and self-rated health 18 years post-war (1991: T1). The whole population of ex-POWs, and the T1 sample of controls were then contacted 35 years after the war (2008: T2), and invited to participate in a second wave of measurement (ex-POWs: N = 171; controls: N = 116) Captivity was implicated in premature mortality, more health-related conditions and worse self-rated health. PTSD and depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between war captivity and self-rated health, and partially mediated the relationship between war captivity and health conditions, and these effects were amplified with age. Aging ex-POWs who develop psychiatric symptomatology should be considered a high-risk group entering a high-risk period in the life cycle. It is important to monitor ex-POWs and provide them with appropriate medical and psychological treatment as they age.

  13. Empire, internationalism, and the campaign against the traffic in women and children in the 1920s.

    PubMed

    Gorman, Daniel

    2008-01-01

    This article assesses the inter-war campaign against trafficking in women and children, with a particular focus on the leading role played by British and British-dominated voluntary associations. This humanitarian campaign was conducted by social relief organizations such as the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene (AMSH) and the International Bureau for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women and Children (IBSTWC). While organized opposition to trafficking in persons was not new, these groups consciously 'internationalized' their advocacy and lobbying efforts in the 1920s and 1930s. Although their work against trafficking in the Straits Settlements, or the prostitution rings operating in the Mediterranean, was driven in part by the desire to protect Britain's national prestige, their moral impetus and their cooperation with non-British bodies reflected wider international concerns. The article also explores the use of public diplomacy as a new political tool, with a particular focus on the public-private cooperation evident in the League of Nations' work to combat the trade. Finally, the article advances some conclusions as to why British women's political organizations in particular were some of the earliest 'internationalists', how successful internationalists were in combating transnational social problems, and to what extent inter-war internationalists established a precedent for the subsequent growth of international social relief organizations.

  14. Medical ethics, moral philosophy and moral tradition.

    PubMed

    Murray, T H

    1987-01-01

    Medical ethics is commonly assumed to be a form of 'applied moral philosophy' in which practical moral judgments are deduced from moral theories. This account of the relationship between moral theory and moral judgment is inadequate in several reports. The deductivist approach often results in inadequate attention being given to social, historical and developmental contexts. It also fails to explain some common phenomena in practical moral reasoning. In contrast to the emphasis in deductivism, a case-centered or casuistic practical ethics insists on immersion in the particularities of cases and on interpretation of details in light of moral maxims and other mid-level forms of moral reasoning. Two features of casuistics that ought to be distinguished but frequently are not, are: (1) the emphasis on immersion and interpretation, and (2) a claim about the relation between moral judgment and moral theory as sources of moral knowledge. Once we consider case-centered moral judgments as sources of moral knowledge, we must also begin to look critically but open-mindedly to moral traditions which, upon examination, appear to be more dynamic and to have more reformist potential than is commonly assumed.

  15. Small Wars 2.0: A Working Paper on Land Force Planning After Iraq and Afghanistan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-02-01

    official examination of future ground combat demands that look genetically distinct from those undertaken in the name of the WoT. The concept of...under the worst-case rubric but for very different reasons. The latter are small wars. However, that by no means aptly describes their size

  16. Posttraumatic stress disorder, combat exposure, and carotid intima-media thickness in male twins.

    PubMed

    Goetz, Margarethe; Shah, Amit; Goldberg, Jack; Cheema, Faiz; Shallenberger, Lucy; Murrah, Nancy V; Bremner, J Douglas; Vaccarino, Viola

    2014-11-15

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with an increased risk of ischemic heart disease, though the pathophysiologic mechanisms remain unclear. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis. We examined whether PTSD and combat exposure were associated with CIMT in Vietnam War-era twins after controlling for shared genetic and childhood factors. Between 2002 and 2010, we studied 465 middle-aged twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry who were free from cardiovascular disease. PTSD was diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and CIMT was measured by ultrasound. Mixed-effects regression models were used to examine individual, between-pair, and within-pair associations. Approximately 13% of participants met the criteria for PTSD, and 45% served in the Vietnam Theater. PTSD was associated with 32.7 μm higher CIMT (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9, 64.5) after adjustment for confounders. The average CIMT for the pair increased by 59.7 μm for each additional twin with PTSD (95% CI: 15.9, 104.2). We found no significant within-pair differences in CIMT when comparing PTSD-discordant co-twins. Results for combat exposure were similar, but its association with CIMT weakened after adjustment for PTSD (95% CI: 7.0, 45.3). Among Vietnam War-era veterans, combat exposure and PTSD are associated with CIMT, though the associations are largely mediated by shared childhood factors. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Epigenetic alterations of the BDNF gene in combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Kim, T Y; Kim, S J; Chung, H G; Choi, J H; Kim, S H; Kang, J I

    2017-02-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in modulating resilience and vulnerability to stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether epigenetic regulation of the BDNF gene is a biomarker of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development among veterans exposed to combat in the Vietnam War. Using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, combat veterans were grouped into those with (n = 126) and without (n = 122) PTSD. DNA methylation levels at four CpG sites within the BDNF promoter I region were quantified in the peripheral blood using pyrosequencing. The effects of BDNF DNA methylation levels and clinical variables on the diagnosis of PTSD were tested using binary logistic regression analysis. Subjects with PTSD showed a higher DNA methylation of four CpG sites at the BDNF promoter compared with those without PTSD. High methylation levels at the BDNF promoter CpG site, high combat exposure, and alcohol problems were significantly associated with PTSD diagnosis. This study demonstrated an association between higher DNA methylation of the BDNF promoter and PTSD diagnosis in combat-exposed individuals. Our findings suggest that altered BDNF methylation may be a valuable biomarker of PTSD after trauma exposure. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Mahan Goes to War: Effects of World War I on the U.S. Navy’s Force Structure and Operational Planning

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-05-17

    War Plan Orange originated from U.S.-Japanese tensions arising from massive Japanese immigration to the U.S. West Coast and racist local policies...Roosevelt suggested adding a second phase in which ships “ originally in the Blue Fleet, could represent a Black force pushing home its attack on our...area except that two divisions of dreadnoughts might be based on Brest for moral effect against anticipated raids by heavy enemy ships in the channel

  19. Re-Examining Patriotism in Japanese Education: Analysis of Japanese Elementary School Moral Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anzai, Shinobu

    2015-01-01

    In 1947 the Fundamental Law of Education (FLE) defined the pacifist principles for post-war Japanese education and was revised in 2006 for the first time in nearly 60 years. The revised FLE stipulates the importance of teaching love for country and region and Japanese culture and traditions with special emphasis on moral education. Today, this…

  20. Deployment stressors of the Iraq War: insights from the mainstream media.

    PubMed

    La Bash, Heidi A J; Vogt, Dawne S; King, Lynda A; King, Daniel W

    2009-02-01

    A comprehensive understanding of the stressors of the Iraq War is needed to ensure appropriate postdeployment assessments and to inform empirical inquiries. Yet we are unaware of any published studies that address the range of stressors experienced by this cohort. Thus, in the present study, we report the results of an interpretive literature review of mainstream media reports published from the beginning of the Iraq War in March 2003 to March 2005. This literature revealed a combination of stressors associated with traditional combat, insurgency warfare, and peacekeeping operations. The increasing deployment of National Guard/Reservist personnel, older soldiers, and women highlights additional stressors associated with sexual harassment and assault, preparedness and training, and life and family disruptions. This is a cause for concern as war-zone stressors have been implicated in postdeployment health outcomes, including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment, immediate physical and mental health, and long-term adjustment.

  1. Bodily matters above and below ground: the treatment of American remains from the Korean War.

    PubMed

    Keene, Judith

    2010-02-01

    Throughout most of the twentieth century, depending on the capabilities of the military mortuary services and the time limits set by government, the bodies of the American fallen in foreign wars have been repatriated home to their families. In the Korean War the conditions of combat posed large challenges to the recovery and returns of bodily remains. Almost half a century after that conflict, the American missing in Korea have become significant players within the government's expanding efforts that were prompted in answer to demands to locate American soldiers who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. The essay traces the background to U.S. military mortuary services and the operation in the Korean War and in the subsequent joint expeditions in North Korea. The analysis concludes that in most of these ventures the outlay of resources has produced few remains.

  2. Cumulative trauma and midlife well-being in American women who served in Vietnam: effects of combat exposure and postdeployment social support.

    PubMed

    Park, Crystal L; Wachen, Jennifer Schuster; Kaiser, Anica Pless; Mager Stellman, Jeanne

    2015-01-01

    Research increasingly demonstrates that trauma exposure can have cumulative effects, yet much remains to be learned about effects of cumulative trauma, particularly regarding longer term adjustment. One such trauma, combat exposure, is insufficiently understood, especially for women, who are increasingly engaged in professional combat activities. The study comprised a cross-sectional survey assessing multiple aspects of current well-being in women approximately 25 years after their service in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Participants were 1374 women (78% military and 22% nonmilitary; mean age = 59.7). This study investigated the relations between three separate categories of trauma exposure (childhood, adulthood, and combat) and well-being and examined whether perceived social support at return from Vietnam moderated the association between combat exposure and well-being. While both childhood and adulthood trauma exposure related to midlife well-being, combat exposure still uniquely predicted outcomes. Further, postdeployment perceived social support moderated the association of combat and well-being: recollected higher perceived social support at homecoming buffered participants from the links between combat exposure and well-being. These results may have important implications for interventions to reduce the impact of traumatic experiences, particularly in light of the increasing exposure of women to direct combat events.

  3. Suicide among war veterans.

    PubMed

    Rozanov, Vsevolod; Carli, Vladimir

    2012-07-01

    Studies aiming to identify if war veterans are at higher risk of suicide have often produced inconsistent results; this could be due to the complexity of comparisons and different methodological approaches. It should be noted that this contingent has many risk factors, such as stressful exposures, wounds, brain trauma and pain syndrome. Most recent observations confirm that veterans are really more likely to die of suicide as compared to the general population; they are also more likely to experience suicidal ideation and suffer from mental health problems. Suicides are more frequent in those who develop PTSD, depression and comorbid states due to war exposure. Combat stress and its' frequency may be an important factor leading to suicide within the frame of the stress-vulnerability model. According to this model, the effects of stress may interact with social factors, interpersonal relations and psychological variables producing suicidal tendencies. Modern understanding of stress-vulnerability mechanisms based on genetic predispositions, early life development, level of exposure to stress and stress-reactivity together with interpersonal aspects may help to build more effective suicide prevention programs based on universal/selective/indicated prevention principles.

  4. Suicide among War Veterans

    PubMed Central

    Rozanov, Vsevolod; Carli, Vladimir

    2012-01-01

    Studies aiming to identify if war veterans are at higher risk of suicide have often produced inconsistent results; this could be due to the complexity of comparisons and different methodological approaches. It should be noted that this contingent has many risk factors, such as stressful exposures, wounds, brain trauma and pain syndrome. Most recent observations confirm that veterans are really more likely to die of suicide as compared to the general population; they are also more likely to experience suicidal ideation and suffer from mental health problems. Suicides are more frequent in those who develop PTSD, depression and comorbid states due to war exposure. Combat stress and its’ frequency may be an important factor leading to suicide within the frame of the stress-vulnerability model. According to this model, the effects of stress may interact with social factors, interpersonal relations and psychological variables producing suicidal tendencies. Modern understanding of stress-vulnerability mechanisms based on genetic predispositions, early life development, level of exposure to stress and stress-reactivity together with interpersonal aspects may help to build more effective suicide prevention programs based on universal/selective/indicated prevention principles. PMID:22851956

  5. Utilizing Telehealth to Support Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder in a Theater of War: Prolonged Exposure via Clinical Videoconferencing.

    PubMed

    Pelton, Dan; Wangelin, Bethany; Tuerk, Peter

    2015-05-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder are prevalent mental health diagnoses associated with the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and are especially significant in service members returning from combat. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is a highly effective behavioral treatment for these symptoms, and providing this treatment as soon as possible, even in the midst of a soldier's combat deployment, has strong potential benefits. In the current case study, telehealth technology was used to support the delivery of PE therapy to treat a service member diagnosed with acute stress disorder in a war zone. PE was conducted face-to-face on the relatively secure Forward Operating Base for the first half of therapy and via clinical videoconferencing (CV) to the service member's remote combat outpost during the later stages of therapy. The service member exhibited marked improvements in symptoms over 10 sessions. Results are consistent with previous empirical findings and highlight the potential benefits of using telehealth to deliver evidenced-based treatment for traumatic stress disorders in a war zone. This case study provides a preliminary working model for delivering PE in a combat environment using multiple delivery systems. Benefits and clinical utility of CV-delivered exposure therapy are discussed, particularly for providers pending future operational deployments (e.g., including members of the military, independent government agencies, and first responders) and for those treating patients in remote locations.

  6. Parameters, Journal of the US Army War College, Volume 14, Number 4, Winter 1984.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-01-01

    Pa.: US Army War College, Strategic Studies In- 31. A Energia Nuclear no Brasil (Rio de Janeiro: stitute, 1979), p. 17. Biblioteca do Exercito Editors...security factors exist. These would be Monetary Fund officials. "Balance of Payments," in Annual US-Mexican relationships, moral renovation , demographic

  7. Tactical Combat Casualty Care in the Canadian Forces: lessons learned from the Afghan war

    PubMed Central

    Savage, Erin; Forestier, Colleen; Withers, Nicholas; Tien, Homer; Pannell, Dylan

    2011-01-01

    Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) is intended to treat potentially preventable causes of death on the battlefield, but acknowledges that application of these treatments may place the provider and even the mission in jeopardy if performed at the wrong time. Therefore, TCCC classifies the tactical situation with respect to health care provision into 3 phases (care under fire, tactical field care and tactical evacuation) and only permits certain interventions to be performed in specific phases based on the danger to the provider and casualty. In the 6 years that the Canadian Forces (CF) have been involved in sustained combat operations in Kandahar, Afghanistan, more than 1000 CF members have been injured and more than 150 have been killed. As a result, the CF gained substantial experience delivering TCCC to wounded soldiers on the battlefield. The purpose of this paper is to review the principles of TCCC and some of the lessons learned about battlefield trauma care during this conflict. PMID:22099324

  8. Moralization Through Moral Shock: Exploring Emotional Antecedents to Moral Conviction.

    PubMed

    Wisneski, Daniel C; Skitka, Linda J

    2017-02-01

    The current research tested whether exposure to disgusting images increases moral conviction and whether this happens in the presence of incidental disgust cues versus disgust cues relevant to the target of moralization. Across two studies, we exposed participants to one of the four sets of disgusting versus control images to test the moralization of abortion attitudes: pictures of aborted fetuses, animal abuse, non-harm related disgusting images, harm related disgusting images, or neutral pictures, at either sub- or supraliminal levels of awareness. Moral conviction about abortion increased (compared with control) only for participants exposed to abortion-related images at speeds slow enough to allow conscious awareness. Study 2 replicated this finding, and found that the relationship between attitudinally relevant disgust and moral conviction was mediated by disgust, and not anger or harm appraisals. Findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for intuitionist theories of morality and moral theories that emphasize harm.

  9. Moral distress and moral conflict in clinical ethics.

    PubMed

    Fourie, Carina

    2015-02-01

    Much research is currently being conducted on health care practitioners' experiences of moral distress, especially the experience of nurses. What moral distress is, however, is not always clearly delineated and there is some debate as to how it should be defined. This article aims to help to clarify moral distress. My methodology consists primarily of a conceptual analysis, with especial focus on Andrew Jameton's influential description of moral distress. I will identify and aim to resolve two sources of confusion about moral distress: (1) the compound nature of a narrow definition of distress which stipulates a particular cause, i.e. moral constraint, and (2) the distinction drawn between moral dilemma (or, more accurately, moral conflict) and moral distress, which implies that the two are mutually exclusive. In light of these concerns, I argue that the definition of moral distress should be revised so that moral constraint should not be a necessary condition of moral distress, and that moral conflict should be included as a potential cause of distress. Ultimately, I claim that moral distress should be understood as a specific psychological response to morally challenging situations such as those of moral constraint or moral conflict, or both. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Operational Ethics: Just War and Implications for Contemporary American Warfare

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-05-22

    will mutually share those values.12 Today, those values are manifested in the secular society in the form of ethics and basic human morality, what is...Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited Operational Ethics : Just War and Implications for Contemporary American Warfare A Monograph...a denkschrift through which the author hopes to inspire discussions on operational ethics among professional officers and civilian proponents of

  11. Refining moral agency: Insights from moral psychology and moral philosophy.

    PubMed

    Milliken, Aimee

    2018-01-01

    Research in moral psychology has recently raised questions about the impact of context and the environment on the way the human mind works. In a 2012 call to action, Paley wrote: "If some of the conclusions arrived at by moral psychologists are true, they are directly relevant to the way nurses think about moral problems, and present serious challenges to favoured concepts in nursing ethics, such as the ethics of care, virtue, and the unity of the person" (p. 80). He urges nurse ethicists and scholars to evaluate the impact these findings may have for moral theory. In this paper, I review some of Paley's (Nursing Philosophy, 13, 2012, 80) critique, focusing on the argument that theories of nursing ethics have failed to account for the role of context; both in terms of its impact on the way nurses make moral judgements and in terms of the environment's influence on the way the mind works. I then examine nursing literature on moral agency, and focus on the role of the environment and context play within existing theory. I argue that theories of moral agency have often accounted for the role of context on the way nurses make decisions; however, less attention has been paid to its impact on the mind. With this background, I use insights from the fields of moral philosophy and moral psychology to refine the conceptualization of nurse moral agency in a way that is reflective of current cognitive, philosophical and nursing practice-based science. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Combat casualty care: the Alpha Surgical Company experience during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

    PubMed

    Marshall, Thomas J

    2005-06-01

    Operation Iraqi Freedom was the first large-scale combat operation involving the U.S. Marine Corps since the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Data from a combat surgical company are presented. Records of all U.S. and Iraqi combat casualties admitted to the surgical company were reviewed. Fifty-three (57%) of 93 patients suffered penetrating injuries. Most wounds were produced by high-explosive munitions (mines, hand grenades, and rocket-propelled grenades), and the majority (51%) of wounds were to the extremities. The time to surgical care averaged 4.7 hours (range, 1.5-48 hours), and 98% of the patients seen at our facility survived. The time from injury to surgical care was considered long by civilian standards; however, this did not appear to affect outcomes substantially. A small percentage (5.2%) of injuries were to the torso. Hypothermia was commonly present. Because of the nature of their wounds, all patients required additional surgery after evacuation to rear area facilities. The outcomes of individual patients are not known, although it is known that only one Marine died after reaching medical care and, to date, no Marines have subsequently died of their wounds.

  13. Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Comparing Outcomes for Veterans of Different Wars

    PubMed Central

    Yoder, Matthew; Tuerk, Peter W.; Price, Matthew; Grubaugh, Anouk L.; Strachan, Martha; Myrick, Hugh; Acierno, Ron

    2012-01-01

    There is significant support for exposure therapy as an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) across a variety of populations, including veterans; however, there is little empirical information regarding how veterans of different war theaters respond to exposure therapy. Accordingly, questions remain regarding therapy effectiveness for treatment of PTSD for veterans of different eras. Such questions have important implications for the dissemination of evidence based treatments, treatment development, and policy. The current study compared treatment outcomes across 112 veterans of the Vietnam War, the first Persian Gulf War, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. All subjects were diagnosed with PTSD and enrolled in Prolonged Exposure (PE) treatment. Veterans from all three groups showed significant improvement in PTSD symptoms, with veterans from Vietnam and Afghanistan/Iraq responding similarly to treatment. Persian Gulf veterans did not respond to treatment at the same rate or to the same degree as veterans from the other two eras. Questions and issues regarding the effectiveness of evidence based treatment for veterans from different eras are discussed. PMID:22449084

  14. Prolonged exposure therapy for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: comparing outcomes for veterans of different wars.

    PubMed

    Yoder, Matthew; Tuerk, Peter W; Price, Matthew; Grubaugh, Anouk L; Strachan, Martha; Myrick, Hugh; Acierno, Ron

    2012-02-01

    There is significant support for exposure therapy as an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) across a variety of populations, including veterans; however, there is little empirical information regarding how veterans of different war theaters respond to exposure therapy. Accordingly, questions remain regarding therapy effectiveness for treatment of PTSD for veterans of different eras. Such questions have important implications for the dissemination of evidence based treatments, treatment development, and policy. The current study compared treatment outcomes across 112 veterans of the Vietnam War, the first Persian Gulf War, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. All subjects were diagnosed with PTSD and enrolled in prolonged exposure (PE) treatment. Veterans from all three groups showed significant improvement in PTSD symptoms, with veterans from Vietnam and Afghanistan/Iraq responding similarly to treatment. Persian Gulf veterans did not respond to treatment at the same rate or to the same degree as veterans from the other two eras. Questions and issues regarding the effectiveness of evidence based treatment for veterans from different eras are discussed.

  15. Felt Moral Obligation and the Moral Judgement-Moral Action Gap: Toward a Phenomenology of Moral Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Richard N.; Gantt, Edwin E.

    2012-01-01

    The step-off point for this article is the problem of the "moral judgement-moral action gap" as found in contemporary literature of moral education and moral development. We argue that this gap, and the conceptual problems encountered by attempts to bridge it, reflects the effect of a different, deeper and more problematic conceptual gap: the…

  16. Modeling and Analysis of Resolve and Morale for the Long War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-01

    Alexandria, Virginia, 1995 Bratley, Paul , Bennett L. Fox, and Linus E. Schrage, A Guide to Simulation (2nd ed.), Springer-Verlag, New York, 1987 Bross... Paul J., Measuring the “Will to Fight” in Simulation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, 73rd MORS Symposium Working Group 33 Presentation, DTIC...115, 2004 MacKay, Niall, “Lanchester combat models”, Mathematics Today, Volume 42, Number 5, Pages 170-173, 2006 Macioce, Paul , “Viscoelastic

  17. Driving through: postpartum care during World War II.

    PubMed Central

    Temkin, E

    1999-01-01

    In 1996, public outcry over shortened hospital stays for new mothers and their infants led to the passage of a federal law banning "drive-through deliveries." This recent round of brief postpartum stays is not unprecedented. During World War II, a baby boom overwhelmed maternity facilities in American hospitals. Hospital births became more popular and accessible as the Emergency Maternal and Infant Care program subsidized obstetric care for servicemen's wives. Although protocols before the war had called for prolonged bed rest in the puerperium, medical theory was quickly revised as crowded hospitals were forced to discharge mothers after 24 hours. To compensate for short inpatient stays, community-based services such as visiting nursing care, postnatal homes, and prenatal classes evolved to support new mothers. Fueled by rhetoric that identified maternal-child health as a critical factor in military morale, postpartum care during the war years remained comprehensive despite short hospital stays. The wartime experience offers a model of alternatives to legislation for ensuring adequate care of postpartum women. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6 PMID:10191809

  18. Family cohesion and posttraumatic intrusion and avoidance among war veterans: a 20-year longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Zerach, Gadi; Solomon, Zahava; Horesh, Danny; Ein-Dor, Tsachi

    2013-02-01

    The bi-directional relationships between combat-induced posttraumatic symptoms and family relations are yet to be understood. The present study assesses the longitudinal interrelationship of posttraumatic intrusion and avoidance and family cohesion among 208 Israeli combat veterans from the 1982 Lebanon War. Two groups of veterans were assessed with self-report questionnaires 1, 3 and 20 years after the war: a combat stress reaction (CSR) group and a matched non-CSR control group. Latent Trajectories Modeling showed that veterans of the CSR group reported higher intrusion and avoidance than non-CSR veterans at all three points of time. With time, there was a decline in these symptoms in both groups, but the decline was more salient among the CSR group. The latter also reported lower levels of family cohesion. Furthermore, an incline in family cohesion levels was found in both groups over the years. Most importantly, Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Modeling among CSR and non-CSR veterans revealed that CSR veterans' posttraumatic symptoms in 1983 predicted lower family cohesion in 1985, and lower family cohesion, in turn, predicted posttraumatic symptoms in 2002. The findings suggest that psychological breakdown on the battlefield is a marker for future family cohesion difficulties. Our results lend further support for the bi-directional mutual effects of posttraumatic symptoms and family cohesion over time.

  19. The neurological manifestations of trauma: lessons from World War I.

    PubMed

    Linden, Stefanie C; Hess, Volker; Jones, Edgar

    2012-04-01

    Changes in the clinical presentation of functional disorders and the influence of social and cultural factors can be investigated through the historical case notes from mental hospitals. World War I (WWI) was a potent trigger of functional disorders with neurological or psychiatric symptoms. We analysed 100 randomly selected case files of German servicemen admitted to the Department of Psychiatry of the Charité Medical School of Berlin University during WWI and classified them according to contemporaneous and retrospective modern diagnoses. We compared the clinical presentations with accounts in the German and British medical literature of the time. Most patients obtained the contemporaneous diagnosis of 'psychopathic constitution' or hysteria reflecting the general view of German psychiatrists that not the war but an individual predisposition was the basis for the development of symptoms. The clinical picture was dominated by pseudoneurological motor or sensory symptoms as well as pseudoseizures. Some soldiers relived combat experiences in dream-like dissociative states that partly resemble modern-day post-traumatic stress disorder. Most servicemen were classified as unfit for military service but very few of them were granted compensation. Severe functional disorders of a neurological character could develop even without traumatic exposure in combat, which is of interest for the current debate on triggers of stress disorders. The high incidence of pseudoseizures accords with the psychiatric literature of the time and contrasts with accounts of war-related disorders in Britain. The tendency of German psychiatrists not to send traumatised servicemen back to active duty also distinguished between German and British practice. Our data contribute to the debate on the changing patterns of human responses to traumatic experience and their historical and social context.

  20. Testing Moral Foundation Theory: Are Specific Moral Emotions Elicited by Specific Moral Transgressions?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landmann, Helen; Hess, Ursula

    2018-01-01

    Moral foundation theory posits that specific moral transgressions elicit specific moral emotions. To test this claim, participants (N = 195) were asked to rate their emotions in response to moral violation vignettes. We found that compassion and disgust were associated with care and purity respectively as predicted by moral foundation theory.…

  1. Moral status, justice, and the common morality: challenges for the principlist account of moral change.

    PubMed

    Hodges, Kevin E; Sulmasy, Daniel P

    2013-09-01

    The theory of principlism elaborated by Beauchamp and Childress in Principles of Biomedical Ethics has become extremely influential in bioethics. The theory employs the idea of the common morality as a foundation for the principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. According to this account, the content of the common morality is universal and constant, while variability in morals is due to the fact that the issue of who is included within the scope of moral status evolves over time. This suggests that issues of moral status are not part of the common morality at all, and this presents a conundrum: questions of moral status seem central to any substantive account of justice, and any conception of the common morality that excludes moral status therefore seems inadequate for supporting a robust principle of justice. We argue that proponents of common morality theory are left with four options: (1) making moral status a part of the objective common morality and ignoring evidence that views about moral status do seem to vary over time and place; (2) excluding justice from the substantive content of the common morality; (3) taking common morality to be an imperfect approximation of an independently justified and universal foundationalist ethic against which the common morality is judged; or (4) weakening claims about the universality of common morality, thereby allowing the common morality to support a variety of principles of justice applicable only within particular communities that have specified the scope of moral status. We suspect that proponents of common morality theory will not view any of these options favorably, which raises questions about the ultimate contribution of that account.

  2. Comparison of combat and non-combat burns from ongoing U.S. military operations.

    PubMed

    Kauvar, David S; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Wolf, Steven E; Wade, Charles E; Holcomb, John B

    2006-05-15

    Military burns result from either combat or non-combat causes. We compared these etiologies from patients involved in ongoing conflicts to evaluate their impact and provide prevention recommendations. All military patients with significant burns treated at the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research from April 2003 to May 2005 were reviewed. Injuries were categorized as having resulted from combat or non-combat causes. Demographics, burn severity and pattern, mortality, and early outcomes were compared. There were 273 burn patients seen with 63% injured in combat. A high early rate of non-combat injuries was noted. Feedback on non-combat burn prevention was provided to the combat theater, and the incidence of non-combat burns decreased. Mean age and time from injury to admission did not differ. The majority of combat injuries resulted from explosive device detonation. Waste burning, ammunition handling, and gasoline caused most non-combat injuries. Combat casualties had more associated and inhalation injuries and greater full-thickness burn size; total body surface area burned was equivalent. The hands and the face were the most frequently burned body areas. Mortality was 5% in combat and 2% in non-combat patients. The majority of survivors in both groups returned to military duty. The disparity in full-thickness burn size and incidence of inhalation and associated injuries resulted from differing mechanisms of injury, with explosions and penetrating trauma more common in combat wounds. Despite the severity of combat burns, mortality was low and outcomes generally good. Non-combat burns are preventable and have decreased in incidence.

  3. A Decade of War: Prospective Trajectories of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Deployed US Military Personnel and the Influence of Combat Exposure.

    PubMed

    Donoho, Carrie J; Bonanno, George A; Porter, Ben; Kearney, Lauren; Powell, Teresa M

    2017-12-15

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychiatric disorder among service members and veterans. The clinical course of PTSD varies between individuals, and patterns of symptom development have yet to be clearly delineated. Previous studies have been limited by convenience sampling, short follow-up periods, and the inability to account for combat-related trauma. To determine the trajectories of PTSD symptoms among deployed military personnel with and without combat exposure, we used data from a population-based representative sample of 8,178 US service members who participated in the Millennium Cohort Study from 2001 to 2011. Using latent growth mixture modeling, trajectories of PTSD symptoms were determined in the total sample, as well as in individuals with and without combat exposure, respectively. Overall, 4 trajectories of PTSD were characterized: resilient, pre-existing, new-onset, and moderate stable. Across all trajectories, combat-deployed service members diverged from non-combat-deployed service members, even after a single deployment. The former also generally had higher PTSD symptoms. Based on the models, nearly 90% of those without combat exposure remained resilient over the 10-year period, compared with 80% of those with combat exposure. Findings demonstrate that although the clinical course of PTSD symptoms shows heterogeneous patterns of development, combat exposure is uniformly associated with poor mental health. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  4. A cybernetic theory of morality and moral autonomy.

    PubMed

    Chambers, J

    2001-04-01

    Human morality may be thought of as a negative feedback control system in which moral rules are reference values, and moral disapproval, blame, and punishment are forms of negative feedback given for violations of the moral rules. In such a system, if moral agents held each other accountable, moral norms would be enforced effectively. However, even a properly functioning social negative feedback system could not explain acts in which individual agents uphold moral rules in the face of contrary social pressure. Dr. Frances Kelsey, who withheld FDA approval for thalidomide against intense social pressure, is an example of the degree of individual moral autonomy possible in a hostile environment. Such extreme moral autonomy is possible only if there is internal, psychological negative feedback, in addition to external, social feedback. Such a cybernetic model of morality and moral autonomy is consistent with certain aspects of classical ethical theories.

  5. Neural basis of moral verdict and moral deliberation

    PubMed Central

    Borg, Jana Schaich; Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter; Calhoun, Vince D.; Kiehl, Kent A.

    2011-01-01

    How people judge something to be morally right or wrong is a fundamental question of both the sciences and the humanities. Here we aim to identify the neural processes that underlie the specific conclusion that something is morally wrong. To do this, we introduce a novel distinction between “moral deliberation,” or the weighing of moral considerations, and the formation of a “moral verdict,” or the commitment to one moral conclusion. We predict and identify hemodynamic activity in the bilateral anterior insula and basal ganglia that correlates with committing to the moral verdict “this is morally wrong” as opposed to “this is morally not wrong,” a finding that is consistent with research from economic decision-making. Using comparisons of deliberation-locked vs. verdict-locked analyses, we also demonstrate that hemodynamic activity in high-level cortical regions previously implicated in morality—including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, and temporoparietal junction—correlates primarily with moral deliberation as opposed to moral verdicts. These findings provide new insights into what types of processes comprise the enterprise of moral judgment, and in doing so point to a framework for resolving why some clinical patients, including psychopaths, may have intact moral judgment but impaired moral behavior. PMID:21590588

  6. [Combined burn trauma in the array of modern civilian and combat burns].

    PubMed

    Ivchenko, E V; Borisov, D N; Golota, A S; Krassiĭ, A B; Rusev, I T

    2015-02-01

    The current article positions the combined burn and non-burn injuries in the general array of civilian and combat burns. For that purpose the official state statistics and scientific medical publications, domestic as well as foreign, have been analyzed. It has been shown that in peace time the combined burn/trauma injuries are infrequent. But the same type of injury becomes routine especially among the civilian population in the conditions of the modern so called "hybrid war". And the medical service should be prepared for it.

  7. White matter abnormalities in Gulf War veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Bierer, Linda M; Ivanov, Iliyan; Carpenter, David M; Wong, Edmund W; Golier, Julia A; Tang, Cheuk Y; Yehuda, Rachel

    2015-01-01

    Gulf War veterans were exposed to environmental toxins not present in other combat theaters resulting in a unique biological signature that only partially resembles that seen in other combat veterans with PTSD. Thus it is important to determine if brain abnormalities seen in non-Gulf War veterans with PTSD are also present in Gulf War veterans. In this pilot study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography was used to assess the ultra-structural integrity of fronto-limbic white matter connections in Gulf War veterans with and without PTSD. The effects of chronic multisymptom illness on DTI measures was also evaluated. Subjects were 20 previously studied Gulf War veterans on whom MRIs had been obtained. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were determined for left and right cingulum bundle by DTI tractography and compared in separate analyses for 12 veterans with, and 8 without PTSD. The effect of chronic multisymptom illness and it's interaction with PTSD, were similarly investigated using multivariate ACOVA. Partial correlations were used to test the associations of both DTI indices with PTSD severity and plasma cortisol, controlling for whole brain volume. Significantly lower MD was demonstrated in the right cingulum bundle among Gulf War veterans with PTSD. There were no significant differences in MD or FA in the left cingulum bundle. The presence of chronic multisymptom illness significantly attenuated the PTSD associated decrement in right cingulum MD. Clinician and self-rated PTSD symptom severity scores were significantly associated with reduced MD and increased FA in the right cingulum. Similar associations were observed for 8am plasma cortisol in a subset of participants. The preliminary findings indicate increased structural integrity - supporting enhanced connectivity - between right amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex in PTSD. This effect was strongest among Gulf War veterans without chronic multisymptom illness. The association of

  8. [Medecine, Law, and Knowledge Production about the "Civilized" War in the Long 19th Century].

    PubMed

    Goltermann, Svenja

    2015-01-01

    The aim to 'civilize' warfare accompanied Medicine and International Law ever since the mid-19th century. However, the entanglement of Medicine and Law, crucial for such an endeavour, has not been taken into consideration so far; likewise, the huge importance of medical knowledge for the perception of wars and their ramifications did not garner much attention in historical research. Hence, by focusing on the 'long' 19th century, this paper shows, firstly, that the production of surgical knowledge during warfare aimed at measuring the effects of combat on human bodies in order to develop prognostic medical knowledge for future wars, as well as maintaining the combat strength of soldiers. Moreover, this knowledge production during warfare strived for the enhancement of medical competence in the diagnosis and treatment of wounds in general. Secondly, I show that this medical knowledge was not only relevant for warfare, but also crucial for the design of International Law: it served to nourish the debates among the so called 'civilized' nations about legitimate and illegitimate weaponry and warfare.

  9. Reading, Trauma and Literary Caregiving 1914-1918: Helen Mary Gaskell and the War Library.

    PubMed

    Haslam, Sara

    2018-03-28

    This article is about the relationship between reading, trauma and responsive literary caregiving in Britain during the First World War. Its analysis of two little-known documents describing the history of the War Library, begun by Helen Mary Gaskell in 1914, exposes a gap in the scholarship of war-time reading; generates a new narrative of "how," "when," and "why" books went to war; and foregrounds gender in its analysis of the historiography. The Library of Congress's T. W. Koch discovered Gaskell's ground-breaking work in 1917 and reported its successes to the American Library Association. The British Times also covered Gaskell's library, yet researchers working on reading during the war have routinely neglected her distinct model and method, skewing the research base on war-time reading and its association with trauma and caregiving. In the article's second half, a literary case study of a popular war novel demonstrates the extent of the "bitter cry for books." The success of Gaskell's intervention is examined alongside H. G. Wells's representation of textual healing. Reading is shown to offer sick, traumatized and recovering combatants emotional and psychological caregiving in ways that she could not always have predicted and that are not visible in the literary/historical record.

  10. Physical and Mental Health Consequences of War-related Stressors Among Older Adults: An Analysis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Arthritis in Northern Vietnamese War Survivors.

    PubMed

    Korinek, Kim; Loebach, Peter; Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan

    2017-10-01

    We examine the impacts of trauma exposures and family stressors associated with the Vietnam War on musculoskeletal health and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outcomes in elderly Vietnamese who were widely impacted by the war as young adults. Noting that wars' impacts extend beyond male veterans in most survivor populations, we give attention to male and female war survivors placed in a variety of roles vis-a-vis the war. Utilizing data from the 2010 Vietnam Health and Aging Pilot Study (N = 405), we use logistic and Poisson regression models to estimate the effect of wartime trauma exposures and family stressors on disabling arthritis and PTSD symptoms in male and female northern Vietnamese adults aged 55 and older. The odds of experiencing recent PTSD symptoms are greater in respondents who report involvement in killing/causing severe injury and who observed war atrocities. In women, PTSD is positively correlated with war era child death and spousal separation. Arthritis also exhibits a significant, positive association with killing/causing severe injury. Our study provides insights into the burden of conflict upon health among populations of the global south that survived war and are now entering older adulthood. The pattern of results, indicating greatest suffering among those who inflicted or failed to prevent bodily harm or loss of life, is consistent with the concept of moral injury. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. A confirmatory factor analysis of the Impact of Event Scale using a sample of World War II and Korean War veterans.

    PubMed

    Shevlin, M; Hunt, N; Robbins, I

    2000-12-01

    This study assessed the factor structure of the Impact of Event Scale (IES), a measure of intrusion and avoidance, using a sample of World War II and Korean War veterans who had experienced combat 40-50 years earlier. A series of 3 confirmatory factor analytic models were specified and estimated using LISREL 8.3. Model 1 specified a 1-factor model. Model 2 specified a correlated 2-factor model. Model 3 specified a 2-factor model with additional cross-factor loadings for Items 2 and 12. Model 3 was found to fit the data. In addition, this model was found to be a better explanation of the data than the other models. Also in addition, the correlations between the Intrusion and Avoidance factors and the 4 subscales of the 28-item General Health Questionnaire were examined to determine the distinctiveness of the two IES factors.

  12. Posttraumatic symptoms, marital intimacy, dyadic adjustment, and sexual satisfaction among ex-prisoners of war.

    PubMed

    Zerach, Gadi; Anat, Ben-David; Solomon, Zahava; Heruti, Rafi

    2010-08-01

    The aversive impact of combat and combat-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction has been examined in several studies. Nevertheless, the toll of war captivity on marital intimacy in relation to dyadic adjustment and sexual satisfaction remains unknown. In particular, the mediating role of marital intimacy in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and dyadic adjustment and between PTSD symptoms and sexual satisfaction has not yet been systematically explored thus far. Aims.  This study aimed to examine the interrelationships of PTSD symptoms, dyadic adjustment, sexual satisfaction, and marital intimacy among ex-prisoners of war (ex-POWs). A sample of Israeli veterans ex-POWs (ex-POWs: N = 105) from the 1973 Yom Kippur War and a matched comparison group of veterans who participated in the same war but were not held captive (control: N = 94) were compared in the study variables. The PTSD inventory, dyadic adjustment scale, index of sexual satisfaction, and capacity for intimacy questionnaire. Results.  Findings revealed that ex-POWs reported higher levels of PTSD symptoms and lower levels of dyadic adjustment and sexual satisfaction than comparable controls. There were also differences between the groups in the pattern of relations between PTSD symptoms, dyadic adjustment, sexual satisfaction, and marital intimacy. Finally, for ex-POWs, marital intimacy partially mediated the relationships between PTSD symptoms and dyadic adjustment and sexual satisfaction outcome measures. PTSD symptoms are implicated in marital problems of ex-POWs. A significant relationship was found between the traumatized ex-POW's capacity for intimacy and both their sexual satisfaction and dyadic adjustment. © 2010 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  13. The Swiss "Willensnation" at Risk: Teachers in the Cultural Gap during the First World War

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brühwiler, Ingrid

    2015-01-01

    As a neutral and multilingual country, Switzerland struggled with major domestic political conflicts during the First World War due to the two cultures of the French-speaking and German-speaking parts of the country. The divided cultural loyalties ("fossé moral", "Röstigraben"), consisting of Swiss-Germans supporting Germany…

  14. Effectiveness of battlefield-ethics training during combat deployment: a programme assessment.

    PubMed

    Warner, Christopher H; Appenzeller, George N; Mobbs, Angela; Parker, Jessica R; Warner, Carolynn M; Grieger, Thomas; Hoge, Charles W

    2011-09-03

    Breakdowns in the ethical conduct of soldiers towards non-combatants on the battlefield are of grave concern in war. Evidence-based training approaches to prevent unethical conduct are scarce. We assessed the effectiveness of battlefield-ethics training and factors associated with unethical battlefield conduct. The training package, based on movie vignettes and leader-led discussions, was administered 7 to 8 months into a 15-month high-intensity combat deployment in Iraq, between Dec 11, 2007, and Jan 30, 2008. Soldiers from an infantry brigade combat team (total population about 3500) were randomly selected, on the basis of company and the last four digits of each soldier's social security number, and invited to complete an anonymous survey 3 months after completion of the training. Reports of unethical behaviour and attitudes in this sample were compared with a randomly selected pre-training sample from the same brigade. The response patterns for ethical behaviour and reporting of ethical violations were analysed with chi-square analyses. We developed two logistic regression models using self-reported unethical behaviours as dependent variables. Factors associated with unethical conduct, including combat experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were assessed with validated scales. Of 500 randomly selected soldiers 421 agreed to participate in the anonymous post-training survey. A total of 397 soldiers of the same brigade completed the pre-training survey. Training was associated with significantly lower rates of unethical conduct of soldiers and greater willingness to report and address misconduct than in those before training. For example, reports of unnecessary damage or destruction of private property decreased from 13·6% (54 of 397; 95% CI 10·2-17·0) before training to 5·0% (21 of 421; 2·9-7·1) after training (percent difference -63·2%; p<0·0001), and willingness to report a unit member for mistreatment of a non-combatant increased from

  15. Educating Moral Emotions or Moral Selves: A False Dichotomy?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kristjansson, Kristjan

    2010-01-01

    In the post-Kohlbergian era of moral education, a "moral gap" has been identified between moral cognition and moral action. Contemporary moral psychologists lock horns over how this gap might be bridged. The two main contenders for such bridge-building are moral emotions and moral selves. I explore these two options from an Aristotelian…

  16. Proscriptive versus prescriptive morality: two faces of moral regulation.

    PubMed

    Janoff-Bulman, Ronnie; Sheikh, Sana; Hepp, Sebastian

    2009-03-01

    A distinction is made between two forms of morality on the basis of approach-avoidance differences in self-regulation. Prescriptive morality is sensitive to positive outcomes, activation-based, and focused on what we should do. Proscriptive morality is sensitive to negative outcomes, inhibition-based, and focused on what we should not do. Seven studies profile these two faces of morality, support their distinct motivational underpinnings, and provide evidence of moral asymmetry. Both are well-represented in individuals' moral repertoire and equivalent in terms of moral weight, but proscriptive morality is condemnatory and strict, whereas prescriptive morality is commendatory and not strict. More specifically, in these studies proscriptive morality was perceived as concrete, mandatory, and duty-based, whereas prescriptive morality was perceived as more abstract, discretionary, and based in duty or desire; proscriptive immorality resulted in greater blame, whereas prescriptive morality resulted in greater moral credit. Implications for broader social regulation, including cross-cultural differences and political orientation, are discussed.

  17. Management of colonic injuries in the combat theater.

    PubMed

    Cho, S David; Kiraly, Laszlo N; Flaherty, Stephen F; Herzig, Daniel O; Lu, Kim C; Schreiber, Martin A

    2010-05-01

    Combat injuries are more often associated with blast, penetrating, and high-energy mechanisms than civilian trauma, generating controversy about the management of combat colonic injury. Despite implementation of mandatory colostomy in World War II, recent civilian data suggest that primary repair without diversion is safe and feasible. This study describes the modern management of battle-related colonic injuries and seeks to determine whether management strategy affects early complications. Records from the combat theater (downrange) and tertiary referral center in Germany were retrospectively reviewed from 2005 to 2006. Patient characteristics, management strategy, treatment course, and early complications were recorded. Comparison groups by management strategy were as follows: primary repair, diversion, and damage control. A total of 133 (97% male) patients sustained colonic injuries from penetrating (71%), blunt (5%), and blast (23%) mechanisms. Average injury severity score was 21 and length of stay in the referral center was 7.1 days. Injury distribution was 21% ascending, 21% descending, 15% transverse, 27% sigmoid, and 25% rectum. Downrange complications for primary repair, initial ostomy, and damage control groups were 14%, 15%, and 30%, respectively. On discharge from the center, 62% of patients had undergone a diversion. The complication rate was 18% overall and was unrelated to management strategy (P = .16). Multivariate analysis did not identify independent predictors of complications. Early complications were similar by mechanism, anatomic location, severity of injury, and management strategy. More diversions were performed for rectosigmoid injury. Good surgical judgment allows for low morbidity and supports primary repair in selected cases. Damage control surgery is effective in a multinational theater of operations.

  18. Famous head injuries of the first aerial war: deaths of the "Knights of the Air".

    PubMed

    Koul, Prateeka; Mau, Christine; Sabourin, Victor M; Gandhi, Chirag D; Prestigiacomo, Charles J

    2015-07-01

    World War I advanced the development of aviation from the concept of flight to the use of aircraft on the battlefield. Fighter planes advanced technologically as the war progressed. Fighter pilot aces Francesco Baracca and Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron) were two of the most famous pilots of this time period. These courageous fighter aces skillfully maneuvered their SPAD and Albatros planes, respectively, while battling enemies and scoring aerial victories that contributed to the course of the war. The media thrilled the public with their depictions of the heroic feats of fighter pilots such as Baracca and the Red Baron. Despite their aerial prowess, both pilots would eventually be shot down in combat. Although the accounts of their deaths are debated, it is undeniable that both were victims of traumatic head injury.

  19. Striving for the moral self: the effects of recalling past moral actions on future moral behavior.

    PubMed

    Jordan, Jennifer; Mullen, Elizabeth; Murnighan, J Keith

    2011-05-01

    People's desires to see themselves as moral actors can contribute to their striving for and achievement of a sense of self-completeness. The authors use self-completion theory to predict (and show) that recalling one's own (im)moral behavior leads to compensatory rather than consistent moral action as a way of completing the moral self. In three studies, people who recalled their immoral behavior reported greater participation in moral activities (Study 1), reported stronger prosocial intentions (Study 2), and showed less cheating (Study 3) than people who recalled their moral behavior. These compensatory effects were related to the moral magnitude of the recalled event, but they did not emerge when people recalled their own positive or negative nonmoral behavior (Study 2) or others' (im)moral behavior (Study 3). Thus, the authors extend self-completion theory to the moral domain and use it to integrate the research on moral cleansing (remunerative moral strivings) and moral licensing (relaxed moral strivings).

  20. Moral Communities and Moral Leadership.

    PubMed

    Chambers, David W

    2015-01-01

    The American College of Dentists is embarking on a multiyear project to improve ethics in dentistry. Early indications are that the focus will be on actual moral behavior rather than theory, that we will include organizations as ethical units, and that we will focus on building moral leadership. There is little evidence that the "telling individuals how to behave" approach to ethics is having the hoped-for effect. As a profession, dentistry is based on shared trust. The public level of trust in practitioners is acceptable, but could be improved, and will need to be strengthened to reduce the risk of increasing regulation. While feedback from the way dentists and patients view ethics is generally reassuring, dentists are often at odds with patients and their colleagues over how the profesion manages itself. Individuals are an inconsistent mix of good and bad behavior, and it may be more helpful to make small improvements in the habits of all dentists than to try to take a few certifiably dishonest ones off the street. A computer simulation model of dentistry as a moral community suggests that the profession will always have the proportion of bad actors it will tolerate, that moral leadership is a difficult posture to maintain, that massive interventions to correct imbalances through education or other means will be wasted unless the system as a whole is modified, and that most dentists see no compelling benefit in changing the ethical climate of the profession because they are doing just fine. Considering organiza-tions as loci of moral behavior reveals questionable practices that otherwise remain undetected, including moral distress, fragmentation, fictitious dentists, moral fading, decoupling, responsibility shifting, and moral priming. What is most needed is not phillosophy or principles, but moral leadership.

  1. The Integration of the Naval Unmanned Combat Aerial System (N-UCAS) into the Future Naval Air Wing

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    5 Table 1. Aircraft Combat Radius from World War II (WWII) Through 1990s6 Period  Airframe  Distance  WW2   F6F  400nm     TBF  400nm     SB2C...override the computers, take control, and guide his two bombs to target by infrared video imagery. Otherwise, our auto piloted computer was programmed

  2. Combat games

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ardema, M. D.; Heymann, M.; Rajan, N.

    1985-01-01

    A mathematical formulation is proposed of a combat game between two opponents with offensive capabilities and offensive objective is proposed. Resolution of the combat involves solving two differential games with state constraints. Depending on the game dynamics and parameters, the combat can terminate in one of four ways: the first player wins; the second player wins; a draw (neither wins); or joint capture. In the first two cases, the optimal strategies of the two players are determined from suitable zero-sum games, whereas in the latter two the relevant games are nonzero-sum. Further, to avoid certain technical difficulties, the concept of a delta-combat game is introduced.

  3. Psychosocial rehabilitation after war trauma with adaptive disclosure: Design and rationale of a comparative efficacy trial.

    PubMed

    Yeterian, Julie D; Berke, Danielle S; Litz, Brett T

    2017-10-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from warzone exposure is associated with chronic and disabling social and occupational problems. However, functional impairment is rarely assessed or targeted directly in PTSD treatments, which instead focus on symptom reduction. Trauma-related contributors to diminished functioning, including guilt, shame, and anger resulting from morally compromising or loss-based war experiences, are also underemphasized. The goal of this clinical trial is to fill a substantial gap in the treatment of military-related PTSD by testing a modified Adaptive Disclosure (AD) therapy for war-related PTSD stemming from moral injury and traumatic loss focused on improving psychosocial functioning AD. This paper describes the rationale and design of a multi-site randomized controlled trial comparing AD to Present-Centered Therapy (PCT). We will recruit 186 veterans with PTSD, who will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 3- and 6-months post-treatment. Primary outcomes are functional changes (i.e., functioning/disability and quality of life). Secondary outcomes are mental health variables (i.e., PTSD, depression, guilt, shame). We hypothesize that veterans treated with AD will experience greater improvements in all outcomes compared to those treated with PCT. This trial will advance knowledge in rehabilitation research by testing the first therapy specifically designed to address psychosocial functioning among veterans with war-related PTSD. The results may improve the quality of mental health care for veterans by offering an ecologically sound treatment for experiences that are uniquely impactful for war veterans. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Why be moral? Moral identity motivation and age.

    PubMed

    Krettenauer, Tobias; Victor, Rosemary

    2017-08-01

    Moral identity research to date has largely failed to provide evidence for developmental trends in moral identity, presumably because of restrictions in the age range of studies and the use of moral identity measures that are insensitive to age-related change. The present study investigated moral identity motivation across a broad age range (14-65 years, M = 33.48; N = 252) using a modified version of the Good Self-Assessment Interview. Individuals' moral identity motivation was coded and categorized as external, internal, or relationship-oriented. It was found that with age, external moral identity motivation decreased, whereas internal moral identity motivation increased. Effects of age were stronger in adolescence and emerging adulthood than in young adulthood and middle age. Findings underscore the developmental nature of the moral identity construct and suggest that moral motivation becomes more self-integrated with age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  5. The Art of Culture War: (Un)Popular Culture, Freedom of Expression, and Art Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darts, David

    2008-01-01

    This article examines the culture wars in the United States and considers their impact on the field of art education. Stretching across virtually ever facet of contemporary culture, these ideologically charged battles over opposing moral values and fundamental belief systems are an intrinsic part of the ongoing struggle to define and control U.S.…

  6. A functional imaging investigation of moral deliberation and moral intuition

    PubMed Central

    Harenski, Carla L.; Antonenko, Olga; Shane, Matthew S.; Kiehl, Kent A.

    2014-01-01

    Prior functional imaging studies of moral processing have utilized ‘explicit’ moral tasks that involve moral deliberation (e.g., reading statements such as ‘he shot the victim’ and rating the moral appropriateness of the behavior) or ‘implicit’ moral tasks that involve moral intuition (e.g., reading similar statements and memorizing them for a test but not rating their moral appropriateness). Although the neural mechanisms underlying moral deliberation and moral intuition may differ, these have not been directly compared. Studies using explicit moral tasks have reported increased activity in several regions, most consistently the medial prefrontal cortex and temporo-parietal junction. In the few studies that have utilized implicit moral tasks, medial prefrontal activity has been less consistent, suggesting the medial prefrontal cortex is more critical for moral deliberation than moral intuition. Thus, we hypothesized that medial prefrontal activity would be increased during an explicit, but not an implicit, moral task. Participants (n = 28) were scanned using fMRI while viewing 50 unpleasant pictures, half of which depicted moral violations. Half of the participants rated pictures on moral violation severity (explicit task) while the other half indicated whether pictures occurred indoors or outdoors (implicit task). As predicted, participants performing the explicit, but not the implicit, task showed increased ventromedial prefrontal activity while viewing moral pictures. Both groups showed increased temporo-parietal junction activity while viewing moral pictures. These results suggest that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex may contribute more to moral deliberation than moral intuition, whereas the temporo-parietal junction may contribute more to moral intuition than moral deliberation. PMID:19878727

  7. Understanding combat casualty care statistics.

    PubMed

    Holcomb, John B; Stansbury, Lynn G; Champion, Howard R; Wade, Charles; Bellamy, Ronald F

    2006-02-01

    Maintaining good hospital records during military conflicts can provide medical personnel and researchers with feedback to rapidly adjust treatment strategies and improve outcomes. But to convert the resulting raw data into meaningful conclusions requires clear terminology and well thought out equations, utilizing consistent numerators and denominators. Our objective was to arrive at terminology and equations that would produce the best insight into the effectiveness of care at different stages of treatment, either pre or post medical treatment facility care. We first clarified three essential terms: 1) the case fatality rate (CFR) as percentage of fatalities among all wounded; 2) killed in action (KIA) as percentage of immediate deaths among all seriously injured (not returning to duty); and 3) died of wounds (DOW) as percentage of deaths following admission to a medical treatment facility among all seriously injured (not returning to duty). These equations were then applied consistently across data from the WWII, Vietnam and the current Global War on Terrorism. Using this clear set of definitions we used the equations to ask two basic questions: What is the overall lethality of the battlefield? How effective is combat casualty care? To answer these questions with current data, the three services have collaboratively created a joint theater trauma registry (JTTR), cataloging all the serious injuries, procedures, and outcomes for the current war. These definitions and equations, consistently applied to the JTTR, will allow meaningful comparisons and help direct future research and appropriate application of personnel.

  8. The Absurdity of Moderation in War: Is Military Force a Credible Means to Compel United States Political Will in the 21st Century?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-01

    this moral justification, relative to civil-military relations, was the development of a military culture that considered war to be a failure of...as the favored concept of warfare to shape the international environment. 5 The evolved cultural myopic U.S. desire for rapid and decisive...territory once was, are re-defining military responsibility and utility. 7 These political, legal, moral , ethical and fiscal considerations constrain the

  9. Insects as weapons of war, terror, and torture.

    PubMed

    Lockwood, Jeffrey A

    2012-01-01

    For thousands of years insects have been incorporated into human conflict, with the goals of inflicting pain, destroying food, and transmitting pathogens. Early methods used insects as "found" weapons, functioning as tactical arms (e.g., hurled nests) or in strategic habitats (e.g., mosquito-infested swamps). In the twentieth century the relationship between insects and disease was exploited; vectors were mass-produced to efficiently deliver pathogens to an enemy. The two most sophisticated programs were those of the Japanese in World War II with plague-infected fleas and cholera-coated flies and of the Americans during the Cold War with yellow fever-infected mosquitoes. With continued advances, defenses in the form of insecticides and vaccines meant that insects were no longer considered as battlefield weapons. However, in recent times sociopolitical changes have put insects back into the realm of human conflict through asymmetrical conflicts pitting combatants from nonindustrialized regions against forces from militarily and economically superior nations. Copyright © 2012 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.

  10. Combat musculoskeletal wounds in a US Army Brigade Combat Team during operation Iraqi Freedom.

    PubMed

    Belmont, Philip J; Thomas, Dimitri; Goodman, Gens P; Schoenfeld, Andrew J; Zacchilli, Michael; Burks, Rob; Owens, Brett D

    2011-07-01

    A prospective, longitudinal analysis of musculoskeletal combat injuries sustained by a large combat-deployed maneuver unit has not previously been performed. A detailed description of the musculoskeletal combat casualty care statistics, distribution of wounds, and mechanisms of injury incurred by a US Army Brigade Combat Team during "The Surge" phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom was performed using a centralized casualty database and an electronic medical record system. Among the 4,122 soldiers deployed, there were 242 musculoskeletal combat wounds in 176 combat casualties. The musculoskeletal combat casualty rate for the Brigade Combat Team was 34.2 per 1,000 soldier combat-years. Spine, pelvis, and long bone fractures comprised 55.9% (33 of 59) of the total fractures sustained in combat. Explosions accounted for 80.7% (142 of 176) of all musculoskeletal combat casualties. Musculoskeletal combat casualty wound incidence rates per 1,000 combat-years were as follows: major amputation, 2.1; minor amputation, 0.6; open fracture, 5.0; closed fracture, 6.4; and soft-tissue/neurovascular injury, 32.8. Among musculoskeletal combat casualties, the likelihood of a gunshot wound causing an open fracture was significantly greater (45.8% [11 of 24]) when compared with explosions (10.6% [15 of 142]) (p = 0.0006). Long bone amputations were more often caused by explosive mechanisms than gunshot wounds. A large burden of complex orthopedic injuries has resulted from the combat experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is because of increased enemy reliance on explosive devices, the use of individual and vehicular body armor, and improved survivability of combat-injured soldiers.

  11. Moral Hard‐Wiring and Moral Enhancement

    PubMed Central

    Persson, Ingmar

    2017-01-01

    Abstract We have argued for an urgent need for moral bioenhancement; that human moral psychology is limited in its ability to address current existential threats due to the evolutionary function of morality to maximize cooperation in small groups. We address here Powell and Buchanan's novel objection that there is an ‘inclusivist anomaly’: humans have the capacity to care beyond in‐groups. They propose that ‘exclusivist’ (group‐based) morality is sensitive to environmental cues that historically indicated out‐group threat. When this is not present, we are inclusivist. They conclude that moral bioenhancement is unnecessary or less effective than socio‐cultural interventions. We argue that Powell and Buchanan underestimate the hard‐wiring features of moral psychology; their appeal to adaptively plastic, conditionally expressed responses accounts for only a fragment of our moral psychology. In addition to restrictions on our altruistic concern that their account addresses – such as racism and sexism – there are ones it is ill‐suited to address: that our concern is stronger for kin and friends and for concrete individuals rather than for statistical lives; also our bias towards the near future. Hard‐wired features of our moral psychology that are not clearly restrictions in altruistic concern also include reciprocity, tit‐for‐tat, and others. Biomedical means are not the only, and maybe not the most important, means of moral enhancement. Socio‐cultural means are of great importance and there are currently no biomedical interventions for many hard‐wired features. Nevertheless research is desirable because the influence of these features is greater than our critics think. PMID:28300281

  12. On Moral Luck and Nonideal Moral Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chinnery, Ann

    2015-01-01

    In contrast to the Kantian principle that we are morally accountable only for those actions over which we have control, Bernard Williams, Thomas Nagel, and others have argued that luck plays a significant role in the moral life. Put briefly, moral luck is at play when we are appropriately praised or blamed for our moral actions despite the fact…

  13. Education as Cultural Mobilisation: The Great War and Its Effects on Moral Education in the Netherlands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stolk, Vincent; Los, Willeke; Karsten, Sjoerd

    2014-01-01

    Education during World War I has been a relatively unexplored field of research, especially in the case of countries with a neutral stance in that war. The Netherlands is one such country. This article argues that even though the Netherlands was politically neutral, it was and considered itself a part of western civilisation and shared in the…

  14. The Realities of War: Assessing the Operational Risk of Revoking the Combat Exclusion Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-05-23

    Grenade RSOI Reception , Staging, and Onward Integration SEAD Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses SOF Special Operations Forces vii TAA Tactical Assembly...Diego Garcia[,] brought rations, cots, tents, blankets, and medical supplies, as well as refrigerated trailers , reverse-osmosis water- purification...78 In all, Desert Dragon II enabled the reception , staging, and onward integration (RSOI) of such a significant amount of combat power that the

  15. The Importance of Combat Ethics Training: Solidifying Marines Footing on the Moral High Ground

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    dilemma is often described as the choice between two potentially negative options. According to Marine Corps doctrine, an ethical dilemma is "the necessity...basis. There are situations where finding the morality in one of two negative courses is difficult, however this is not a situation ~--- - -- ---where...includes leadership, professionalism, and innovation in the military. implemented, and organizationally cumbersome. The reality is that younger Marine

  16. Proposals for chemical weapons during the American Civil War.

    PubMed

    Hasegawa, Guy R

    2008-05-01

    Proposals for chemical weapons that arose during the American Civil War are described. Most incendiary and all biological agents are excluded. The described proposals appeared primarily in periodicals or letters to government officials on both sides. The weapons were usually meant to temporarily disable enemy combatants, but some might have been lethal, and Civil War caregivers were ill-prepared to deal with the weapons' effects. Evidently, none of the proposed weapons were used. In only one instance was use against civilians mentioned. Among the agents most commonly proposed were cayenne pepper or other plant-based irritants such as black pepper, snuff, mustard, and veratria. Other suggested agents included chloroform, chlorine, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic compounds, sulfur, and acids. Proponents usually suggested that the chemicals be included in explosive artillery projectiles. Less commonly proposed vehicles of delivery included fire engines, kites, and manned balloons. Some of the proposed weapons have modern counterparts.

  17. The Invisible Wound: Moral Injury and Its Impact on the Health of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans.

    PubMed

    Yan, Grace W

    2016-05-01

    Many veterans are now returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) deployments with physical and mental health problems. However, there are few studies that examine the impact of moral injury on both physical and mental well-being. This study examines the impact of moral injury on self-reported general physical health, general mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and depression symptoms. Cross-sectional data were collected at as part of a pilot study at the New Jersey Veteran Affairs. 100 OEF/OIF veterans recruited at the New Jersey Veteran Affairs completed the paper questionnaire. We found that moral injury and combat experiences positively predicted post-traumatic stress disorder scores. Seeing the aftermath of battle and moral injury were negatively associated with mental well-being and positively associated with depression. Physical health status was negatively associated with depression. Spirituality and moral injury were negatively associated with physical health, whereas age was positively associated with physical health. Moral injury plays an important role in both physical and mental health outcomes for OEF/OIF veterans, but it is often not addressed in health care. These results underline the need for an approach to veterans' health care that includes discussion of existential and moral issues since they may impact health outcomes for many service members. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  18. The Utility and Consequences of Using Impressed Child Soldiers in Africa’s Contemporary Wars

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-04-01

    AU/ACSC/090/2000-04 AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY THE UTILITY AND CONSEQUENCES OF USING IMPRESSED CHILD SOLDIERS IN AFRICA’S...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Utility and Consequences of Using Impressed Child Soldiers in Africa’s Contemporary Wars 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...VII THE NEW ERA OF THE CHILD SOLDIERS IN AFRICA’S COMBAT ZONES.......................1

  19. Moral Hard-Wiring and Moral Enhancement.

    PubMed

    Persson, Ingmar; Savulescu, Julian

    2017-05-01

    We have argued for an urgent need for moral bioenhancement; that human moral psychology is limited in its ability to address current existential threats due to the evolutionary function of morality to maximize cooperation in small groups. We address here Powell and Buchanan's novel objection that there is an 'inclusivist anomaly': humans have the capacity to care beyond in-groups. They propose that 'exclusivist' (group-based) morality is sensitive to environmental cues that historically indicated out-group threat. When this is not present, we are inclusivist. They conclude that moral bioenhancement is unnecessary or less effective than socio-cultural interventions. We argue that Powell and Buchanan underestimate the hard-wiring features of moral psychology; their appeal to adaptively plastic, conditionally expressed responses accounts for only a fragment of our moral psychology. In addition to restrictions on our altruistic concern that their account addresses - such as racism and sexism - there are ones it is ill-suited to address: that our concern is stronger for kin and friends and for concrete individuals rather than for statistical lives; also our bias towards the near future. Hard-wired features of our moral psychology that are not clearly restrictions in altruistic concern also include reciprocity, tit-for-tat, and others. Biomedical means are not the only, and maybe not the most important, means of moral enhancement. Socio-cultural means are of great importance and there are currently no biomedical interventions for many hard-wired features. Nevertheless research is desirable because the influence of these features is greater than our critics think. © 2017 The Authors Bioethics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Children's moral emotions and moral cognition: towards an integrative perspective.

    PubMed

    Malti, Tina; Latzko, Brigitte

    2010-01-01

    This chapter presents a brief introduction to the developmental and educational literature linking children's moral emotions to cognitive moral development. A central premise of the chapter is that an integrative developmental perspective on moral emotions and moral cognition provides an important conceptual framework for understanding children's emerging morality and designing developmentally sensitive moral intervention strategies. The subsequent chapters present promising conceptual approaches and empirical evidence linking children's moral emotions to moral cognition. Examples of integrated educational interventions intended to enhance children's moral development are presented and discussed. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. These Honored Dead: The Battle of Rivers Bridge and Civil War Combat Casualties. Teaching with Historic Places.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Dan

    Encountering the U.S. Civil War on a smaller, human scale makes the conflict more approachable, vivid, and real. Rivers Bridge State Historic Site (South Carolina) offers a glimpse of the Civil War on such a scale. The small area allows visitors to comprehend the entire battlefield, its tactics, and to see how veteran troops near the end of the…

  2. The Financial War on Terrorism: Grading U.S. Strategy for Combating the Financing of Terrorism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-04-15

    15 April 2006 Signature______________________________ Thesis Advisor: CAPTAIN Dave Jerabek, US Navy Report Documentation...activities to combat terrorist financing, this thesis proposes how DoD can use threat finance exploitation to meaningfully support the overall...of Terrorism FORMAT: Thesis DATE: 14 April 2006 PAGES: 94 CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified Following the September 11, 2001, attacks

  3. Why We Fight: Mass Persuasion, Morale, and American Public Opinion from World War I Until the Present

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-01

    fascist and Japanese imperial aggression, is generally considered straightforward. Can the same be said for propaganda’s effectiveness during the...multimedia propaganda include Film Propaganda in Britain and Nazi Germany: World War II Cinema , Jo Fox; Imagined Battles: Reflections on War in

  4. How to think about nuclear war

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Luttwak, E.N.

    1982-08-01

    Mr. Luttwak, a professional defense consultant, observes the arguments of nuclear freeze proponents can be refuted on both strategic and moral grounds. The freeze concept is illogical, he notes, because it is political systems - not state boundaries - that separate sides and because the Warsaw Pact countries are more heavily armed than the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries. An important factor keeping NATO forces at a disadvantage is their defensive orientation, which keeps forces militarily diffuse and dependent on nuclear weapons and preemptive action as a deterrent. Mr. Luttwak feels the shock effect of any use of nuclearmore » weapons would probably shorten a war rather than expand it because of the instinct for survival on both sides; further only nuclear weapons have this awesome power to deter. The proposal for universal disarmament under world government control is not a serious one, he thinks, and reflects an indifference to the possibility of a long non-nuclear war. The effect would be to trade the risk of nuclear death for the inevitability of many non-nuclear casualties. (DCK)« less

  5. We all lost the Cold War

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lebow, R.N.; Stein, J.G.

    1994-12-31

    The purpose of the book is to use the experience of two actual Cold War crises to test the hypothesis that it was the U.S. strategy of deterrence that was primarily responsible for preventing war with the Soviet Union and teaching them that aggression would not pay. The two crises; the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and the Middle East crisis of 1973 have been widely interpreted as victories for U.S. deterence strategy. The authors draw on sources that were previously unavailable, both documents and interviews. The authors show that it was the fear of any nuclear use, not quantitativemore » assessments of the nuclear balance, that deterred both Soviet and American leaders in the two crises examined. Each side believed that the loss of even a single city was unacceptable. This implies that the benefits of nuclear weapons derive from their ability to annihilate cities. A policy of finite deterence would rely almost exclusively on this threat to civilians, raising further moral questions.« less

  6. Just Say Yes: Winning the U.S. War on Drugs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-01

    Prohibition Clearly the U.S. needs to find ways to prevent Mexico’s drug war from threatening the safety and security of U.S. citizens. Many of...fines and incarceration. While the goal of the U.S. policy is to prevent all illegal drug use, many negative unintended consequences result from...any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient

  7. [The struggle against malaria in the Ottoman Empire during World War I and the legal regulations made to this end].

    PubMed

    Koylu, Zafer; Doğan, Nihal

    2010-01-01

    One of the most important disadvantages of war environmental is infectious diseases. The Ottoman Empire combated infectious diseases in addition to the war because of Balkan wars and afterwards first world war. Because of increasing migrations to Anatolia after Balkan wars spread some epidemic diseases, such as cholera, typhoid fever, plaque, dysentery, syphilis. With the start of the First World War, malaria began to spread within civilian population as well as the military. The population fell from power because of illness and therefore could not process the land tax failed to pay taxes. Founded in 1914 with the fight against epidemic diseases was initiated by the Sıhhiye ministry. Quinine was formed as tablets which was imported from Germany by legal regulation and was distributed to the public by Ziraat Bank. However, malaria epidemic could not be prevented because of long war years, lack of population, insufficiency of the preventive methods and lack of quinine, and about three quarters of the population caught malaria and in four years 412.000 soldiers had malaria and 20.000 of them died despite of measures.

  8. Comorbidity of PTSD and depression in Korean War veterans: prevalence, predictors, and impairment.

    PubMed

    Ikin, Jillian F; Creamer, Mark C; Sim, Malcolm R; McKenzie, Dean P

    2010-09-01

    Rates of PTSD and depression are high in Korean War veterans. The prevalence and impact of the two disorders occurring comorbidly, however, has not been investigated. This paper aims to investigate the extent to which PTSD and depression co-occur in Australian veterans of the Korean War, the symptom severity characteristics of comorbidity, the impact on life satisfaction and quality, and the association with war-related predictors. Veterans (N=5352) completed self-report questionnaires including the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Life Satisfaction Scale, the brief World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire and the Combat Exposure Scale. Seventeen percent of veterans met criteria for comorbid PTSD and depression, 15% had PTSD without depression, and a further 6% had depression without PTSD. Compared with either disorder alone, comorbidity was associated with impaired life satisfaction, reduced quality of life, and greater symptom severity. Several war-related factors were associated with comorbidity and with PTSD alone, but not with depression alone. The reliance on self-reported measures and the necessity for retrospective assessment of some deployment-related factors renders some study data vulnerable to recall bias. Comorbid PTSD and depression, and PTSD alone, are prevalent among Korean War veterans, are both associated with war-related factors 50 years after the Korean War, and may represent a single traumatic stress construct. The results have important implications for understanding complex psychopathology following trauma. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. The Complexities of Moral Education in a Liberal, Pluralistic Society: The Cases of Socrates, Mrs. Pettit, and Adolf Eichmann.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beatty, Joseph

    1985-01-01

    The cases of three individuals charged with corrupting the young are considered in a discussion of the teacher's role in the moral education of youth. Focus is on Socrates, a Los Angeles teacher fired because of membership in a sexually-oriented club, and a Nazi war criminal. (MSE)

  10. Cross (Unit)-Level Effects of Cohesion on Relationships of Suicide Thoughts to Combat Exposure, Postdeployment Stressors, and Postdeployment Social Support.

    PubMed

    Griffith, James

    2015-01-01

    A behavioral health concern for the US military has been suicide, largely due to its increased prevalence in the last several years during US involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), the present study examined relationships among combat exposure, postdeployment stressors, social support, and unit cohesion. Survey data were obtained from 4,567 soldiers who were members of 50 company-sized units. At the individual level, combat exposure and postdeployment stressors were associated with suicidal thoughts. Postdeployment social support was associated with fewer suicidal thoughts. There was no evidence of the stress-buffering effect of social support. At the group level, reduced risk for suicidal thoughts was associated with units having higher than average cohesion. Reduced risk for suicidal thoughts in conjunction with combat experiences was observed in units having higher than average cohesion, though not reaching a traditional level of statistical significance.

  11. Soviet Night Operations in World War II (Leavenworth Papers, Number 6)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-12-01

    German forces in the Crimea. The battle for the bridgehead began on 1 October, pitting six and a half German divisions against three Soviet armies...FaLd of Berlin, pp, 147-51; Chaney, Zkukov, p. 312; Sukhinin, “Combat Action,” p, 52. 49 62. Vasily Yezhakov, “The Berlin Operation,” Soviet Military...August 1980. Werth, Alexander. Russia at War, 1941-1945. New York: E. P. Dutton and co., 1964. Yezhakov, Vasily . ‘“The Berlin Operation.” Soviet

  12. Moral panic, moral regulation, and the civilizing process.

    PubMed

    Hier, Sean

    2016-09-01

    This article compares two analytical frameworks ostensibly formulated to widen the focus of moral panic studies. The comparative analysis suggests that attempts to conceptualize moral panics in terms of decivilizing processes have neither substantively supplemented the explanatory gains made by conceptualizing moral panic as a form of moral regulation nor provided a viable alternative framework that better explains the dynamics of contemporary moral panics. The article concludes that Elias's meta-theory of the civilizing process potentially provides explanatory resources to investigate a possible historical-structural shift towards the so-called age of (a)moral panic; the analytical demands of such a project, however, require a sufficiently different line of inquiry than the one encouraged by both the regulatory and decivilizing perspectives on moral panic. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2016.

  13. United States Army Rangers in Somalia: an analysis of combat casualties on an urban battlefield.

    PubMed

    Mabry, R L; Holcomb, J B; Baker, A M; Cloonan, C C; Uhorchak, J M; Perkins, D E; Canfield, A J; Hagmann, J H

    2000-09-01

    This study was undertaken to determined the differences in injury patterns between soldiers equipped with modern body armor in an urban environment compared with the soldiers of the Vietnam War. From July 1998 to March 1999, data were collected for a retrospective analysis on all combat casualties sustained by United States military forces in Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 3 and 4, 1993. This was the largest and most recent urban battle involving United States ground forces since the Vietnam War. There were 125 combat casualties. Casualty distribution was similar to that of Vietnam; 11% died on the battlefield, 3% died after reaching a medical facility, 47% were evacuated, and 39% returned to duty. The incidence of bullet wounds in Somalia was higher than in Vietnam (55% vs. 30%), whereas there were fewer fragment injuries (31% vs. 48%). Blunt injury (12%) and burns (2%) caused the remaining injuries in Somalia. Fatal penetrating injuries in Somalia compared with Vietnam included wounds to the head and face (36% vs. 35%), neck (7% vs. 8%), thorax (14% vs. 39%), abdomen (14% vs. 7%), thoracoabdominal (7% vs. 2%), pelvis (14% vs. 2%), and extremities (7% vs. 7%). No missiles penetrated the solid armor plate protecting the combatants' anterior chests and upper abdomens. Most fatal penetrating injuries were caused by missiles entering through areas not protected by body armor, such as the face, neck, pelvis, and groin. Three patients with penetrating abdominal wounds died from exsanguination, and two of these three died after damage-control procedures. The incidence of fatal head wounds was similar to that in Vietnam in spite of modern Kevlar helmets. Body armor reduced the number of fatal penetrating chest injuries. Penetrating wounds to the unprotected face, groin, and pelvis caused significant mortality. These data may be used to design improved body armor.

  14. The American Home Front: Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-01-01

    ledgm ents ................................................... xvii WAR AND SOCIETY IN AMERICA: SOME QUESTIONS ..... I 1. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 5 The...Price of War ...................................... 6 A Revolutionary Society at War ............................ 8 The Revolutionary Economy...obilizing the Union for War .................................... 67 Civil War and American Society . ................................ 71 O rganizing the

  15. Improved survival in UK combat casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan: 2003-2012.

    PubMed

    Penn-Barwell, Jowan G; Roberts, Stuart A G; Midwinter, Mark J; Bishop, Jon R B

    2015-05-01

    The United Kingdom was at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for more than a decade. Despite assertions regarding advances in military trauma care during these wars, thus far, no studies have examined survival in UK troops during this sustained period of combat. The aims of this study were to examine temporal changes of injury patterns defined by body region and survival in a population of UK Military casualties between 2003 and 2012 in Iraq and Afghanistan. The UK Military Joint Theatre Trauma Registry was searched for all UK Military casualties (survivors and fatalities) sustained on operations between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2012. The New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was used to stratify injury severity. There were 2,792 UK Military casualties sustaining 14,252 separate injuries during the study period. There were 608 fatalities (22% of all casualties). Approximately 70% of casualties injured in hostile action resulted from explosive munitions. The extremities were the most commonly injured body region, involved in 43% of all injuries. The NISS associated with a 50% chance of survival rose each year from 32 in 2003 to 60 in 2012. An improvement in survival during the 10-year period is demonstrated. A majority of wounds are a result of explosive munitions, and the extremities are the most commonly affected body region. The authors recommend the development of more sophisticated techniques for the measuring of the performance of combat casualty care systems to include measures of morbidity and functional recovery as well as survival. Epidemiologic study, level III.

  16. Amygdala volume in combat-exposed veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Janice R; Kaloupek, Danny G; Woodward, Steven H

    2012-10-01

    Data from animal models demonstrate a link between stress exposure and hypertrophic changes in the amygdala; however, studies of adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have failed to find analogous structural alterations. To compare amygdala volumes between a sample of combat veterans with and without PTSD (analysis 1) and examine whether our observation of larger amygdala volume in individuals with PTSD could be accounted for by the presence of trauma exposure in childhood and the severity of combat exposure in adulthood (analysis 2). Cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging. Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System Inpatient Trauma Recovery Program and Veterans Affairs New England Health Care System Outpatient PTSD program. Ninety-nine combat-exposed veterans from the Vietnam Conflict or the Persian Gulf War who had been exposed to substantial military operational stress. Amygdala volume adjusted for total cerebral volume, Life Events Checklist, and the Combat Exposure Scale. Analysis 1 indicated that combat-exposed individuals with PTSD exhibited larger total amygdala volume compared with their non-PTSD counterparts (99 individuals, P = .047). Analysis 2 indicated that greater severity of combat exposure (87 individuals, P = .02), as well as the interaction between the presence of early life trauma and the severity of combat exposure (87 individuals, P = .008), were significantly associated with smaller total amygdala volume. The PTSD diagnosis continued to explain larger amygdala volume (87 individuals, P = .006). Posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with enlarged amygdala volume, above the variance accounted for by a history of early life trauma and severity of adult trauma exposure. The discrepancy between our and prior findings may be explained by variability in these trauma indices in previous investigations. These findings support additional study of amygdala structure in human stress disorders and further delineation of the role of

  17. Oil terrorism-militancy link: Mediating role of moral disengagement in emergency and crisis management.

    PubMed

    Mafimisebi, Oluwasoye Patrick; Thorne, Sara

    2015-01-01

    The controversial issues of terrorism and militancy have generated contemporary interests and different interpretations have emerged on how to combat and manage these dangerous events. This study widens understanding of moral disengagement mechanism application in the perpetuation of inhumanities within the context of oil terrorist and militant behaviors. The research findings and model are explicit on how people form moral evaluations of agents who are forced to make morally relevant decisions over times in context of crisis situations. Quite crucially, understanding the context of terrorism and militancy provides policymakers, emergency and crisis managers better analysis and response to such events. The research fundamental purpose was to investigate the mediating role of moral disengagement on delinquency of oil terrorism and militancy; and considered implications for emergency and crisis management practices. The study found that situational-induced crises such as oil terrorism and militancy were sufficient to account for an individual's misdeeds and unethical or inhumane decisions made under frustration and agitation may be perceived as less indicative of one's fundamental character. Findings suggest that more repugnant delinquencies could have been committed in the name of justice than in the name of injustice, avenues for future research. In context, the result of the moral disengagement scale shows that morality of delinquency (oil terrorism and militancy) is accomplished by cognitively redefining the morality of such acts. The main finding is that people in resistance movements are rational actors making rational choices. The authors argue that theorists, policymakers, and practitioners must give meaningful attention to understanding the multidimensional nature of emergency, crisis and disaster management for better strength of synthesis between theory and practice. The research is concluded by thorough examination of the implication and limitations for

  18. Moral Judgments of In-Group and Out-Group Harm in Post-conflict Urban and Rural Croatian Communities

    PubMed Central

    Moncrieff, Michael A.; Lienard, Pierre

    2018-01-01

    Our research brings to light features of the social world that impact moral judgments and how they do so. The moral vignette data presented were collected in rural and urban Croatian communities that were involved to varying degrees in the Croatian Homeland War. We argue that rapid shifts in moral accommodations during periods of violent social strife can be explained by considering the role that coordination and social agents' ability to reconfigure their social network (i.e., relational mobility) play in moral reasoning. Social agents coordinate on (moral) norms, a general attitude which broadly facilitates cooperation, and makes possible the collective enforcement of compliance. During social strife interested parties recalibrate their determination of others' moral standing and recast their established moral circle, in accordance with their new or prevailing social investments. To that extent, social coordination—and its particular promoters, inhibitors, and determinants—effects significant changes in individuals' ranking of moral priorities. Results indicate that rural participants evaluate the harmful actions of third parties more harshly than urban participants. Coordination mediates that relationship between social environment and moral judgment. Coordination also matters more for the moral evaluation of the harmful actions of moral scenarios involving characters belonging to different social units than for scenarios involving characters belonging to the same group. Participants high in relational mobility—that ability to recompose one's social network—moralize similarly wrongdoings perpetrated by both in- and out-group members. Those low in relational mobility differentiate when an out-group member causes the harm. Additionally, perceptions of third-party guilt are also affected by specifics of the social environment. Overall, we find that social coordination and relational mobility affect moral reasoning more so than ethnic commitment. PMID

  19. Ten years and 100,000 participants later: occupational and other factors influencing participation in US Gulf War health registries.

    PubMed

    Smith, Tyler C; Smith, Besa; Ryan, Margaret A K; Gray, Gregory C; Hooper, Tomoko I; Heller, Jack M; Dalager, Nancy A; Kang, Han K; Gackstetter, Gary D

    2002-08-01

    For more than a decade after the Gulf War, there has been concern that wartime exposures have resulted in significant morbidity among Gulf War veterans. After the end of the war, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) initiated health registries to provide systematic clinical evaluations of Gulf War veterans who chose to participate. By September 1999, there were 32,876 participants in the DoD Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program and 70,385 participants in the VA Gulf War Registry Health Examination Program. We identified demographic and military service factors, as well as potential war-related exposures associated with subsequent registry participation after 10 years of observation. Veterans potentially exposed to oil well fire smoke, those near Khamisiyah, Reserve and National Guard, Army veterans, and veterans in the theater of operations during intense combat periods were most likely to elect to participate in a registry. These findings support the hypothesis that certain occupational factors and wartime exposures may influence subsequent health care-seeking behavior.

  20. Moralized Psychology or Psychologized Morality? Ethics and Psychology in Recent Theorizing about Moral and Character Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carr, David

    2007-01-01

    Moral philosophy seems well placed to claim the key role in theorizing about moral education. Indeed, moral philosophers have from antiquity had much to say about psychological and other processes of moral formation. Given this history, it may seem ironic that much systematic latter-day theorizing about moral education has been social scientific,…

  1. Navigating moral distress using the moral distress map.

    PubMed

    Dudzinski, Denise Marie

    2016-05-01

    The plethora of literature on moral distress has substantiated and refined the concept, provided data about clinicians' (especially nurses') experiences, and offered advice for coping. Fewer scholars have explored what makes moral distress moral If we acknowledge that patient care can be distressing in the best of ethical circumstances, then differentiating distress and moral distress may refine the array of actions that are likely to ameliorate it. This article builds upon scholarship exploring the normative and conceptual dimensions of moral distress and introduces a new tool to map moral distress from emotional source to corrective actions. The Moral Distress Map has proven useful in clinical teaching and ethics-related debriefings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  2. War-related extremity injuries in children: 89 cases managed in a combat support hospital in Afghanistan.

    PubMed

    Bertani, A; Mathieu, L; Dahan, J-L; Launay, F; Rongiéras, F; Rigal, S

    2015-05-01

    Meeting paediatric needs is among the priorities of western healthcare providers working in Afghanistan. Insufficient information is available on paediatric wartime injuries to the extremities. Our objective here was to describe these injuries and their management on the field. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive cases of injuries to the extremities in children (< 16 years of age) due to weapons and managed at the Kabul International Airport (KaIA) Combat Support Hospital between June 2009 and April 2013. We identified 89 patients with a mean age of 10.2 ± 3.5 years and a total of 137 elemental lesions. Explosive devices accounted for most injuries (78.6%) and carried a significantly higher risk of multiple lesions. There were 54 bone lesions (traumatic amputations and fractures) and 83 soft-tissue lesions. The amputation rate was 18%. Presence of bone lesions was associated with a higher risk of injury to blood vessels and nerves. Of the 89 patients, four (4.5%) died and eight (9%) were transferred elsewhere. Of the 77 remaining patients, at last follow-up (median, one month; range, 0.1-16 months), 73 (95%) had achieved a full recovery (healed wound and/or fracture) or were recovering with no expectation that further surgery would be needed. Despite the absence of paediatric surgeons, the combat support hospital provided appropriate care at the limb salvage and reconstruction phases. The highly specialised treatments needed to manage sequelae were very rarely provided. These treatments probably deserve to be developed in combat support hospitals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Moral Philosophy, Moral Expertise, and the Argument from Disagreement.

    PubMed

    Cross, Ben

    2016-03-01

    Several recent articles have weighed in on the question of whether moral philosophers can be counted as moral experts. One argument denying this has been rejected by both sides of the debate. According to this argument, the extent of disagreement in modern moral philosophy prevents moral philosophers from being classified as moral experts. Call this the Argument From Disagreement (AD). In this article, I defend a version of AD. Insofar as practical issues in moral philosophy are characterized by disagreement between moral philosophers who are more or less equally well credentialed on the issue, non-philosophers have no good reasons to defer to their views. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. PARAMETERS, U.S. Army War College Quarterly. Volume 23, Number 1, Spring 1993

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-01

    did join~armies and-fightdid so disguised as mfen, aiid- when discovered -were- usually -su munarily discharged-. A handful of such cases are --known...including somne during -the American Revolution =and the Civil-War. On the-offher hand -, women have-always taken~partin- rebellions -and...actually -handled rifles or threw hand -grenades was-very small. I -amunaware-of a -single Israeli- woman- who-has claimed; "I was in combat- in 1948-. I

  5. Moral Psychology and the Problem of Moral Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Patrick

    2011-01-01

    This article is intended as an initial investigation into the foundations of moral psychology. I primarily examine a recent work in moral education, Daniel Lapsley's and Darcia Narvaez"s "Character education", whose authors seem to assume at points that criteria for discerning moral actions and moral traits can be derived apart from ethics or…

  6. Moral identity as moral ideal self: links to adolescent outcomes.

    PubMed

    Hardy, Sam A; Walker, Lawrence J; Olsen, Joseph A; Woodbury, Ryan D; Hickman, Jacob R

    2014-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to conceptualize moral identity as moral ideal self, to develop a measure of this construct, to test for age and gender differences, to examine links between moral ideal self and adolescent outcomes, and to assess purpose and social responsibility as mediators of the relations between moral ideal self and outcomes. Data came from a local school sample (Data Set 1: N = 510 adolescents; 10-18 years of age) and a national online sample (Data Set 2: N = 383 adolescents; 15-18 years of age) of adolescents and their parents. All outcome measures were parent-report (Data Set 1: altruism, moral personality, aggression, and cheating; Data Set 2: environmentalism, school engagement, internalizing, and externalizing), whereas other variables were adolescent-report. The 20-item Moral Ideal Self Scale showed good reliability, factor structure, and validity. Structural equation models demonstrated that, even after accounting for moral identity internalization, in Data Set 1 moral ideal self positively predicted altruism and moral personality and negatively predicted aggression, whereas in Data Set 2 moral ideal self positively predicted environmentalism and negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Further, purpose and social responsibility mediated most relations between moral ideal self and the outcomes in Data Set 2. Moral ideal self was unrelated to age but differentially predicted some outcomes across age. Girls had higher levels of moral ideal self than boys, although moral identity did not differentially predict outcomes between genders. Thus, moral ideal self is a salient element of moral identity and may play a role in morally relevant adolescent outcomes. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  7. Tightening the focus: moral panic, moral regulation and liberal government.

    PubMed

    Hier, Sean P

    2011-09-01

    The purpose of this article is to tighten the focus of moral panic studies by clarifying and elaborating on an analytical framework that conceptualizes moral panic as a form of moral regulation. The first part of the article explains why moral panic should be conceptualized as a form of moral regulation. The second part presents a rejoinder to Critcher's (2009) critique of the widening focus of moral panic studies. The third part elaborates on the conceptual relationship between the sociologies of moral panic and moral regulation by offering fresh insights into the sociological and political importance of moral panic as a technique of liberal government. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2011.

  8. Constant Character, Changing Nature: The Transformation of the Hollywood War Film, From 1949 - 1989

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-16

    German. In September of 1941, a special Senate subcommittee was formed to investigate Hollywood film propaganda. Once the Japanese attacked Pearl...the patriotic World War II film would no longer suffice with audiences who were treated to a more realistic depiction of warfare in the cinema of the...late seventies. In 1978, three years after the fall of Saigon, the first Vietnam combat films were released to cinemas throughout the United

  9. Task Force Butler: A Case Study in the Employment of an Ad Hoc Unit in Combat Operations, During Operation Dragoon, 1-30 August 1944

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-14

    13 It was not until 2 July 1944, that General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, was ordered to launch...John. I Remember, Stories of a Combat Infantrymen in World War II. Livermore: Camino Press, 1993. Summer, Ian . The French Army 1939-45 (1). Men-at

  10. Beyond Consolidation: U.S. Government International Broadcasting in the Post-Cold War Era

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-01-01

    vii A c kowledgments .......................................... xiii 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................... 1 2. THE UNITED STATES IN...military power more generally, is diminishing in relevance, paced by the decline of U.S. economic preponderance. The difference between military and...economic power on the one hand, and political and moral authority on the other hand, has been made starkly clear at the beginning of the post-Cold War era

  11. Evaluation of Why the Air Force Dedicated Personnel Recovery Mission Should Remain with Air Combat Command

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    Many of the tactics still in use today were tested and executed in combat during the Vietnam War. One of the major benefits that resulted from...AFSOF to support the planning for Project Honey Badger, the re-attempt at recovering the hostages in Iran.43 Project Honey Badger would eventually be...14 scrapped as the hostages would be released in early 1981. The damage for the ARRS had been done. Even with the termination of Project Honey

  12. "Heroes' invisible wounds of war:" constructions of posttraumatic stress disorder in the text of US federal legislation.

    PubMed

    Purtle, Jonathan

    2016-01-01

    Public policies contribute to the social construction of mental health problems. In this study, I use social constructivist theories of policy design and the methodology of ethnographic content analysis to qualitatively explore how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been constructed as a problem in US federal legislation. I analyzed the text of 166 bills introduced between 1989 and 2009 and found that PTSD has been constructed as a problem unique to combat exposures and military populations. These constructions were produced through combat-related language and imagery (e.g., wounds, war, heroism), narratives describing PTSD as a military-specific phenomenon, and reinforced by the absence of PTSD in trauma-focused legislation targeting civilians. These constructions do not reflect the epidemiology of PTSD-the vast majority of people who develop the disorder have not experienced combat and many non-combat traumas (e.g., sexual assault) carry higher PTSD risk-and might constrain public and political discourse about the disorder and reify sociocultural barriers to the access of mental health services. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Theoretical Study of the Hidden Wounds of War: Disenfranchised Grief and the Impact on Nursing Practice

    PubMed Central

    Aloi, Janice A.

    2011-01-01

    Combat veterans face enormous challenges upon the return to civilian life, one of which is the ability to integrate incidences of death and killing into a healthy postdeployment life. This paper presents the lived experience of grief and loss resulting from the trauma of war. Social constructionist theory, due to its emphasis on meaning-making, serves as the theoretical framework. The effects of inhibited mourning due to the inability to mourn in combat and lack of nurturing upon returning home are described. Personal excerpts derived from interviews of warfare from veterans that experienced death and killing are presented. It is suggested that combat veterans experience a unique form of grief and therefore require a style of grieving that differs from those that have not served on the battlefield. Regardless of the point of care, nurses are positioned to help with the challenges of readjustment. A better understanding of combat veterans as a disenfranchised group would enable nurses to intervene in ways that contribute to the readjustment process. PMID:22007331

  14. Why Be Moral? Moral Identity Motivation and Age

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krettenauer, Tobias; Victor, Rosemary

    2017-01-01

    Moral identity research to date has largely failed to provide evidence for developmental trends in moral identity, presumably because of restrictions in the age range of studies and the use of moral identity measures that are insensitive to age-related change. The present study investigated moral identity motivation across a broad age range (14-65…

  15. Moral judgment reloaded: a moral dilemma validation study

    PubMed Central

    Christensen, Julia F.; Flexas, Albert; Calabrese, Margareta; Gut, Nadine K.; Gomila, Antoni

    2014-01-01

    We propose a revised set of moral dilemmas for studies on moral judgment. We selected a total of 46 moral dilemmas available in the literature and fine-tuned them in terms of four conceptual factors (Personal Force, Benefit Recipient, Evitability, and Intention) and methodological aspects of the dilemma formulation (word count, expression style, question formats) that have been shown to influence moral judgment. Second, we obtained normative codings of arousal and valence for each dilemma showing that emotional arousal in response to moral dilemmas depends crucially on the factors Personal Force, Benefit Recipient, and Intentionality. Third, we validated the dilemma set confirming that people's moral judgment is sensitive to all four conceptual factors, and to their interactions. Results are discussed in the context of this field of research, outlining also the relevance of our RT effects for the Dual Process account of moral judgment. Finally, we suggest tentative theoretical avenues for future testing, particularly stressing the importance of the factor Intentionality in moral judgment. Additionally, due to the importance of cross-cultural studies in the quest for universals in human moral cognition, we provide the new set dilemmas in six languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Catalan, and Danish). The norming values provided here refer to the Spanish dilemma set. PMID:25071621

  16. Suicide Ideation and Deliberate Self-Harm among Ex-Prisoners of War.

    PubMed

    Levi-Belz, Yossi; Zerach, Gadi; Solomon, Zahava

    2015-01-01

    The current study aims to assess the relations among war captivity, PTSD, suicidal ideation (SI), and deliberate self-harm (DSH) among former prisoners of war (ex-POWs). Israeli ex-POWs (N = 176) and a matched control group of combat veterans (controls; N = 118) were assessed using self-report measures. Ex-POWs with PTSD reported higher levels of both SI and DSH compared to ex-POWs and comparable veterans without PTSD. Furthermore, captivity-related variables as well as PTSD symptom clusters were positively related to both SI and DSH. However, only loss of emotional control in captivity and posttraumatic intrusion and emotional numbing symptoms, predicted SI. Ex-POWs with PTSD endorse high levels of SI and DSH. Among ex-POWs, both SI and DSH share similar captivity-related and posttraumatic symptoms correlates but only posttraumatic intrusion and emotional numbing symptoms predict SI.

  17. Analysis of Orthopaedic Research Produced During the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    PubMed

    Balazs, George C; Dickens, Jonathan F; Brelin, Alaina M; Wolfe, Jared A; Rue, John-Paul H; Potter, Benjamin K

    2015-09-01

    Military orthopaedic surgeons have published a substantial amount of original research based on our care of combat-wounded service members and related studies during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, to our knowledge, the influence of this body of work has not been evaluated bibliometrically, and doing so is important to determine the modern impact of combat casualty research in the wider medical community. We sought to identify the 20 most commonly cited works from military surgeons published during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and analyze them to answer the following questions: (1) What were the subject areas of these 20 articles and what was the 2013 Impact Factor of each journal that published them? (2) How many citations did they receive and what were the characteristics of the journals that cited them? (3) Do the citation analysis results obtained from Google Scholar mirror the results obtained from Thompson-Reuters' Web of Science? We searched the Web of Science Citation Index Expanded for relevant original research performed by US military orthopaedic surgeons related to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom between 2001 and 2014. Articles citing these studies were reviewed using both Web of Science and Google Scholar data. The 20 most cited articles meeting inclusion criteria were identified and analyzed by content domain, frequency of citation, and sources in which they were cited. Nine of these studies examined the epidemiology and outcome of combat injury. Six studies dealt with wound management, wound dehiscence, and formation of heterotopic ossification. Five studies examined infectious complications of combat trauma. The median number of citations garnered by these 20 articles was 41 (range, 28-264) in Web of Science. Other research citing these studies has appeared in 279 different journals, covering 26 different medical and surgical subspecialties, from authors in 31 different countries. Google Scholar contained 97

  18. Moral heuristics.

    PubMed

    Sunstein, Cass R

    2005-08-01

    With respect to questions of fact, people use heuristics--mental short-cuts, or rules of thumb, that generally work well, but that also lead to systematic errors. People use moral heuristics too--moral short-cuts, or rules of thumb, that lead to mistaken and even absurd moral judgments. These judgments are highly relevant not only to morality, but to law and politics as well. examples are given from a number of domains, including risk regulation, punishment, reproduction and sexuality, and the act/omission distinction. in all of these contexts, rapid, intuitive judgments make a great deal of sense, but sometimes produce moral mistakes that are replicated in law and policy. One implication is that moral assessments ought not to be made by appealing to intuitions about exotic cases and problems; those intuitions are particularly unlikely to be reliable. Another implication is that some deeply held moral judgments are unsound if they are products of moral heuristics. The idea of error-prone heuristics is especially controversial in the moral domain, where agreement on the correct answer may be hard to elicit; but in many contexts, heuristics are at work and they do real damage. Moral framing effects, including those in the context of obligations to future generations, are also discussed.

  19. Why moral philosophers are not and should not be moral experts.

    PubMed

    Archard, David

    2011-03-01

    Professional philosophers are members of bioethical committees and regulatory bodies in areas of interest to bioethicists. This suggests they possess moral expertise even if they do not exercise it directly and without constraint. Moral expertise is defined, and four arguments given in support of scepticism about their possession of such expertise are considered and rejected: the existence of extreme disagreement between moral philosophers about moral matters; the lack of a means clearly to identify moral experts; that expertise cannot be claimed in that which lacks objectivity; and that ordinary people do not follow the advice of moral experts. I offer a better reason for scepticism grounded in the relation between moral philosophy and common-sense morality: namely that modern moral philosophy views even a developed moral theory as ultimately anchored in common-sense morality, that set of basic moral precepts which ordinary individuals have command of and use to regulate their own lives. Even if moral philosophers do nevertheless have a limited moral expertise, in that they alone can fully develop a set of moral judgments, I sketch reasons - grounded in the values of autonomy and of democracy - why moral philosophers should not wish non-philosophers to defer to their putative expertise. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  20. Architecture for an integrated real-time air combat and sensor network simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Criswell, Evans A.; Rushing, John; Lin, Hong; Graves, Sara

    2007-04-01

    An architecture for an integrated air combat and sensor network simulation is presented. The architecture integrates two components: a parallel real-time sensor fusion and target tracking simulation, and an air combat simulation. By integrating these two simulations, it becomes possible to experiment with scenarios in which one or both sides in a battle have very large numbers of primitive passive sensors, and to assess the likely effects of those sensors on the outcome of the battle. Modern Air Power is a real-time theater-level air combat simulation that is currently being used as a part of the USAF Air and Space Basic Course (ASBC). The simulation includes a variety of scenarios from the Vietnam war to the present day, and also includes several hypothetical future scenarios. Modern Air Power includes a scenario editor, an order of battle editor, and full AI customization features that make it possible to quickly construct scenarios for any conflict of interest. The scenario editor makes it possible to place a wide variety of sensors including both high fidelity sensors such as radars, and primitive passive sensors that provide only very limited information. The parallel real-time sensor network simulation is capable of handling very large numbers of sensors on a computing cluster of modest size. It can fuse information provided by disparate sensors to detect and track targets, and produce target tracks.

  1. Malaria survey and malaria control detachments in the South-West Pacific Area in World War 2.

    PubMed

    Crocker, Denton W

    2009-01-01

    Malaria among troops in the South-West Pacific Area (SWPA) in World War 2 affected the military effort to the degree that special units were formed to combat it. These malaria survey detachments (MSDs) and malaria control detachments (MCDs) were self-contained and so could move quickly to wherever their services were needed. In SWPA by 25 September 1944 there were 32 MSDs and 65 MCDs. Tables of organization called for 11 enlisted men in MSDs and MCDs, two officers in MSDs and one in MCDs. Detachments served throughout the SWPA. Detailed records of the 31st MSD show that in addition to antimalarial efforts it worked at control of scrub typhus, dengue and venereal disease, at reduction of rat populations and in experimental work involving DDT and schistosomiasis. Specific locations of the 31st MSD were New Guinea (3 sites), Morotai, Leyte, Mindoro, Okinawa and Japan. The detachment served overseas for 21 months. Experience in combating malaria in SWPA in World War 2 points to the need for better and continuous training of both medical and line officers in malaria prevention and control.

  2. Individual Differences in Moral Development: Does Intelligence Really Affect Children's Moral Reasoning and Moral Emotions?

    PubMed

    Beißert, Hanna M; Hasselhorn, Marcus

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between intelligence and individual differences in children's moral development across a range of different moral transgressions. Taking up prior research that showed morality and intelligence to be related in adolescents and adults, the current study wants to test if these findings can be extended to younger children. The study was designed to address some of the shortcomings in prior research by examining young children aged between 6 years; 4 months and 8 years; 10 months, using a broad concept of moral development including emotional aspects and applying an approach that is closely connected to children's daily lives. Participants ( N = 129) completed a standardized intelligence test and were presented four moral transgression stories to assess moral development. Results demonstrated that findings from prior research with adolescents or adults cannot simply be extended to younger participants. No significant correlations of moral development and intelligence were found for any of the presented stories. This provides first evidence that - at least in middle childhood - moral developmental status seems to be independent from children's general intelligence assessed by figural inductive reasoning tests.

  3. Moral sensitivity and moral distress in Iranian critical care nurses.

    PubMed

    Borhani, Fariba; Abbaszadeh, Abbas; Mohamadi, Elham; Ghasemi, Erfan; Hoseinabad-Farahani, Mohammad Javad

    2017-06-01

    Moral sensitivity is the foremost prerequisite to ethical performance; a review of literature shows that nurses are sometimes not sensitive enough for a variety of reasons. Moral distress is a frequent phenomenon in nursing, which may result in paradoxes in care, dealing with patients and rendering high-quality care. This may, in turn, hinder the meeting of care objectives, thus affecting social healthcare standards. The present research was conducted to determine the relationship between moral sensitivity and moral distress of nurses in intensive care units. This study is a descriptive-correlation research. Lutzen's moral sensitivity questionnaire and Corley Moral Distress Questionnaire were used to gather data. Participants and research context: A total of 153 qualified nurses working in the hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were selected for this study. Subjects were selected by census method. Ethical considerations: After explaining the objectives of the study, all the participants completed and signed the written consent form. To conduct the study, permission was obtained from the selected hospitals. Nurses' average moral sensitivity grade was 68.6 ± 7.8, which shows a moderate level of moral sensitivity. On the other hand, nurses also experienced a moderate level of moral distress (44.8 ± 16.6). Moreover, there was no meaningful statistical relationship between moral sensitivity and moral distress (p = 0.26). Although the nurses' moral sensitivity and moral distress were expected to be high in the intensive care units, it was moderate. This finding is consistent with the results of some studies and contradicts with others. As moral sensitivity is a crucial factor in care, it is suggested that necessary training be provided to develop moral sensitivity in nurses in education and practical environments. Furthermore, removing factors that contribute to moral distress may help decrease it in nurses.

  4. The battle within: understanding the physiology of war-zone stress exposure.

    PubMed

    Bruner, Victoria E; Woll, Pamela

    2011-01-01

    Faced with pervasive loss, life threat, and moral conflict in the field of battle, the human body and brain adapt to extraordinary circumstances in extraordinary ways. These adaptations come at a high price, and many men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are paying that price every day. For the clinician who seeks to help, an understanding of the physiology of war-zone stress and resilience is an essential foundation, both for recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions, and for addressing the stigma and shame that keep many service members and veterans from seeking and accepting the help and support they need. This article explores ways in which the body and brain adapt to war-zone stress, resulting challenges, and implications for clinical services and ongoing recovery.

  5. Moral attentiveness: who pays attention to the moral aspects of life?

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Scott J

    2008-09-01

    This research draws from social cognitive theory to develop a construct known as moral attentiveness, the extent to which an individual chronically perceives and considers morality and moral elements in his or her experiences, and proposes that moral attentiveness affects a variety of behaviors. A series of 5 studies with undergraduates, MBA students, and managers were conducted to create and validate a reliable multidimensional scale and to provide evidence that moral attentiveness is associated with (a) the recall and reporting of self- and others' morality-related behaviors, (b) moral awareness, and (c) moral behavior. Results of the studies suggest that moral attentiveness has a significant effect on how individuals understand and act in their moral worlds.

  6. The Impact of Racial Integration on the Combat Effectiveness of Eighth (US) Army during the Korean War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-12-01

    Truman K . Gibson, the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of Defense, noted in a memorandum to Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy, a growing belief...DC: Center for Military History, 1966), 416. 6 Truman K . Gibson to John J. McCloy, Washington, DC, 8 August 1945, in Planning for the Postwar...not eager to suffer the same fate. 143 Finally, the conditions of the post-World War II force challenged Eighth (US) Army’s ability to integrate

  7. Airplanes, Combat and Maintenance Crews, and Air Bases. The World War II and Early Cold War Architectural Legacy of Holloman Air Force Base (ca. 1942-1962)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-11-01

    to develop and build an atomic bomb. The project was under the direction of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer , a former student at the Los Alamos Ranch...of AAF Facilities (1942- 1943 ) 39 Victory in Sight and the Atomic Age: Consolidation and Disposition of Facilities ( 1943 - 1945 ) 42 Cold War ( 1945 ...Sight and the Atomic Age ( 1943 - 1945 ) 61 Cold War Inception (July 1945 -January 1953) 63 Nuclear Escalation (January 1953-November 1963) 72 Detente

  8. The psychodynamic treatment of combat neuroses (PTSD) with hypnosis during World War II.

    PubMed

    Watkins, J G

    2000-07-01

    In a large Army hospital during World War II, a full-time program in hypnotherapy for battle trauma cases was developed. Symptoms included severe anxiety, phobias, conversions, hysterias, and dissociations. Many hypnoanalytic techniques were used, especially including abreactions. Good therapeutic results were frequent, as demonstrated by typical cases. There was no evidence that the abreactive procedure tended to retraumatize patients or initiate psychotic reactions.

  9. Learning from Lebanon: Airpower and Strategy in Israels 2006 War against Hezbollah

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-01

    challenge that entailed a fundamentally new paradigm of combat. Nasrallah, for his part, as the IAF’s Brigadier General Itai Brun later pointed out...Department during Operation CHANGE OF L A M B E T H 103 DIRECTION, interview, IAF Headquarters, Tel Aviv, 26 March 2008. 8. Brig. Gen. Itai Brun...Ibid. 40. Quoted in Arkin, Divining Victory, p. 242. 41. Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, IAF, “The Second Leba- non War, 2006,” in A History of Air Warfare

  10. The Impact of Captivity and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder on Cognitive Performance Among Former Prisoners of War: A Longitudinal Study.

    PubMed

    Aloni, Roy; Crompton, Laura; Levin, Yafit; Solomon, Zahava

    2018-04-24

    War captivity is a potent pathogen for various aspects of mental health, including cognitive impairments. However, little is known about the long-term impact of war captivity and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on cognitive functioning among former prisoners of war (ex-POWs). This study assesses the effect of captivity, PTSD trajectories, and the accumulating differential effect in the prediction of cognitive performance. This longitudinal research includes 4 assessments (1991 [T1], 2003 [T2], 2008 [T3], 2015 [T4]) of Israeli ex-POWs and comparable combatants from the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Accordingly, 95 ex-POWs and 26 comparable combatants were included in this study. PTSD was assessed according to the DSM-IV, and cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Ex-POWs reported higher levels of PTSD symptoms compared to controls (P = 0.007). No difference was found between the groups regarding MoCA total score. Ex-POWs with chronic PTSD were found to have more difficulty in overall cognitive functioning, compared to ex-POWs with delayed, recovery, and resilient trajectories (P = 0.03). Finally, physical and psychological suffering in captivity and intrusion symptoms predicted cognitive performance (P < .001, R² = 37.9%). These findings support the potent pathogenic effects of war captivity on cognitive abilities, more than 4 decades after the end of the traumatic event. Our results showed captivity to be a unique and powerful traumatic experience, leading to PTSD and long-lasting and enduring neuropsychological implications. These findings highlight the importance of viewing ex-POWs, in particular those suffering from chronic PTSD, especially as they age, as a high-risk population for cognitive disorders. This requires the appropriate diagnosis and cognitive therapy as a way to preserve cognitive abilities among this population. © Copyright 2018 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

  11. Moral Motivation, Moral Judgment, and Antisocial Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Jeff; Bock, Tonia; Narvaez, Darcia

    2013-01-01

    The link between judgment and action is weak throughout psychology, including moral psychology. That is, people often do not act in accordance with their reasoning. Might moral judgment development be better viewed as a capacity that inhibits "immoral" behavior? One model that helps account for the moral judgment-action gap is Rest's…

  12. Education in Moral Theory and the Improvement of Moral Thought

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friday, Jonathan

    2004-01-01

    This article questions whether the study of normative moral theory and its application to particular moral problems has a beneficial effect upon someone seeking to improve the quality of their moral thinking. A broad outline of the conception of moral thinking underlying moral theory and applied ethics is considered, particularly the logical…

  13. Piercing the Fog: Intelligence and Army Air Forces Operations in World War 2

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-01-01

    prewar air warfare thinking was the ACTS at Maxwell Field. Most of the AAF’s World War I1 combat leaders spent one or more assignments at ACTS, and...Scanlon, Air Corps, spent most of the 1930s in London. His personal diaries were replete with an active social life, and his dispatches revealed...these periods, some SSOs spent up to nine hours daily traveling between headquarters and the SCU. Not surprisingly, service during these periods

  14. The Importance of Moral Construal: Moral versus Non-Moral Construal Elicits Faster, More Extreme, Universal Evaluations of the Same Actions

    PubMed Central

    Van Bavel, Jay J.; Packer, Dominic J.; Haas, Ingrid Johnsen; Cunningham, William A.

    2012-01-01

    Over the past decade, intuitionist models of morality have challenged the view that moral reasoning is the sole or even primary means by which moral judgments are made. Rather, intuitionist models posit that certain situations automatically elicit moral intuitions, which guide moral judgments. We present three experiments showing that evaluations are also susceptible to the influence of moral versus non-moral construal. We had participants make moral evaluations (rating whether actions were morally good or bad) or non-moral evaluations (rating whether actions were pragmatically or hedonically good or bad) of a wide variety of actions. As predicted, moral evaluations were faster, more extreme, and more strongly associated with universal prescriptions—the belief that absolutely nobody or everybody should engage in an action—than non-moral (pragmatic or hedonic) evaluations of the same actions. Further, we show that people are capable of flexibly shifting from moral to non-moral evaluations on a trial-by-trial basis. Taken together, these experiments provide evidence that moral versus non-moral construal has an important influence on evaluation and suggests that effects of construal are highly flexible. We discuss the implications of these experiments for models of moral judgment and decision-making. PMID:23209557

  15. Moral Reasoning and Personality Variables in Relation to Moral Behavior.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dras, Stephen R.; And Others

    The relation of moral reasoning to moral behavior has been the subject of a substantial number of empirical studies; it may be more productive to employ a configuration of characteristics to predict moral behavior. To investigate the relation of moral reasoning and personality variables to moral behavior, 74 undergraduates, 30 males and 44…

  16. Moral Action as Social Capital, Moral Thought as Cultural Capital

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Min Ju; Glassman, Michael

    2010-01-01

    This paper explores the idea that moral thought/reasoning and moral actions are actually two separate phenomena that have little relationship to each other. The idea that moral thinking does or can control moral action creates a difficult dualism between our knowledge about morality and our everyday actions. These differences run parallel to the…

  17. Morality and moral development: Traditional Hindu concepts

    PubMed Central

    Srivastava, Chhitij; Dhingra, Vishal; Bhardwaj, Anupam; Srivastava, Alka

    2013-01-01

    Morality (from the Latin word moralitas that means “manner, character, proper behavior”) is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good (or right) and those that are bad (or wrong). It is determined by how one's genetic makeup interacts with the environment. The development of morality has been a subject of investigation for a number of decades, and our understanding of neuro-biological and psychological mechanisms has increased manifolds in the last few decades. Development of morality has been of particular significance to psychiatric literature because of its significant contribution to the development of one's personality and it's aberration in various disorders. Cultures that have been just, equal and moral have been widely accepted and appreciated. In this review, we shall summarize the modern theories of moral development and then look into a part of our past and cultural heritage and review the traditional Hindu concepts of morality and their contribution to development of one's personality and their relevance in the current times. PMID:23858269

  18. And I Shot Her: On War, and the Creation of Inequities in the Development of Youths' Moral Capacities.

    PubMed

    Wainryb, Cecilia; Bourne, Stacia

    War creates a multifaceted web of inequities that encompass most levels of the ecology of youth development. These include psychosocial inequities bearing on war-exposed youth's limited access to medical and educational services and job-training and employment opportunities, as well as some of the unique psychological sequelae of trauma exposure. In this chapter we put forth a twofold argument. First, we argue that the protracted hardships of war also create enduring psychological inequities that go beyond the well-documented psychosocial needs and psychological trauma, and encompass other aspects of youths' healthy development; these are inequities inasmuch as they represent profound alterations of the developmental pathways available to war-affected youth. Second, we maintain that the psychological sciences must strive to understand such longstanding developmental inequities even if we do not, at this time, have the tools to fully address them. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Wartime stressors and health outcomes: women in the Persian Gulf War.

    PubMed

    Bell, E A; Roth, M A; Weed, G

    1998-08-01

    This descriptive correlational study of war time stressors and stress responses of women from the Persian Gulf War examined numerous stressors both physical and psychological. The psychological stressors more directly impacted postwar physical and psychological symptoms than did physical stressors. These findings add to our understanding of women's reactions to wartime stress and the types of stressors affecting women. The study provides more data to support the contention that sexual harassment is widely prevalent in the military. The study did not find data to support concerns about maternal guilt on leaving children, nor any significant evidence of stress symptomology from this situation. The results of this study confirmed the call by Wolfe, Brown, Furey, and Levin (1993) for more precise evaluation of wartime stressors in view of the changing gender composition of military forces and the subsequent increase of women in combat roles. Clinicians should be alerted to recognize gender-specific experiences. Education of military women about stressors and coping mechanisms should be broadened to address the development issue of intimacy versus isolation. Nurses, both military and civilian, must understand the effect of isolation and discrimination on women both in combat and in other high stress situations. The need for continued study of the problem of sexual harassment is confirmed. Understanding the scope of the problem and the health care outcomes strengthens the role of prevention and intervention for nurses and their clients.

  20. Moral satisficing: rethinking moral behavior as bounded rationality.

    PubMed

    Gigerenzer, Gerd

    2010-07-01

    What is the nature of moral behavior? According to the study of bounded rationality, it results not from character traits or rational deliberation alone, but from the interplay between mind and environment. In this view, moral behavior is based on pragmatic social heuristics rather than moral rules or maximization principles. These social heuristics are not good or bad per se, but solely in relation to the environments in which they are used. This has methodological implications for the study of morality: Behavior needs to be studied in social groups as well as in isolation, in natural environments as well as in labs. It also has implications for moral policy: Only by accepting the fact that behavior is a function of both mind and environmental structures can realistic prescriptive means of achieving moral goals be developed. Copyright © 2010 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  1. Theological ethics, moral philosophy, and public moral discourse.

    PubMed

    Jonsen, Albert R

    1994-03-01

    The advent and growth of bioethics in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s precipitated an era of public moral discourse, that is, the deliberate attempt to analyze and formulate moral argument for use in public policy. The language for rational discussion of moral matters evolved from the parent disciplines of moral philosophy and theological ethics, as well as from the idioms of a secular, pluralistic world that was searching for policy answers to difficult bioethical questions. This article explores the basis and content of the unique contributions of both theological and philosophical ethics to the development of public moral discourse.

  2. Learning from moral inconsistency.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Richmond

    2017-10-01

    Moral inconsistency is an understudied phenomenon in cognitive moral psychology and deserves in depth empirical study. Moral inconsistency, as understood here, is not formal inconsistency but inconsistency in moral emotion and belief in response to particular cases. It occurs when persons treat cases as morally different that are really morally the same, even from their moral perspective. Learning to recognize and avoid such moral inconsistency in non-trivial but is a form of moral learning that complements and enhances other psychological and social mechanisms through which persons learn how to apply shared moral norms when their applications are uncertain and threaten to lapse into moral inconsistency. The same psychological process also can function to revise current moral norms when their straightforward applications are morally inconsistent with more basic moral commitments. Through this moral learning and related kinds, people can learn how to identify issues of moral priority when moral norms conflict and, when necessary, how to revise their moral norms. The recent revolution in dominant moral norms around gay sex and gay marriage in Europe and North America provides a possible illustration. When coupled with other modes of moral learning in the context of ambiguous but deeply rooted moral norms, such as those of sanctity and authority, reflection on moral inconsistency can help to justify this large-scale moral change, even among those who find gay sex, by its nature, morally repugnant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Relationship of PTSD Symptoms With Combat Exposure, Stress, and Inflammation in American Soldiers.

    PubMed

    Groer, Maureen W; Kane, Bradley; Williams, S Nicole; Duffy, Allyson

    2015-05-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is of great concern in veterans. PTSD usually occurs after a person is exposed to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. Active duty soldiers deployed to war zones are at risk for PTSD. Psychoneuroimmunological theory predicts that PTSD, depression, and stress can lead to low-grade, chronic inflammation. We asked whether there were relationships between PTSD symptoms and chronic stress, depression and inflammation in active duty U.S. soldiers. We enrolled 52 active duty enlisted and reservist soldiers in a cross-sectional study while they participated in a week of military training in fall 2011. They completed a demographic questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, the Combat Exposure Scale, and the PTSD symptom Checklist-Military version (PCL-M). Blood samples were taken for analysis of cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP). Hair samples shaved from the forearm were measured for cortisol. Of the soldiers, 11 had PCL-M scores in the moderate to severe range. Regression analysis demonstrated that depression and war zone deployment were strong predictors of PTSD symptoms. CRP and hair cortisol were correlated with each other and with depression and PTSD symptoms. These results suggest relationships among war zone deployment, depression, and PTSD. Chronic stress associated with depression, PTSD, and war zone experiences may be related to inflammation in active duty soldiers. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. Mental health, citizenship, and the memory of World War II in the Netherlands (1945-85).

    PubMed

    Oosterhuis, Harry

    2014-03-01

    After World War II, Dutch psychiatrists and other mental health care professionals articulated ideals of democratic citizenship. Framed in terms of self-development, citizenship took on a broad meaning, not just in terms of political rights and obligations, but also in the context of material, social, psychological and moral conditions that individuals should meet in order to develop themselves and be able to act according to those rights and obligations in a responsible way. In the post-war period of reconstruction (1945-65), as well as between 1965 and 1985, the link between mental health and ideals of citizenship was coloured by the public memory of World War II and the German occupation, albeit in completely different, even opposite ways. The memory of the war, and especially the public consideration of its victims, changed drastically in the mid-1960s, and the mental health sector played a crucial role in bringing this change about. The widespread attention to the mental effects of the war that surfaced in the late 1960s after a period of 20 years of public silence should be seen against the backdrop of the combination of democratization and the emancipation of emotions.

  5. Parental Moral Distress and Moral Schism in the Neonatal ICU.

    PubMed

    Foe, Gabriella; Hellmann, Jonathan; Greenberg, Rebecca A

    2018-05-25

    Ethical dilemmas in critical care may cause healthcare practitioners to experience moral distress: incoherence between what one believes to be best and what occurs. Given that paediatric decision-making typically involves parents, we propose that parents can also experience moral distress when faced with making value-laden decisions in the neonatal intensive care unit. We propose a new concept-that parents may experience "moral schism"-a genuine uncertainty regarding a value-based decision that is accompanied by emotional distress. Schism, unlike moral distress, is not caused by barriers to making and executing a decision that is deemed to be best by the decision-makers but rather an encounter of significant internal struggle. We explore factors that appear to contribute to both moral distress and "moral schism" for parents: the degree of available support, a sense of coherence of the situation, and a sense of responsibility. We propose that moral schism is an underappreciated concept that needs to be explicated and may be more prevalent than moral distress when exploring decision-making experiences for parents. We also suggest actions of healthcare providers that may help minimize parental "moral schism" and moral distress.

  6. Sexual violence in armed conflict: the least condemned of war crimes.

    PubMed

    O'Connor, Mike

    2014-03-01

    Sexual violence in armed conflict has traditionally received poor attention until recent years. It has been the "least condemned of war crimes" although, with the inception of the International Criminal Court and various other international courts and tribunals, convictions of high-profile aggressors are increasing. Only recently Charles Taylor, the President of Liberia, was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity which included rape and sexual slavery. He was sentenced to 50 years imprisonment. Is prosecution of these crimes sufficient to minimise sexual violence in war? That seems unlikely given the potential for such violence to be a cheap and effective strategy to terrorise a civilian population and "ethnically cleanse" the newly won territory. However, there is a remarkable variation in the levels of sexual violence in armed conflicts. Some, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have extremely low levels, whereas in Bosnia and many African states the prevalence of sexual violence is at epidemic levels. The reasons for such differences are many, however, some precipitating factors may be improved by strong military discipline, improved gender balance in armed forces, better political awareness by combatants of the aims of a campaign and pre-deployment ethical training.

  7. Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Problems Before and After Military Combat Deployment

    PubMed Central

    Jacobson, Isabel G.; Ryan, Margaret A. K.; Hooper, Tomoko I.; Smith, Tyler C.; Amoroso, Paul J.; Boyko, Edward J.; Gackstetter, Gary D.; Wells, Timothy S.; Bell, Nicole S.

    2009-01-01

    Context High rates of alcohol misuse after deployment have been reported among personnel returning from past conflicts, yet investigations of alcohol misuse after return from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are lacking. Objectives To determine whether deployment with combat exposures was associated with new-onset or continued alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems. Design, Setting, and Participants Data were from Millennium Cohort Study participants who completed both a baseline (July 2001 to June 2003; n=77 047) and follow-up (June 2004 to February 2006; n=55 021) questionnaire (follow-up response rate=71.4%). After we applied exclusion criteria, our analyses included 48 481 participants (active duty, n=26 613; Reserve or National Guard, n=21 868). Of these, 5510 deployed with combat exposures, 5661 deployed without combat exposures, and 37 310 did not deploy. Main Outcome Measures New-onset and continued heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems at follow-up. Results Baseline prevalence of heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems among Reserve or National Guard personnel who deployed with combat exposures was 9.0%, 53.6%, and 15.2%, respectively; follow-up prevalence was 12.5%, 53.0%, and 11.9%, respectively; and new-onset rates were 8.8%, 25.6%, and 7.1%, respectively. Among active-duty personnel, new-onset rates were 6.0%, 26.6%, and 4.8%, respectively. Reserve and National Guard personnel who deployed and reported combat exposures were significantly more likely to experience new-onset heavy weekly drinking (odds ratio [OR], 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36–1.96), binge drinking (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.24–1.71), and alcohol-related problems (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.33–2.01) compared with nondeployed personnel. The youngest members of the cohort were at highest risk for all alcohol-related outcomes. Conclusion Reserve and National Guard personnel and younger service

  8. Liberating Moral Reflection

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horell, Harold D.

    2013-01-01

    The author argues that if we are to foster life-giving and liberating moral reflection, we must first liberate moral reflection from distortions; specifically, from the distorting effects of moral insensitivity, destructive moral relativism, and confusions resulting from a failure to understand the dynamics of moral reflection. The author proposes…

  9. Retrospective Analysis of Long-Term Outcomes After Combat Injury: A Hidden Cost of War.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Ian J; Sosnov, Jonathan A; Howard, Jeffrey T; Orman, Jean A; Fang, Raymond; Morrow, Benjamin D; Zonies, David H; Bollinger, Mary; Tuman, Caroline; Freedman, Brett A; Chung, Kevin K

    2015-12-01

    During the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, 52,087 service members have been wounded in combat. The long-term sequelae of these injuries have not been carefully examined. We sought to determine the relation between markers of injury severity and the subsequent development of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. Retrospective cohort study of critically injured US military personnel wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan from February 1, 2002 to February 1, 2011. Patients were then followed until January 18, 2013. Chronic disease outcomes were assessed by International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition codes and causes of death were confirmed by autopsy. From 6011 admissions, records were excluded because of missing data or if they were for an individual's second admission. Patients with a disease diagnosis of interest before the injury date were also excluded, yielding a cohort of 3846 subjects for analysis. After adjustment for other factors, each 5-point increment in the injury severity score was associated with a 6%, 13%, 13%, and 15% increase in incidence rates of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease, respectively. Acute kidney injury was associated with a 66% increase in rates of hypertension and nearly 5-fold increase in rates of chronic kidney disease. In Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the severity of combat injury was associated with the subsequent development of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  10. Moral Identity Predicts Doping Likelihood via Moral Disengagement and Anticipated Guilt.

    PubMed

    Kavussanu, Maria; Ring, Christopher

    2017-08-01

    In this study, we integrated elements of social cognitive theory of moral thought and action and the social cognitive model of moral identity to better understand doping likelihood in athletes. Participants (N = 398) recruited from a variety of team sports completed measures of moral identity, moral disengagement, anticipated guilt, and doping likelihood. Moral identity predicted doping likelihood indirectly via moral disengagement and anticipated guilt. Anticipated guilt about potential doping mediated the relationship between moral disengagement and doping likelihood. Our findings provide novel evidence to suggest that athletes, who feel that being a moral person is central to their self-concept, are less likely to use banned substances due to their lower tendency to morally disengage and the more intense feelings of guilt they expect to experience for using banned substances.

  11. Moral Enhancement

    PubMed Central

    Douglas, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    Opponents of biomedical enhancement often claim that, even if such enhancement would benefit the enhanced, it would harm others. But this objection looks unpersuasive when the enhancement in question is a moral enhancement — an enhancement that will expectably leave the enhanced person with morally better motives than she had previously. In this article I (1) describe one type of psychological alteration that would plausibly qualify as a moral enhancement, (2) argue that we will, in the medium-term future, probably be able to induce such alterations via biomedical intervention, and (3) defend future engagement in such moral enhancements against possible objections. My aim is to present this kind of moral enhancement as a counter-example to the view that biomedical enhancement is always morally impermissible. PMID:19132138

  12. The development of moral sense and moral thinking.

    PubMed

    Carpendale, Jeremy I M; Hammond, Stuart I

    2016-12-01

    The review critically evaluates recent claims that infants have innate knowledge of morality and examines the sources of moral norms. Many studies show that toddlers readily help adults with daily tasks. A more contentious set of studies suggests that young infants prefer actors who help others to those who hinder them. Some researchers have interpreted these findings as indicating that morality is innately present in humans. Others look to alternative explanations in developmental systems theory. Explaining the emergence of morality as innate, or wholly socialized, is problematic; instead morality could emerge in a developmental system in which children's early capacities are shaped by interpersonal engagement. Children's improving ability to coordinate with others at a practical level is later transformed through language and reflective thought, as children gain the ability to talk about what was previously implicit in interaction. Throughout, parents and caregivers have many opportunities to foster children's moral development in daily interactions.

  13. Individual Differences in Moral Development: Does Intelligence Really Affect Children’s Moral Reasoning and Moral Emotions?

    PubMed Central

    Beißert, Hanna M.; Hasselhorn, Marcus

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between intelligence and individual differences in children’s moral development across a range of different moral transgressions. Taking up prior research that showed morality and intelligence to be related in adolescents and adults, the current study wants to test if these findings can be extended to younger children. The study was designed to address some of the shortcomings in prior research by examining young children aged between 6 years; 4 months and 8 years; 10 months, using a broad concept of moral development including emotional aspects and applying an approach that is closely connected to children’s daily lives. Participants (N = 129) completed a standardized intelligence test and were presented four moral transgression stories to assess moral development. Results demonstrated that findings from prior research with adolescents or adults cannot simply be extended to younger participants. No significant correlations of moral development and intelligence were found for any of the presented stories. This provides first evidence that – at least in middle childhood – moral developmental status seems to be independent from children’s general intelligence assessed by figural inductive reasoning tests. PMID:28066287

  14. Cultural Conceptions of Morality: Examining Laypeople's Associations of Moral Character

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vauclair, Christin-Melanie; Wilson, Marc; Fischer, Ronald

    2014-01-01

    Whether moral conceptions are universal or culture-specific is controversial in moral psychology. One option is to refrain from imposing theoretical constraints and to ask laypeople from different cultures how "they" conceptualize morality. Our article adopts this approach by examining laypeople's associations of moral character in…

  15. Children's Moral Emotions and Moral Cognition: Towards an Integrative Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malti, Tina; Latzko, Brigitte

    2010-01-01

    This chapter presents a brief introduction to the developmental and educational literature linking children's moral emotions to cognitive moral development. A central premise of the chapter is that an integrative developmental perspective on moral emotions and moral cognition provides an important conceptual framework for understanding children's…

  16. [Patterns of injury in a combat environment. 2007 update].

    PubMed

    Willy, C; Voelker, H-U; Steinmann, R; Engelhardt, M

    2008-01-01

    Epidemiological analysis of injury patterns and mechanisms help in identifying the expertise that military surgeons need in a combat setting and also in adjusting training requirements accordingly. This paper attempts to assess the surgical specialties and skills of particular importance in the management of casualties in crisis areas. MEDLINE (1949-2007) and Google search were used. Causes of death among casualties in Afghanistan and the Iraq war were analyzed. The leading causes of injury were explosive devices, gunshot wounds, aircraft crashes, and terrorist attacks. Of the casualties, 55% died in hostile action and 45% in nonhostile incidents. Chest or abdominal injuries (40%) and brain injuries (35%) were the main causes of death for soldiers killed in action. The case fatality rate in Iraq was approximately half as high as in the Vietnam War. In contrast, the amputation rate was twice as high. Approximately 8-15% of the deaths appeared to be preventable. Military surgeons must have excellent skills in the fields of thoracic, visceral, and vascular surgery as well as practical skills in neurosurgery and oral and maxillofacial surgery. It also is of vital importance to ensure the availability of sufficient medical evacuation capabilities. Furthermore, there is a need for a standardized registration system for all injuries similar to the German Trauma Registry.

  17. The Impact of Combat Status on Veterans' Attitudes Toward Help Seeking: The Hierarchy of Combat Elitism.

    PubMed

    Ashley, Wendy; Brown, Jodi Constantine

    2015-01-01

    Many veterans do not seek assistance for mental health concerns despite the staggering prevalence of trauma-related symptomatology. Barriers to service provision include personal and professional stigma and inter-veteran attitudes that dictate who is more or less deserving of services. Veteran attitudes are shaped by military culture, which promotes a hyper-masculine paradigm upholding combat experience as the defining feature of the "ideal soldier." The stratification of soldiers into combat or non-combat status creates a hierarchy of combat elitism that extends far beyond active duty. This pilot study surveyed veterans (n = 24) to explore how combat experience may affect attitudes toward help seeking. Findings indicate combat and non-combat veterans are less accepting of non-combat veterans' help-seeking behavior, supporting the notion that veterans' attitudes toward help seeking are influenced by combat status. Despite limitations, the results of this study reflect a need for increased attention to the attitudes veterans have about each other and themselves.

  18. Medical ethics in times of war and insurrection: rights and duties.

    PubMed

    Benatar, S R

    1993-01-01

    In this paper I shall take the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols as my point of departure and link these with the International Declaration of Human Rights as a statement of faith and of aspirations.... The second part of my paper will focus on medical morality with brief reference to various languages of moral discourse and to differences in conceptual logic which underpin debates on duties and rights with particular reference to the circumstances of conflict. While acknowledging the value of talking of rights as primary I shall also suggest that the shift away from discourse on duties and obligations as primary undermines the likelihood of super-erogatory moral action. I shall conclude by emphasizing the centrality of acceptance by the State and the military of their duty to the injured and to medical personnel caring for them, if man's inhumanity to man, particularly evident during times of war, is to be kept out of our concern for each other as human beings even when nations are pitted against each other in the ongoing, but hopefully not eternal, struggle for material and ideological power.

  19. Factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in war-survivors displaced in Croatia

    PubMed Central

    Letica-Crepulja, Marina; Salcioglu, Ebru; Frančišković, Tanja; Basoglu, Metin

    2011-01-01

    Aim To examine the role of perceived stressfulness of trauma exposure and economic, social, occupational, educational, and familial adaptation after trauma in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in displaced war survivors. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between March 2000 and July 2002 with a sample of 173 internally displaced persons or refugees and 167 matched controls in Croatia. Clinical measures included Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Results Displaced war survivors reported the exposure to a mean ± standard deviation of 13.1 ± 8.3 war stressors, including combat, torture, serious injury, death of close persons, and loss of property. Compared to controls, they reported higher rates of marked to severe impact of war on family (16.2% vs 51.6%), social (7.2% vs 43.5%), economic (12.6% vs 55.4%), occupational (1.8% vs 15.9%), and educational (2.4% vs 8.8%) adaptation. In two logistic regression analyses, the strongest predictor of PTSD and depression was high level of perceived distress during trauma exposure. PTSD but not depression was associated with economic, social, occupational, educational, and familial adaptation after trauma. Conclusion Displaced survivors who experienced multiple war events perceived greater negative impact of war on their life domains compared to individuals who lived in a war setting but had no trauma exposure. The most important determinant of psychological outcomes was perceived stressfulness of war stressors. Although post-trauma adaptation in different life spheres had an impact, its effect was not robust and consistent across disorders. These findings suggest that it would be effective to use a trauma-focused approach in rehabilitation of war survivors. PMID:22180270

  20. The new front in the war on doping: Amateur athletes.

    PubMed

    Henning, April D; Dimeo, Paul

    2018-01-01

    The war on drugs is usually associated with criminal policies aimed at stemming consumption of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and cannabis, less so with enhancement drugs like those used in sport. As drug use in sport, or doping, has become more visibly widespread, policies aimed at combating the issue have become more restrictive, intrusive, and harsh. In this article we draw new comparisons between the wider war on drugs and recent developments in sports anti-doping. We identify a growing trend towards criminalisation of traffickers and users, and associate that with another growing trend: the testing of amateur athletes. This article reviews the current anti-doping system, including the recent amateur policies, then considers of the results of one such program in amateur cycling. We then shift to consider the possible implications for amateurs of criminal doping laws and the recent debates about allowing medical exemptions for therapeutic use of banned substances. We show that drug use in sport can be understood as a new front in the war on drugs, with some extreme measures and many negative unintended consequences. To remedy this, we argue that amateur athletes require a separate anti-doping policy focused on minimising harms of use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Defining Features of Moral Sensitivity and Moral Motivation: Pathways to Moral Reasoning in Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morton, Kelly R.; Worthley, Joanna S.; Testerman, John K.; Mahoney, Marita L.

    2006-01-01

    Kohlberg's theory of moral development explores the roles of cognition and emotion but focuses primarily on cognition. Contemporary post-formal theories lead to the conclusion that skills resulting from cognitive-affective integration facilitate consistency between moral judgement and moral behaviour. Rest's four-component model of moral…

  2. Morality in everyday life.

    PubMed

    Hofmann, Wilhelm; Wisneski, Daniel C; Brandt, Mark J; Skitka, Linda J

    2014-09-12

    The science of morality has drawn heavily on well-controlled but artificial laboratory settings. To study everyday morality, we repeatedly assessed moral or immoral acts and experiences in a large (N = 1252) sample using ecological momentary assessment. Moral experiences were surprisingly frequent and manifold. Liberals and conservatives emphasized somewhat different moral dimensions. Religious and nonreligious participants did not differ in the likelihood or quality of committed moral and immoral acts. Being the target of moral or immoral deeds had the strongest impact on happiness, whereas committing moral or immoral deeds had the strongest impact on sense of purpose. Analyses of daily dynamics revealed evidence for both moral contagion and moral licensing. In sum, morality science may benefit from a closer look at the antecedents, dynamics, and consequences of everyday moral experience. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  3. The Everyday Moral Judge - Autobiographical Recollections of Moral Emotions.

    PubMed

    Körner, André; Tscharaktschiew, Nadine; Schindler, Rose; Schulz, Katrin; Rudolph, Udo

    2016-01-01

    Moral emotions are typically elicited in everyday social interactions and regulate social behavior. Previous research in the field of attribution theory identified ought (the moral standard of a given situation or intended goal), goal-attainment (a goal can be attained vs. not attained) and effort (high vs. low effort expenditure) as cognitive antecedents of moral emotions. In contrast to earlier studies, mainly relying on thought experiments, we investigated autobiographical recollections of N = 312 participants by means of an online study. We analyzed a diverse range of moral emotions, i.e., admiration, anger, contempt, indignation, pride, respect, schadenfreude, and sympathy, by using a mixed-method approach. Qualitative and quantitative methods clearly corroborate the important role of ought, goal-attainment, and effort as eliciting conditions of moral emotions. Furthermore, we built categorical systems based on our participants' descriptions of real-life situations, allowing for more fine-grained distinctions between seemingly similar moral emotions. We thus identify additional prerequisites explaining more subtle differences between moral emotion clusters as they emerge from our analyses (i.e., cluster 1: admiration, pride, and respect; cluster 2: anger, contempt, and indignation; cluster 3: schadenfreude and sympathy). Results are discussed in the light of attributional theories of moral emotions, and implications for future research are derived.

  4. GETTING MORAL ENHANCEMENT RIGHT: THE DESIRABILITY OF MORAL BIOENHANCEMENT

    PubMed Central

    Persson, Ingmar; Savulescu, Julian

    2013-01-01

    We respond to a number of objections raised by John Harris in this journal to our argument that we should pursue genetic and other biological means of morally enhancing human beings (moral bioenhancement). We claim that human beings now have at their disposal means of wiping out life on Earth and that traditional methods of moral education are probably insufficient to achieve the moral enhancement required to ensure that this will not happen. Hence, we argue, moral bioenhancement should be sought and applied. We argue that cognitive enhancement and technological progress raise acute problems because it is easier to harm than to benefit. We address objections to this argument. We also respond to objections that moral bioenhancement: (1) interferes with freedom; (2) cannot be made to target immoral dispositions precisely; (3) is redundant, since cognitive enhancement by itself suffices. PMID:21797913

  5. Moral vindications.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Victor

    2017-10-01

    Psychologists and neuroscientists have recently been unearthing the unconscious processes that give rise to moral intuitions and emotions. According to skeptics like Joshua Greene, what has been found casts doubt on many of our moral beliefs. However, a new approach in moral psychology develops a learning-theoretic framework that has been successfully applied in a number of other domains. This framework suggests that model-based learning shapes intuitions and emotions. Model-based learning explains how moral thought and feeling are attuned to local material and social conditions. Philosophers can draw on these explanations, in some cases, in order to vindicate episodes of moral change. Explanations can support justifications by showing that they are not mere rationalizations. In addition, philosophical justifications are a fertile source for empirical hypotheses about the rational learning mechanisms that shape moral intuitions and emotions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The Theory of Dyadic Morality: Reinventing Moral Judgment by Redefining Harm.

    PubMed

    Schein, Chelsea; Gray, Kurt

    2018-02-01

    The nature of harm-and therefore moral judgment-may be misunderstood. Rather than an objective matter of reason, we argue that harm should be redefined as an intuitively perceived continuum. This redefinition provides a new understanding of moral content and mechanism-the constructionist Theory of Dyadic Morality (TDM). TDM suggests that acts are condemned proportional to three elements: norm violations, negative affect, and-importantly-perceived harm. This harm is dyadic, involving an intentional agent causing damage to a vulnerable patient (A→P). TDM predicts causal links both from harm to immorality (dyadic comparison) and from immorality to harm (dyadic completion). Together, these two processes make the "dyadic loop," explaining moral acquisition and polarization. TDM argues against intuitive harmless wrongs and modular "foundations," but embraces moral pluralism through varieties of values and the flexibility of perceived harm. Dyadic morality impacts understandings of moral character, moral emotion, and political/cultural differences, and provides research guidelines for moral psychology.

  7. Contextual and perceptual brain processes underlying moral cognition: a quantitative meta-analysis of moral reasoning and moral emotions.

    PubMed

    Sevinc, Gunes; Spreng, R Nathan

    2014-01-01

    Human morality has been investigated using a variety of tasks ranging from judgments of hypothetical dilemmas to viewing morally salient stimuli. These experiments have provided insight into neural correlates of moral judgments and emotions, yet these approaches reveal important differences in moral cognition. Moral reasoning tasks require active deliberation while moral emotion tasks involve the perception of stimuli with moral implications. We examined convergent and divergent brain activity associated with these experimental paradigms taking a quantitative meta-analytic approach. A systematic search of the literature yielded 40 studies. Studies involving explicit decisions in a moral situation were categorized as active (n = 22); studies evoking moral emotions were categorized as passive (n = 18). We conducted a coordinate-based meta-analysis using the Activation Likelihood Estimation to determine reliable patterns of brain activity. Results revealed a convergent pattern of reliable brain activity for both task categories in regions of the default network, consistent with the social and contextual information processes supported by this brain network. Active tasks revealed more reliable activity in the temporoparietal junction, angular gyrus and temporal pole. Active tasks demand deliberative reasoning and may disproportionately involve the retrieval of social knowledge from memory, mental state attribution, and construction of the context through associative processes. In contrast, passive tasks reliably engaged regions associated with visual and emotional information processing, including lingual gyrus and the amygdala. A laterality effect was observed in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, with active tasks engaging the left, and passive tasks engaging the right. While overlapping activity patterns suggest a shared neural network for both tasks, differential activity suggests that processing of moral input is affected by task demands. The results provide novel

  8. Contextual and Perceptual Brain Processes Underlying Moral Cognition: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis of Moral Reasoning and Moral Emotions

    PubMed Central

    Sevinc, Gunes; Spreng, R. Nathan

    2014-01-01

    Background and Objectives Human morality has been investigated using a variety of tasks ranging from judgments of hypothetical dilemmas to viewing morally salient stimuli. These experiments have provided insight into neural correlates of moral judgments and emotions, yet these approaches reveal important differences in moral cognition. Moral reasoning tasks require active deliberation while moral emotion tasks involve the perception of stimuli with moral implications. We examined convergent and divergent brain activity associated with these experimental paradigms taking a quantitative meta-analytic approach. Data Source A systematic search of the literature yielded 40 studies. Studies involving explicit decisions in a moral situation were categorized as active (n = 22); studies evoking moral emotions were categorized as passive (n = 18). We conducted a coordinate-based meta-analysis using the Activation Likelihood Estimation to determine reliable patterns of brain activity. Results & Conclusions Results revealed a convergent pattern of reliable brain activity for both task categories in regions of the default network, consistent with the social and contextual information processes supported by this brain network. Active tasks revealed more reliable activity in the temporoparietal junction, angular gyrus and temporal pole. Active tasks demand deliberative reasoning and may disproportionately involve the retrieval of social knowledge from memory, mental state attribution, and construction of the context through associative processes. In contrast, passive tasks reliably engaged regions associated with visual and emotional information processing, including lingual gyrus and the amygdala. A laterality effect was observed in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, with active tasks engaging the left, and passive tasks engaging the right. While overlapping activity patterns suggest a shared neural network for both tasks, differential activity suggests that processing of

  9. The ABC of moral development: an attachment approach to moral judgment

    PubMed Central

    Govrin, Aner

    2014-01-01

    As with other cognitive faculties, the etiology of moral judgment and its connection to early development is complex. Because research is limited, the causative and contributory factors to the development of moral judgment in preverbal infants are unclear. However, evidence is emerging from studies within both infant research and moral psychology that may contribute to our understanding of the early development of moral judgments. Though its finding are preliminary, this proposed paradigm synthesizes these findings to generate an overarching, model of the process that appears to contribute to the development of moral judgment in the first year of life. I will propose that through early interactions with the caregiver, the child acquires an internal representation of a system of rules that determine how right/wrong judgments are to be construed, used, and understood. By breaking moral situations down into their defining features, the attachment model of moral judgment outlines a framework for a universal moral faculty based on a universal, innate, deep structure that appears uniformly in the structure of almost all moral judgments regardless of their content. The implications of the model for our understanding of innateness, universal morality, and the representations of moral situations are discussed. PMID:24478739

  10. Understanding how deployment experiences change over time: Comparison of female and male OEF/OIF and Gulf War veterans.

    PubMed

    Fox, Annie B; Walker, Brian E; Smith, Brian N; King, Daniel W; King, Lynda A; Vogt, Dawne

    2016-03-01

    Despite increased attention to the evolving nature of war, the unique challenges of contemporary deployment, and women's changing role in warfare, few studies have examined differences in deployment stressors across eras of service or evaluated how gender differences in deployment experiences have changed over time. Using data collected from two national survey studies, we examined war cohort and gender differences in veterans' reports of both mission-related and interpersonal stressors during deployment. Although Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans reported more combat experiences and greater preparedness for deployment compared to Gulf War veterans, Gulf War veterans reported higher levels of other mission-related stressors, including difficult living and working environment, perceived threat, and potential exposure to nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Gender differences also emerged, with men reporting greater exposure to mission-related stressors and women reporting higher levels of interpersonal stressors. However, the size and nature of gender differences did not differ significantly when comparing veterans of the two eras. By understanding how risk factors for PTSD differ based on war era and gender, veterans' experiences can be better contextualized. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Outcome of influenza vaccination in combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients

    PubMed Central

    Kosor Krnic, E; Gagro, A; Kozaric-Kovacic, D; Vilibic, M; Grubisic-Ilic, M; Folnegovic-Smalc, V; Drazenovic, V; Cecuk-Jelicic, E; Gjenero-Margan, I; Kuzman, I; Jeren, T; Sabioncello, A; Kerhin-Brkljacic, V; Kaic, B; Markotic, A; Gotovac, K; Rabatic, S; Mlinaric-Galinovic, G; Dekaris, D

    2007-01-01

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after exposure to extreme traumatic experience such as war trauma, and is accompanied by fear, helplessness or horror. Exposure to trauma can result in immune dysregulation and influence susceptibility to infectious disease as well as vaccine efficacy. The aim of the study was to determine the relation of psychological stress and the immune response to influenza vaccination in combat-related PTSD patients (n = 28). Detection of anti-viral antibody titre was performed by inhibition of haemagglutination assay. Ex vivo tetramer staining of CD8+ T lymphocytes was used to monitor T cells specific for human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201-restricted influenza A haemagglutinin antigens before and after vaccination. Twenty patients showed a fourfold antibody titre increase to one or both influenza A viral strains, and 18 of them showed the same response for both influenza B viral strains. Ten of 15 healthy controls showed a fourfold rise in antibody titre to both influenza A viral strains and eight of them showed the same response for both influenza B viral strains. HLA-A*0201+ PTSD patients (n = 10) showed a significant increase of influenza-specific CD8 T cells after vaccination. Although those PTSD patients had a lower number of influenza-specific CD8+ T cells before vaccination compared to HLA-A*0201+ healthy controls (n = 6), there was no difference in influenza A antibody titre between PTSD patients and control subjects before vaccination. The generated humoral and cellular immune response in PTSD patients argues against the hypothesis that combat-related PTSD in war veterans might affect protection following influenza vaccination. PMID:17511777

  12. Moral Identity as Moral Ideal Self: Links to Adolescent Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardy, Sam A.; Walker, Lawrence J.; Olsen, Joseph A.; Woodbury, Ryan D.; Hickman, Jacob R.

    2014-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to conceptualize moral identity as moral ideal self, to develop a measure of this construct, to test for age and gender differences, to examine links between moral ideal self and adolescent outcomes, and to assess purpose and social responsibility as mediators of the relations between moral ideal self and outcomes.…

  13. Old Tricks for New Dogs? John Caddy and the Victorian Origins of TCCC.

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Penny S

    2018-01-01

    The success of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) in reducing potentially preventable combat deaths may rely on both specific interventions (such as tourniquets) and the systematized application of immediate care. Essential elements of a combat care system include clear specification of immediate care priorities, standardized methodology, and inclusion and training of all nonmedical personnel in early response. Although TCCC is fairly recent, the construct is similar to that first suggested during the mid-nineteenth century by John Turner Caddy (1822-1902), a British Royal Navy staff surgeon. Although naval warfare engagements at the time were relatively infrequent, casualties could be numerous and severe and often overwhelmed the small medical staff on board. Caddy recognized that nonmedical personnel properly trained in the fundamentals of combat injury management would result in lives saved and greatly improved morale. The novelty was in his attempt to make procedures simple enough to be performed by nonmedical personnel under stress. However, Caddy's guidelines were completely overlooked for nearly two centuries. The principles of best practice for managing combat trauma injuries learned in previous wars have often been lost between conflicts. Understanding the historical roots of combat first responder care may enable us to better understand and overcome barriers to recognition and retention of essential knowledge. 2018.

  14. Documented suicides within the British Army during the Crimean War 1854-1856.

    PubMed

    Smith, Jeffrey Allen; Masuhara, Kristi L; Frueh, B Christopher

    2014-07-01

    We have little understanding of the increased active duty military suicide rates found in the United States, and little understanding of what is historically normative for combatants. Therefore, we examined historical records on suicides among the British Army during the Crimean War for the years 1854-1856. There were 18 documented suicides in the British Army during this period. Calculating an accurate annual suicide rate per 100,000 is impossible because it is unclear how many of the 111,313 military personnel were in country for each of the 2 years of the war. However, the range is conservatively estimated between 8 and 16 per 100,000, with the likely answer somewhere near the middle. This suggests the possibility that increasing suicide rates among active duty military may be a modern U.S. phenomenon. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  15. Is moral bioenhancement dangerous?

    PubMed

    Drake, Nicholas

    2016-01-01

    In a recent response to Persson and Savulescu's Unfit for the Future, Nicholas Agar argues that moral bioenhancement is dangerous. His grounds for this are that normal moral judgement should be privileged because it involves a balance of moral subcapacities; moral bioenhancement, Agar argues, involves the enhancement of only particular moral subcapacities, and thus upsets the balance inherent in normal moral judgement. Mistaken moral judgements, he says, are likely to result. I argue that Agar's argument fails for two reasons. First, having strength in a particular moral subcapacity does not necessarily entail a worsening of moral judgement; it can involve strength in a particular aspect of morality. Second, normal moral judgement is not sufficiently likely to be correct to be the standard by which moral judgements are measured. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  16. Microchimerism decades after transfusion among combat-injured US veterans from the Vietnam, Korean, and World War II conflicts.

    PubMed

    Utter, Garth H; Lee, Tzong-Hae; Rivers, Ryan M; Montalvo, Lani; Wen, Li; Chafets, Daniel M; Reed, William F; Busch, Michael P

    2008-08-01

    Blood transfusion after traumatic injury can result in microchimerism (MC) of donor white cells (WBCs) in the recipient as late as 2 to 3 years postinjury, the longest prospective follow-up to date. The purpose of this study was to determine how long transfusion-associated MC lasts after traumatic injury. A group of US combat veterans who received transfusions who responded to a recruitment notice was retrospectively evaluated. Their blood was sampled, and MC was assessed by quantitative allele-specific polymerase chain reaction detection of differences at the HLA-DR locus or a panel of insertion-deletion polymorphism loci. Results of veterans were compared to those from an age- and gender-matched blood donor control group, from whom WBCs were retrieved from leukoreduction filters. Among 163 combat veterans who received transfusion and 150 control subjects who did not receive transfusions, 16 (9.8%) of the veterans and 1 (0.7%) control subject had evidence of MC (relative risk, 14.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-110). The veterans with MC included 3 who served in WWII (7% of subjects from that conflict), 5 in Korea (18%), and 6 in Vietnam (7%). Transfusion for combat-related injury can result in MC that lasts for 60 years, suggesting that it may involve permanent engraftment. MC is rare among male blood donors who did not receive transfusions, who are probably representative of individuals who have not had postnatal allogeneic exposures.

  17. Responsible soldiering in the nuclear age: inferences from the Catholic Bishop's Pastoral on nuclear war. Master's thesis, August 1985-June 1986

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, M.E.

    1986-06-06

    This thesis is an attempt to develop an ethic for those who must perform soldierly duties in this era. It is an examination of core values, and how these values have been translated into military ethics and obligations within the context of western civilization. This study uses the most recent application of just-war theory, the Catholic Bishop's Pastoral on nuclear war, The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response, and compares its instruction to selected findings of another contemporary application, the Nuremberg War Trials. The manner in which we construct and reinforce our moral values in conscience, coupled withmore » appreciation for the sanctity of human existence, evolve as fundamental underlying principles. After having established the scope of authority from which the Catholic Bishop's Pastoral derives its credibility, these principles are compared against the United States Army Ethic and a contemporary ethic is proposed. The study concludes that ultimately we are responsible for the decisions and choices that we make. Soldiers are not absolved, especially within the Judeo-Christian context, from the obligation to make choices based upon sound moral reasoning, simply because they are engaged in activities that run counter to orderly human existence.« less

  18. Meaning as a mission: a review of empirical studies on appraisals of war and peacekeeping experiences.

    PubMed

    Schok, Michaela L; Kleber, Rolf J; Elands, Martin; Weerts, Jos M P

    2008-03-01

    The aim of this article is to review the scientific literature on making sense of war and peacekeeping experiences, and it includes an analysis of empirical studies that examine appraisals of military deployment experiences among veterans. Veterans reported more positive than negative effects in the studies of this review. Furthermore, construing positive meaning from war and peacekeeping experiences, especially related to combat exposure or high perceived threat, is associated with better psychological adjustment. More insight on "normal" psychological processing of stressful and traumatic experiences is obtained when the concept of meaning is used in research. This perspective emphasizes the perception of individuals and focuses on beliefs and attitudes in making sense of threatening events instead of pathologizing the response to trauma.

  19. The measurement of principled morality by the Kohlberg Moral Dilemma Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Heilbrun, A B; Georges, M

    1990-01-01

    The four stages preceding the postconventional level in the Kohlberg (1958, 1971, 1976) system of moral development are described as involving moral judgments that conform to external conditions of punishment, reward, social expectation, and conformity to the law. No special level of self-control seems necessary to behave in keeping with these conditions of external reinforcement. In contrast, the two stages of postconventional (principled) mortality involve defiance of majority opinion and defiance of the law--actions that would seem to require greater self-control. This study was concerned with whether postconventional moral reasoning, as measured by the Kohlberg Moral Dilemma Questionnaire (MDQ), can be associated with higher self-control. If so, prediction of principled moral behavior from the MDQ would be based not only on postconventional moral reasoning but bolstered by the necessary level of self-control as well. College students who came the closest to postconventional moral reasoning showed better self-control than college students who were more conventional or preconventional in their moral judgments. These results support the validity of the MDQ for predicting principled moral behavior.

  20. On Shermer on morality.

    PubMed

    Miller, Christian B

    2016-11-01

    This is my critical commentary on Michael Shermer's paper "Morality is real, objective, and natural." Shermer and I agree that morality is both real and objective. Here I raise serious reservations about both Shermer's account of where morality comes from and his account of what morality tells us to do. His approach to the foundations of morality would allow some very disturbing behaviors to count as moral, and his approach to what morality says does not provide the action guidance we need from a moral theory. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

  1. Moral Education as Intercultural Moral Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frisancho, Susana; Delgado, Guillermo Enrique

    2018-01-01

    In a diverse country such as Peru, moral education should reflect social, cultural, political and spiritual dilemmas of both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples and their communities. To promote understanding and respect amongst people from different sociocultural backgrounds, moral education should encourage a dialogue between indigenous values…

  2. Combating terrorism : how five foreign countries are organized to combat terrorism

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-04-01

    In fiscal year 1999, the federal government spent about $10 billion to combat terrorism. Over 40 federal departments, agencies, and bureaus have a role in combating terrorism. Recognizing that other governments have had more experience dealing with t...

  3. Winning the War and the Relationships: Preparing Military Officers for Negotiations With Non-Combatants

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-08-01

    that Iraqis make “great poker players,” and “Every thing is gray. They never say yes or no. Every thing is open for negotiation.” This made it...U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Report 1877 Winning the War and...United States Military Academy, West Point August 2007 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. U.S. Army

  4. Moral and morale benefits of the Strategic Defense Initiative. Student report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Poston, J.R.

    1986-04-01

    This writer finds strategic defense a moral advance over the present nuclear deterrence policy as well as a probable boost to national and military morale because of the broad-based popular support attendant to the inherent moral suasion. Popular support is nearly inevitable because of the moral superiority of strategic defense over nuclear retaliation, as well as the sheer compulsion of common sense about a protective defense. Criticism of the SDI abounds, but not without adequate answers from proponents. One of the best morale-building supports for those experiencing mixed moral feelings about nuclear deterrence is that strategic defense avoids or pointsmore » to a way out of the moral problems facing nuclear deterrence and its grim companion--nuclear retaliation.« less

  5. From prowar soldier to antiwar activist: Change and continuity in the narratives of political conversion among Iraq War veterans

    Treesearch

    David Flores

    2016-01-01

    This study examines conversion narratives of Iraq War military veterans who have become antiwar political activists. I examine how antiwar veterans construct and emplot prewar, wartime, and postwar narrative periods to shape and reclaim their moral identities as patriots fighting for a just cause, and how through a communal antiwar story they work to both...

  6. The Utilization of Women in Combat: An Historical and Social Analysis of Twentieth-Century Wartime and Peacetime Experience

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-01-01

    training, overseen by male officers, was severe as was the dis- cipline. The women volunteers had their heads shaved and were otherwise de- feminized in...same functions as men in national defense; the removal -of some of the special laws that pro- I tect and hence restrict the use of women in employment...Use of Women in Near-Combat Roles L Since World War II? N There are three basic reasons why women have not been permitted or have been restricted in

  7. Why be moral? Children's explicit motives for prosocial-moral action.

    PubMed

    Sengsavang, Sonia; Willemsen, Kayleen; Krettenauer, Tobias

    2015-01-01

    Recent research on young children's morality has stressed the autonomous and internal nature of children's moral motivation. However, this research has mostly focused on implicit moral motives, whereas children's explicit motives have not been investigated directly. This study examined children's explicit motives for why they want to engage in prosocial actions and avoid antisocial behavior. A total of 195 children aged 4-12 years were interviewed about their motives for everyday prosocial-moral actions, as well as reported on their relationship with their parents. Children's explicit motives to abstain from antisocial behavior were found to be more external and less other-oriented than their motives for prosocial action. Motives that reflected higher levels of internal motivation became more frequent with age. Moreover, positive parent-child relationships predicted more other-oriented motives and greater explication of moral motives. Overall, the study provides evidence that children's explicit moral motivation is far more heterogeneous than prominent theories of moral development (past and present) suggest.

  8. Why be moral? Children's explicit motives for prosocial-moral action

    PubMed Central

    Sengsavang, Sonia; Willemsen, Kayleen; Krettenauer, Tobias

    2015-01-01

    Recent research on young children's morality has stressed the autonomous and internal nature of children's moral motivation. However, this research has mostly focused on implicit moral motives, whereas children's explicit motives have not been investigated directly. This study examined children's explicit motives for why they want to engage in prosocial actions and avoid antisocial behavior. A total of 195 children aged 4–12 years were interviewed about their motives for everyday prosocial-moral actions, as well as reported on their relationship with their parents. Children's explicit motives to abstain from antisocial behavior were found to be more external and less other-oriented than their motives for prosocial action. Motives that reflected higher levels of internal motivation became more frequent with age. Moreover, positive parent-child relationships predicted more other-oriented motives and greater explication of moral motives. Overall, the study provides evidence that children's explicit moral motivation is far more heterogeneous than prominent theories of moral development (past and present) suggest. PMID:25999880

  9. War as a moral imperative (not just practical politics by other means)

    PubMed Central

    Ginges, Jeremy; Atran, Scott

    2011-01-01

    We present findings from one survey and five experiments carried out in the USA, Nigeria and the Middle East showing that judgements about the use of deadly intergroup violence are strikingly insensitive to quantitative indicators of success, or to perceptions of their efficacy. By demonstrating that judgements about the use of war are bounded by rules of deontological reasoning and parochial commitment, these findings may have implications for understanding the trajectory of violent political conflicts. Further, these findings are compatible with theorizing that links the evolution of within-group altruism to intergroup violence. PMID:21325334

  10. [The war at home: "war amenorrhea" in the First World War].

    PubMed

    Stukenbrock, Karin

    2008-01-01

    In 1917, the Göttingen gynaecologist Dietrich published a short article about a phenomenon which he called "war amenorrhea" ("Kriegsamenorrhoe"). The article attracted the attention of his colleagues. While the affected women did not pay much attention to their amenorrhea, the physicians considered the phenomenon a new disease which was mainly caused by the war. This new disease gave the gynaecologists the opportunity to present their specialty as a discipline with high relevance for medicine in times of war. Nevertheless, there was no consensus about the importance, the incidence, the diagnostic criteria, the causes and the appropriate therapy of"war amenorrhea". Although the gynaecologists failed to define a uniform clinical syndrome, they maintained the construction of "war amenorrhea" after the war and subsumed it under well known types of amenorrhea. We can conclude that under the conditions of war a new disease emerged which was not sharply defined.

  11. Mapping the Moral Domain

    PubMed Central

    Graham, Jesse; Nosek, Brian A.; Haidt, Jonathan; Iyer, Ravi; Koleva, Spassena; Ditto, Peter H.

    2010-01-01

    The moral domain is broader than the empathy and justice concerns assessed by existing measures of moral competence, and it is not just a subset of the values assessed by value inventories. To fill the need for reliable and theoretically-grounded measurement of the full range of moral concerns, we developed the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) based on a theoretical model of five universally available (but variably developed) sets of moral intuitions: Harm/care, Fairness/reciprocity, Ingroup/loyalty, Authority/respect, and Purity/sanctity. We present evidence for the internal and external validity of the scale and the model, and in doing so present new findings about morality: 1. Comparative model fitting of confirmatory factor analyses provides empirical justification for a five-factor structure of moral concerns. 2. Convergent/discriminant validity evidence suggests that moral concerns predict personality features and social group attitudes not previously considered morally relevant. 3. We establish pragmatic validity of the measure in providing new knowledge and research opportunities concerning demographic and cultural differences in moral intuitions. These analyses provide evidence for the usefulness of Moral Foundations Theory in simultaneously increasing the scope and sharpening the resolution of psychological views of morality. PMID:21244182

  12. Selective Moral Disengagement in the Exercise of Moral Agency.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bandura, Albert

    2002-01-01

    Addresses the issue of selective moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Argues that moral functioning is governed by self-reactive selfhood rather than by dispassionate abstract reasoning. Concludes that the massive threats to human welfare stem mainly from deliberate acts of principle rather than from unrestrained acts of impulse.…

  13. The Everyday Moral Judge – Autobiographical Recollections of Moral Emotions

    PubMed Central

    Tscharaktschiew, Nadine; Schindler, Rose; Schulz, Katrin; Rudolph, Udo

    2016-01-01

    Moral emotions are typically elicited in everyday social interactions and regulate social behavior. Previous research in the field of attribution theory identified ought (the moral standard of a given situation or intended goal), goal-attainment (a goal can be attained vs. not attained) and effort (high vs. low effort expenditure) as cognitive antecedents of moral emotions. In contrast to earlier studies, mainly relying on thought experiments, we investigated autobiographical recollections of N = 312 participants by means of an online study. We analyzed a diverse range of moral emotions, i.e., admiration, anger, contempt, indignation, pride, respect, schadenfreude, and sympathy, by using a mixed-method approach. Qualitative and quantitative methods clearly corroborate the important role of ought, goal-attainment, and effort as eliciting conditions of moral emotions. Furthermore, we built categorical systems based on our participants’ descriptions of real-life situations, allowing for more fine-grained distinctions between seemingly similar moral emotions. We thus identify additional prerequisites explaining more subtle differences between moral emotion clusters as they emerge from our analyses (i.e., cluster 1: admiration, pride, and respect; cluster 2: anger, contempt, and indignation; cluster 3: schadenfreude and sympathy). Results are discussed in the light of attributional theories of moral emotions, and implications for future research are derived. PMID:27977699

  14. Health effects of the war in two rural communities in Nicaragua. Nicaragua Health Study Collaborative at Harvard, CIES, and UNAN.

    PubMed Central

    1989-01-01

    We report on a pilot study to assess the effects of low intensity war in Nicaragua on the health of the civilian population. The study compared data from two regions in Nicaragua, one in an area of intense conflict, the other further removed from the war's violence. Information was obtained from a questionnaire administered to female heads of randomly selected households; structured interviews with community leaders and health workers; group discussions with community residents; and a review of regional and municipal death records. Height and mid-upper arm circumference of children were measured, and immunization records reviewed. The war has had a serious negative effect on the lives of the civilian population in both the war zone and the non-war zone, with the effects most severe in the war zone. In both communities, over half of the respondents reported the death of a friend or relative. In the war zone community, over one-fourth of respondents reported attacks on family members in non-combat situations around their homes. Death by firearms was the leading cause of death in persons over age 6 in the war zone. Vaccination coverage, nutritional indices, and familial disruption were worse in the war zone community. The findings suggest that continued funding of the Nicaraguan contra forces by the United States may be harming the ostensible beneficiaries of that policy, and that use of such low intensity conflict as a foreign policy tool should be questioned. PMID:2929801

  15. Injury patterns of soldiers in the second Lebanon war.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, Dagan; Glassberg, Elon; Nadler, Roy; Hirschhorn, Gil; Marom, Ophir Cohen; Aharonson-Daniel, Limor

    2014-01-01

    In the second Lebanon war in 2006, the Israeli Defense Forces fought against well-prepared and well-equipped paramilitary forces. The conflict took place near the Israeli border and major Israeli medical centers. Good data records were maintained throughout the campaign, allowing accurate analysis of injury characteristics. This study is an in-depth analysis of injury mechanisms, severity, and anatomic locations. Data regarding all injured soldiers were collected from all care points up to the definitive care hospitals and were cross-referenced. In addition, trauma branch physicians and nurses interviewed medical teams to validate data accuracy. Injuries were analyzed using Injury Severity Score (ISS) (when precise anatomic data were available) and multiple injury patterns scoring for all. A total of 833 soldiers sustained combat-related injury during the study period, including 119 fatalities (14.3%). Although most soldiers (361) sustained injury only to one Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) region, the average number of regions per soldier was 2.0 but was 1.5 for survivors versus 4.2 for fatalities. Current war injury classifications have limitations that hinder valid comparisons between campaigns and settings. In addition, limitation on full autopsy in war fatalities further hinders data use. To partly compensate for those limitations, we have looked at the correlation between fatality rates and number of involved anatomic regions and found it to be strong. We have also found high fatality rates in some "combined" injuries such as head and chest injuries (71%) or in the abdomen and an extremity (75%). The use of multiinjury patterns analysis may help understand fatality rates and improve the utility of war injury analysis. Epidemiologic study, level III.

  16. Charitable giving and lay morality: understanding sympathy, moral evaluations and social positions

    PubMed Central

    Sanghera, Balihar

    2015-01-01

    Abstract This paper examines how charitable giving offers an example of lay morality, reflecting people's capacity for fellow‐feeling, moral sentiments, personal reflexivity, ethical dispositions, moral norms and moral discourses. Lay morality refers to how people should treat others and be treated by them, matters that are important for their subjective and objective well‐being. It is a first person evaluative relation to the world (about things that matter to people). While the paper is sympathetic to the ‘moral boundaries’ approach, which seeks to address the neglect of moral evaluations in sociology, it reveals this approach to have some shortcomings. The paper argues that although morality is always mediated by cultural discourses and shaped by structural factors, it also has a universalizing character because people have fellow‐feelings, shared human conditions, and have reason to value. PMID:27546914

  17. Former combatants in Liberia: the burden of possible traumatic brain injury among demobilized combatants.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Kirsten; Asher, Jana; Kisielewski, Michael; Lawry, Lynn

    2012-05-01

    To provide a better understanding of any associations between Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration, previous head injury, and mental health symptoms among former combatants in Liberia. A cluster-sampled national survey of the adult household-based Liberian population. Former combatants with reported head injury were more likely to experience major depressive disorder symptoms, suicidal ideation and attempts, and current substance abuse. Former combatants with head injury are 2.83 times more likely to have major depressive disorder symptoms, and those with suspected traumatic brain injury are five times more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder. The poor mental health of former combatants in Liberia, both child and adult, might be mitigated if Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration programming assessed participants for head trauma and traumatic brain injury using simple screening methods. The specific health and mental health needs of ex-combatants--a highly vulnerable group--will need to be addressed by Liberia. If left untreated, ex-combatants with high rates of suicidal ideation and post-traumatic stress disorder might be susceptible to re-recruitment into new conflicts in the region.

  18. Preventive Detention in the War on Terror: A Plan for a More Moderate and Sustainable Solution

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-12-01

    speeches /2004/dag6104.htm (accessed November 10, 2007). 25 Ron Suskind, The One Percent Doctrine (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006), 95-100. 26 The 9...suspected terrorists for purposes of interrogation and/or incapacitation but also for ultimately trying them for various war crimes or violations of...conflict should be thought of as a “war” as opposed to “ crime .” This chapter serves to better define the problems with the enemy-combatant policy and

  19. Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology Architecture (Architecture de technologie avancee pour l’entrainement au combat urbain)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-01

    REPORT TR-MSG-098 Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology Architecture (Architecture de technologie avancée pour l’entraînement au combat urbain...REPORT TR-MSG-098 Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology Architecture (Architecture de technologie avancée pour l’entraînement au combat...3 1-2 1.3 Illustration of the Need for UCATT by Contemporary Example Situations 1-3 1.3.1 RNLA: Connection of NLD Mobile Combat Training Centre to

  20. The Unifying Moral Dyad: Liberals and Conservatives Share the Same Harm-Based Moral Template.

    PubMed

    Schein, Chelsea; Gray, Kurt

    2015-08-01

    Do moral disagreements regarding specific issues (e.g., patriotism, chastity) reflect deep cognitive differences (i.e., distinct cognitive mechanisms) between liberals and conservatives? Dyadic morality suggests that the answer is "no." Despite moral diversity, we reveal that moral cognition--in both liberals and conservatives--is rooted in a harm-based template. A dyadic template suggests that harm should be central within moral cognition, an idea tested--and confirmed--through six specific hypotheses. Studies suggest that moral judgment occurs via dyadic comparison, in which counter-normative acts are compared with a prototype of harm. Dyadic comparison explains why harm is the most accessible and important of moral content, why harm organizes--and overlaps with--diverse moral content, and why harm best translates across moral content. Dyadic morality suggests that various moral content (e.g., loyalty, purity) are varieties of perceived harm and that past research has substantially exaggerated moral differences between liberals and conservatives. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  1. Explaining Moral Behavior.

    PubMed

    Osman, Magda; Wiegmann, Alex

    2017-03-01

    In this review we make a simple theoretical argument which is that for theory development, computational modeling, and general frameworks for understanding moral psychology researchers should build on domain-general principles from reasoning, judgment, and decision-making research. Our approach is radical with respect to typical models that exist in moral psychology that tend to propose complex innate moral grammars and even evolutionarily guided moral principles. In support of our argument we show that by using a simple value-based decision model we can capture a range of core moral behaviors. Crucially, the argument we propose is that moral situations per se do not require anything specialized or different from other situations in which we have to make decisions, inferences, and judgments in order to figure out how to act.

  2. Comorbid Depression and Suicide Ideation in Patients with Combat-Related PTSD: The Role of Temperament, Character, and Trait Impulsivity.

    PubMed

    Jakšić, Nenad; Margetić, Branka Aukst; Marčinko, Darko

    2017-03-01

    War veterans with PTSD have a high chance of developing major depressive disorder (MDD) at some point, while they can also exhibit increased suicidal tendencies. The primary goal of this research was to investigate whether personality dimensions, including temperament, character, and trait impulsivity, were associated with comorbid MDD, as well as with suicidal ideation in psychiatric patients suffering from combat-related PTSD. The sample consisted of 148 Croatian male war veterans (mean age 49.53 years) treated for PTSD at the National Center for Psychotrauma, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center Zagreb. Fifty-one (34%) of them met ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for current or lifetime MDD, while 97 (66%) were diagnosed with PTSD alone. All the participants were assessed with the M.I.N.I. diagnostic interview and they completed the following battery of self-report instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11). Comparisons between the two clinical groups showed that PTSD+MDD patients were more suicidal and differed with regard to temperament dimensions Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence and Persistence, character dimension Self-Directedness, and trait impulsivity. In three multivariate regression analyses, it was revealed that character dimension Cooperativeness as well as trait impulsivity were unique predictors of suicidal ideation, while controlling for the influence of sociodemographics, length of treatment and comorbid depression. Combat-related PTSD patients with comorbid depression exhibit increased suicide thoughts and different personality profiles in comparison with those suffering from PTSD alone. Character dimension Cooperativeness and trait impulsivity seem to be uniquely predictive of suicide ideation in this population. Elucidation of individual psychological

  3. Integrity and moral residue: nurses as participants in a moral community.

    PubMed

    Hardingham, Lorraine B

    2004-07-01

    This paper will examine the concepts of integrity and moral residue as they relate to nursing practice in the current health care environment. I will begin with my definition and conception of ethical practice, and, based on that, will go on to argue for the importance of recognizing that nurses often find themselves in the position of compromising their moral integrity in order to maintain their self-survival in the hospital or health care environment. I will argue that moral integrity is necessary to a moral life, and is relational in nature. When integrity is threatened, the result is moral distress, moral residue, and in some cases, abandonment of the profession. The solution will require more than teaching bioethics to nursing students and nurses. It will require changes in the health care environment, organizational culture and the education of nurses, with an emphasis on building a moral community as an environment in which to practise ethically.

  4. Self-assessment of well-being as an indicator of quality of life of former war prisoners - A Croatian study.

    PubMed

    Loncar, Mladen; Plasć, Ivana Dijanić; Bunjevac, Tomislav; Henigsberg, Neven; Hrabac, Pero; Groznica, Ivana; Marcinko, Vesna; Jevtović, Sasa

    2011-01-01

    The impact of war on the population is vast, especially when it comes to those who were directly affected by war, among other things as concentration camp detainees. Because of the specific war experience of this population it is important to better understand the possible contribution of key socio-demographic variables, war traumatization and acute disturbances in mental health to their subjective assessment of their own well-being, which represents a psychological category and is based on a subjective assessment. The starting point is a theoretical precept according to which individual characteristics, together with war experience, can have repercussions on mental health, and eventually on the general well-being of an individual and their quality of life. The study comprised 184participants who had given their informed consent for participation and filled out complete questionnaires. The participants were a convenience sample of male persons who had survived war captivity in the Homeland War in the period from 1991 to 1995. The study was conducted as part of the physical examinations at the University Hospital "Fran Mihaljević" in Zagreb. The data was collected using several self-evaluation measuring instruments one of which served to collect socio-demographic data, two to collect data on the participants' mental health, one for the data on the participants' combat and war experiences and one to assess the participants' well-being. The data obtained suggest that only avoidance and arousal symptoms and psychosomatic difficulties are predictors of the well-being of persons who have experienced war captivity.

  5. Resilience and Traumatic Brain Injury Among Iraq/Afghanistan War Veterans: Differential Patterns of Adjustment and Quality of Life.

    PubMed

    Elliott, Timothy R; Hsiao, Yu-Yu; Kimbrel, Nathan A; Meyer, Eric; DeBeer, Bryann B; Gulliver, Suzy Bird; Kwok, Oi-Man; Morissette, Sandra B

    2017-09-01

    We examined the degree to which a resilient personality prototype predicted adjustment among war Veterans with and without a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while covarying the level of combat exposure. A total of 127 war Veterans (107 men, 20 women; average age = 37 years) participated. Personality prototypes were derived from the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (Patrick, Curtain, & Tellegen, 2002). Measures were administered at baseline, and a subset was administered at 4- and 8-month follow-ups. Veterans with resilient personalities reported less sleep disturbance, more health-promoting behaviors, psychological flexibility, and emotional distress tolerance than Veterans with undercontrolled or overcontrolled prototypes. Path models revealed that resilience significantly predicted posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, quality of life, and social support over time. TBI had unique and consistent effects only on PTSD. Personality characteristics influence distress and quality of life among war Veterans with and without TBI. Implications for assessment, interventions, and research are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Moral foundations vignettes: a standardized stimulus database of scenarios based on moral foundations theory.

    PubMed

    Clifford, Scott; Iyengar, Vijeth; Cabeza, Roberto; Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter

    2015-12-01

    Research on the emotional, cognitive, and social determinants of moral judgment has surged in recent years. The development of moral foundations theory (MFT) has played an important role, demonstrating the breadth of morality. Moral psychology has responded by investigating how different domains of moral judgment are shaped by a variety of psychological factors. Yet, the discipline lacks a validated set of moral violations that span the moral domain, creating a barrier to investigating influences on judgment and how their neural bases might vary across the moral domain. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by developing and validating a large set of moral foundations vignettes (MFVs). Each vignette depicts a behavior violating a particular moral foundation and not others. The vignettes are controlled on many dimensions including syntactic structure and complexity making them suitable for neuroimaging research. We demonstrate the validity of our vignettes by examining respondents' classifications of moral violations, conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and demonstrating the correspondence between the extracted factors and existing measures of the moral foundations. We expect that the MFVs will be beneficial for a wide variety of behavioral and neuroimaging investigations of moral cognition.

  7. Moral foundations vignettes: a standardized stimulus database of scenarios based on moral foundations theory

    PubMed Central

    Iyengar, Vijeth; Cabeza, Roberto; Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter

    2016-01-01

    Research on the emotional, cognitive, and social determinants of moral judgment has surged in recent years. The development of moral foundations theory (MFT) has played an important role, demonstrating the breadth of morality. Moral psychology has responded by investigating how different domains of moral judgment are shaped by a variety of psychological factors. Yet, the discipline lacks a validated set of moral violations that span the moral domain, creating a barrier to investigating influences on judgment and how their neural bases might vary across the moral domain. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by developing and validating a large set of moral foundations vignettes (MFVs). Each vignette depicts a behavior violating a particular moral foundation and not others. The vignettes are controlled on many dimensions including syntactic structure and complexity making them suitable for neuroimaging research. We demonstrate the validity of our vignettes by examining respondents’ classifications of moral violations, conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and demonstrating the correspondence between the extracted factors and existing measures of the moral foundations. We expect that the MFVs will be beneficial for a wide variety of behavioral and neuroimaging investigations of moral cognition. PMID:25582811

  8. Sleep and moral awareness.

    PubMed

    Barnes, Christopher M; Gunia, Brian C; Wagner, David T

    2015-04-01

    The implications of sleep for morality are only starting to be explored. Extending the ethics literature, we contend that because bringing morality to conscious attention requires effort, a lack of sleep leads to low moral awareness. We test this prediction with three studies. A laboratory study with a manipulation of sleep across 90 participants judging a scenario for moral content indicates that a lack of sleep leads to low moral awareness. An archival study of Google Trends data across 6 years highlights a national dip in Web searches for moral topics (but not other topics) on the Monday after the Spring time change, which tends to deprive people of sleep. Finally, a diary study of 127 participants indicates that (within participants) nights with a lack of sleep are associated with low moral awareness the next day. Together, these three studies suggest that a lack of sleep leaves people less morally aware, with important implications for the recognition of morality in others. © 2014 European Sleep Research Society.

  9. Moral foundations, worldviews, moral absolutism and belief in conspiracy theories.

    PubMed

    Leone, Luigi; Giacomantonio, Mauro; Lauriola, Marco

    2017-09-05

    In the present research, we examined whether individual differences in basic moral concerns might be related to a greater endorsement of conspiracy theories. Building on the notion that conspiracy theories often deal with super-individual relevant events in which a group perspective is central, we proposed that individual differences in moral concerns pertaining to group- and community-concerns (i.e., binding moral foundations) rather than to individual well-being (i.e., individualising moral foundations) would be positively associated with conspiracy beliefs. We further hypothesised that such relations would be totally mediated by beliefs in a dangerous world and by embracing moral absolutism. We found support for these predictions in two community samples (Ns: 319; 514). Theoretical implications were discussed. © 2017 International Union of Psychological Science.

  10. Sleep quality affects cognitive functioning in returning combat veterans beyond combat exposure, PTSD, and mild TBI history.

    PubMed

    Martindale, Sarah L; Morissette, Sandra B; Rowland, Jared A; Dolan, Sara L

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine how sleep quality affects cognitive functioning in returning combat veterans after accounting for effects of combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) history. This was a cross-sectional assessment study evaluating combat exposure, PTSD, mTBI history, sleep quality, and neuropsychological functioning. One hundred and nine eligible male Iraq/Afghanistan combat veterans completed an assessment consisting of a structured clinical interview, neuropsychological battery, and self-report measures. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, combat experiences and mTBI history were not directly associated with sleep quality. PTSD was directly associated with sleep quality, which contributed to deficits in neuropsychological functioning independently of and in addition to combat experiences, PTSD, and mTBI history. Combat experiences and PTSD were differentially associated with motor speed. Sleep affected cognitive function independently of combat experiences, PTSD, and mTBI history. Sleep quality also contributed to cognitive deficits beyond effects of PTSD. An evaluation of sleep quality may be a useful point of clinical intervention in combat veterans with cognitive complaints. Improving sleep quality could alleviate cognitive complaints, improving veterans' ability to engage in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Moral Complexity: The Fatal Attraction of Truthiness and the Importance of Mature Moral Functioning.

    PubMed

    Narvaez, Darcia

    2010-03-01

    Recently, intuitionist theories have been effective in capturing the academic discourse about morality. Intuitionist theories, like rationalist theories, offer important but only partial understanding of moral functioning. Both can be fallacious and succumb to truthiness: the attachment to one's opinions because they "feel right," potentially leading to harmful action or inaction. Both intuition and reasoning are involved in deliberation and expertise. Both are malleable from environmental and educational influence, making questions of normativity-which intuitions and reasoning skills to foster-of utmost importance. Good intuition and reasoning inform mature moral functioning, which needs to include capacities that promote sustainable human well-being. Individual capacities for habituated empathic concern and moral metacognition-moral locus of control, moral self-regulation, and moral self-reflection-comprise mature moral functioning, which also requires collective capacities for moral dialogue and moral institutions. These capacities underlie moral innovation and are necessary for solving the complex challenges humanity faces. © The Author(s) 2010.

  12. Religion, morality, evolution.

    PubMed

    Bloom, Paul

    2012-01-01

    How did religion evolve? What effect does religion have on our moral beliefs and moral actions? These questions are related, as some scholars propose that religion has evolved to enhance altruistic behavior toward members of one's group. I review here data from survey studies (both within and across countries), priming experiments, and correlational studies of the effects of religion on racial prejudice. I conclude that religion has powerfully good moral effects and powerfully bad moral effects, but these are due to aspects of religion that are shared by other human practices. There is surprisingly little evidence for a moral effect of specifically religious beliefs.

  13. "Moral Ecology" and "Moral Capital": Tools towards a Sociology of Moral Education from a South African Ethnography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swartz, Sharlene

    2010-01-01

    Research and pedagogy in the field of morality and moral education has long been dominated by philosophical and psychological disciplines. Although sociological studies and theorising in the field have not been absent, it has been limited and non-systematic. Drawing on a study that investigated the lived morality of a group of young South Africans…

  14. Attitudes towards war, killing, and punishment of children among young people in Estonia, Finland, Romania, the Russian Federation, and the USA.

    PubMed Central

    McAlister, A.; Sandström, P.; Puska, P.; Veijo, A.; Chereches, R.; Heidmets, L. T.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To study the cultural differences in moral disengagement, which lends support to attitudes used to justify violence. METHODS: We carried out classroom surveys of a total of 3122 students in the USA (Houston, TX, and Washington, DC) and in four European countries--Estonia (Tartu), Finland (Helsinki), Romania (Satu Mare) and the Russian Federation (St Petersburg). Data were also taken from a random sample telephone survey of 341 young adults (aged 18-35 years) in Texas, USA. Ten distinct groups were studied. Seven questions were common to all the surveys, using identical statements about the participants' agreement with attitudes relating to war, diplomacy, killing, and the punishment of children. FINDINGS: The US students were more likely than those in Europe to agree with the following statements: "War is necessary" (20% vs 9%), "A person has the right to kill to defend property" (54% vs 17%), and "Physical punishment is necessary for children" (27% vs 10%). Justification of war and killing was less common among females than males in all groups; other differences within the US groups and the European groups were smaller than the differences between the US and European groups. CONCLUSION: The results confirm the gap between the US and European groups in moral disengagement attitudes and tendencies that could lead to deadly violence. PMID:11417032

  15. Dual Trajectories of Reactive and Proactive Aggression from Mid-childhood to Early Adolescence: Relations to Sensation Seeking, Risk Taking, and Moral Reasoning.

    PubMed

    Cui, Lixian; Colasante, Tyler; Malti, Tina; Ribeaud, Denis; Eisner, Manuel P

    2016-05-01

    We examined the roles of sensation seeking, risk taking, and moral reasoning in the development of reactive and proactive aggression. Data were drawn from a multiethnic, longitudinal study of children from Switzerland (N = 1571; 52 % male; assessed annually over 6 years; 7-years-old at Time 1). At all 6 time points, teachers reported children's reactive and proactive aggression via questionnaire. Children's sensation seeking (at Time 1) and risk taking (at Time 2) were assessed with two interactive computer tasks and their moral reasoning was assessed at Time 2 in response to four hypothetical vignettes depicting moral transgressions. Parallel process Latent Class Growth Analysis (PP-LCGA) identified six dual trajectories of reactive and proactive aggression. Children with either childhood-limited or adolescent-onset aggression showed high sensation seeking. Children with persistent, high levels of both reactive and proactive aggression across time showed high levels of sensation seeking and risk taking, as well as low levels of moral reasoning. Children with only high risk taking were more likely to display moderate levels of aggression across time. These findings highlight the shared and differential roles of sensation seeking, risk taking, and moral reasoning in the dual development of reactive and proactive aggression from mid-childhood to early adolescence. We discuss implications for common and tailored strategies to combat these aggression subtypes.

  16. Attentional bias for trauma-related words: exaggerated emotional Stroop effect in Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans with PTSD.

    PubMed

    Ashley, Victoria; Honzel, Nikki; Larsen, Jary; Justus, Timothy; Swick, Diane

    2013-03-14

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves debilitating symptoms that can disrupt cognitive functioning. The emotional Stroop has been commonly used to examine the impact of PTSD on attentional control, but no published study has yet used it with Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans, and only one previous study has compared groups on habituation to trauma-related words. We administered the emotional Stroop, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the PTSD Checklist (PCL) to 30 veterans with PTSD, 30 military controls, and 30 civilian controls. Stroop word types included Combat, Matched-neutral, Neutral, Positive and Negative. Compared to controls, veterans with PTSD were disproportionately slower in responding to Combat words. They were also slower and less accurate overall, did not show interference on Negative or Positive words relative to Neutral, and showed a trend for delayed but successful habituation to Combat words. Higher PCL and BDI scores also correlated with larger interference effects. Because of its specificity in detecting attentional biases to trauma-related words, the emotional Stroop task may serve as a useful pre- and post task with intervention studies of PTSD patients.

  17. Morale and Productivity

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-01

    account for valuation of highly technical skill sets and variation among job descriptions. 9 Once morale can be effectively measured and linked to...morale progression through phases (arrival, engagement, acceptance, and reentry), which have corresponding peaks and valleys for morale and, by

  18. Epidemiology of moderate-to-severe penetrating versus closed traumatic brain injury in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

    PubMed

    Orman, Jean A; Geyer, Dennis; Jones, John; Schneider, Eric B; Grafman, Jordan; Pugh, Mary Jo; Dubose, Joseph

    2012-12-01

    US combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a greater proportion of service members with head and neck wounds caused by explosions compared with that of previous wars. Although penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) is frequently associated with these wounds, the epidemiology of penetrating TBI from these conflicts has not been well described. The Joint Theater Trauma Registry was queried for January 2003 through December 2010 to identify all patients with moderate-to-severe brain injury with a maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of the head of 3 or greater and a diagnosis of penetrating or closed TBI in accordance with the Department of Defense Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance definition. The epidemiology of these injuries was examined, including demographics, TBI severity, overall injury severity, and surgical interventions provided. A total of 1,255 TBI patients (774 penetrating, 481 closed) meeting criteria were identified. Penetrating brain injuries were more severe, more likely to be battle related, and less likely to be isolated injuries than a group of moderate-to-severe closed TBIs within the same range of anatomic injury severity. During the 5-year period of the Iraq war with the largest numbers of TBIs (2004-2008), the numbers of penetrating TBIs exceeded closed TBIs by a ratio of 2:1. During the 3-year period of the Afghanistan war with the greatest numbers of TBIs (2008-2010), the ratio of penetrating to closed TBIs was substantially lower, approximately 1.3:1. This study represents the first comprehensive report on the epidemiology of moderate-to-severe penetrating and closed TBIs resulting from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan using Joint Theater Trauma Registry data. With the maturing theater of conflicts, penetrating TBIs were substantially less predominant compared with closed TBIs. While this finding may reflect changes in the use of protective measures and tactics or improvements in diagnosis of closed TBIs

  19. It's not all about moral reasoning: Understanding the content of Moral Case Deliberation.

    PubMed

    Svantesson, Mia; Silén, Marit; James, Inger

    2018-03-01

    Moral Case Deliberation is one form of clinical ethics support described as a facilitator-led collective moral reasoning by healthcare professionals on a concrete moral question connected to their practice. Evaluation research is needed, but, as human interaction is difficult to standardise, there is a need to capture the content beyond moral reasoning. This allows for a better understanding of Moral Case Deliberation, which may contribute to further development of valid outcome criteria and stimulate the normative discussion of what Moral Case Deliberation should contain. To explore and compare the content beyond moral reasoning in the dialogue in Moral Case Deliberation at Swedish workplaces. A mixed-methods approach was applied for analysing audio-recordings of 70 periodic Moral Case Deliberation meetings at 10 Swedish workplaces. Moral Case Deliberation facilitators and various healthcare professions participated, with registered nurses comprising the majority. Ethical considerations: No objection to the study was made by an Ethical Review Board. After oral and written information was provided, consent to be recorded was assumed by virtue of participation. Other than 'moral reasoning' (median (md): 45% of the spoken time), the Moral Case Deliberations consisted of 'reflections on the psychosocial work environment' to a varying extent (md: 29%). Additional content comprised 'assumptions about the patient's psychosocial situation' (md: 6%), 'facts about the patient's situation' (md: 5%), 'concrete problem-solving' (md: 6%) and 'process' (md: 3%). The findings suggest that a restorative function of staff's wellbeing in Moral Case Deliberation is needed, as this might contribute to good patient care. This supports outcome criteria of improved emotional support, which may include relief of moral distress. However, facilitators need a strategy for how to proceed from the participants' own emotional needs and to develop the use of their emotional knowing to focus on

  20. Postal censorship of Bosnian public health institutions during the Second World War: The Independent State of Croatia versus Dr. Stanko Sielski.

    PubMed

    Papalas, John A; Tahirović, Husref

    2016-11-01

    This study aims to present evidence of censorship during World War II by the Independent State of Croatia of one of its public health officials, Dr. Stanko Sielski who was a physician trained in epidemiology and public health. During World War II, he directed the Institute for Combating Endemic Syphilis in the Bosnian town Banja Luka. The staff under his direction consisted solely of Jewish physicians. We analyzed two groups of envelopes either sent by or to Dr. Stanko Sielski during the War and found evidence of censorship only in communications with a Jewish physician dated towards the end of the War. Dr. Stanko Sielski would be posthumously recognized for his efforts to shield his Jewish colleagues. The newly available, but still limited data, which we present indicates efforts to censor Dr. Stanko Sielski's postal communications towards the War's end. The censors targeted specifically Dr. Stanko Sielski's correspondences with the Jewish physicians he was protecting. This material highlights the many challenges his public health service experienced during the time of armed conflict. Copyright © 2016 by Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.