Combat Zone Correspondence

Subj: Another journal entry

Date: 11/19/2006 3:34:01 PM Romance Standard Time

From: zek18376@yahoo.com

To: JHForest@cs.com

8 November 2006

I had an interesting interaction with my colleague Captain H this morning. When we greeted each other in the staff room I said, “well here we are, another day.” She replied with, “yes, just like every other day. It’s like we are in a prison here.” We discussed the fact we wear the same uniform everyday, stay in the same area, live in small windowless rooms, and cannot see our families, etc. I put a positive spin on it (in my mind) by likening it to a monastery instead. It was my attempt at “reframing” her negative assertion as we are fond of doing in the mental health profession. She thought it a novel idea, but not necessarily much of an improvement I’m sure.

Anymore I think a lot in metaphors, especially when it comes to psychiatry and spiritual matters. It seems to me that what we are doing here in our “Combat Stress Control” unit in Iraq somewhat mirrors what happens when a pilgrim visits a monastery. A war is raging all around us and soldiers seek us out or are sent to us as a physical and mental respite, to learn new ways of dealing with the stress of a combat environment, and to refocus on the “mission.” We offer them a program in which they can explore their inner workings experientially through various group therapy settings and one-on-one counseling, as well as receive educational information.

In my experience this is not unlike visiting a monastery. I am in a constant battle with the passions that distract and disorient me. This fight can narrow my vision, constrict my mind, and threaten to overwhelm me as a result. Visiting the monastery gets me away from the routine flow of life for a time to reassess and retool for the job of battling the passions. This is accomplished by being involved in the corporate (or group) activity of worship in the divine services, meeting one-on-one with a spiritual father or mother, and spending quiet thoughtful time in educating myself by reading spiritual materials. In this way I can get back to the “battle” and be more effective.

Both have “healing” at their heart, though the great irony/tragedy of the first is that some are being sent back out to kill or be killed. It is also problematic that in the first case the enemy is external (the other) while in the second case the enemy is internal (the self). Maybe this is why Jesus says our battle is “not against flesh & blood,” to repudiate those who would justify killing those created in his image. And what to do with “love your enemies” and “return evil with good?” Living with this kind of dichotomy in a war zone requires a lot of humility and reliance on the mercy of God. Pray for me a sinner.


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