Moral Injury in Military Action and in Every-day Life
Last week, as he was home for spring break, I asked my nineteen-year-old business major son what he was thinking he might do after college. Assuming he’d say he would pursue an MBA, I was taken aback when instead he mentioned going into the military. (This, of course, was a fall-back idea in case his NFL career didn’t work out. I would roll my eyes at the NFL idea but my son has proven time and again, if he puts his mind to something he can often meet his goals.)
I have very little experience with the military and have never once mentioned it to my three sons nor my daughter as a possible future for them. In fact, the thought of one of my children ever seeing war scares me in ways I don’t even want to think about. However, I am also aware of the many benefits a military career can give to a young adult unsure of their future. Trying to be self-differentiated and a non-anxious presence,[1] I simply asked my son to tell me more about his thoughts of a military career. He mentioned being an “officer as he would have a college degree,” also that “many college athletes find a home in the military because it provides the same kind of teamwork and discipline.” Because I was practicing being self-differentiated and a non-anxious presence, I just nodded along and tried my darndest not to react, leaving the conversation with, “Well, it’s definitely something to consider.”
Marc LiVecche and The Good Kill
I found it kind of ironic that the day after this conversation with my son I had to read Marc LiVecche’s book, The Good Kill. LiVecche’s account unfolds against the backdrop of war, weaving together the lives of soldiers grappling with the effects of their actions. Lines between right and wrong blur as the author looks at what justifies a “good kill.” One of the central themes of The Good Kill is the concept of moral injury – the psychological and spiritual trauma that comes from doing something, such as killing another, that violates one’s normative and deeply held belief system.[2]
Even if my son never came face to face with an enemy on the “battlefield,” he could be responsible for the death of soldiers and civilians and as his mother, while I would never wish moral injury on my child, I would hope, any killing on his part would violate his normative and deeply held belief system. I don’t want to believe any of my kids think killing another human to be okay!
However, if I remove myself as his mother and look at his possible future career as a pastor, I am able to be more objective. I am grateful to those who choose to put their lives on the line for my protection. I know the decision to do so does not come lightly and carries many risks and consequences. Moral injury being one of those risks and consequences. So, as a pastor, my role is to be a person of healing and hope for those putting their lives on the line, to be a safe place in which they can express their moral injury and find non-judgement, learning grace for themselves.
In his blog post on this book, Travis Vaughn has a footnote that says, “LiVecche describes the use of lethal force, if deployed in a morally lawful way, can itself be a promotion of human flourishing even for one’s enemy. (Livecche, 10) Levicche describes “how the punitive deployment of force against an unjust enemy can be motivated by the desire to stop his evildoing, hamstring his ability to continue, and, ideally, restore him to the fellowship of peace.” (Livecche, 10)”[3] As a pastor, I hope this would be the message I could give a veteran struggling with moral injury – a message of grace and understanding.
Moral Injury in Other Areas of Life
While LiVecche focused on moral injury mostly in the context of war and killing, I wonder if moral injury might permeate our everyday lives, manifesting itself in the small, seemingly inconsequential decisions we make. Every day I drive past several people who are houseless and asking for a job or for money. Each time I do, I am struck with a pang of, “Dangit, would Jesus keep on driving by or would he stop and at least have a conversation with this person?” And while I don’t feel psychologically injured by my action of driving on by, I do feel continuously guilty at my inaction of helping. Could this be a micro-moral injury? Do actions like this count?
In the book, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, we are told that we are often part of the problem and part of our responsibility in addressing wicked problems is to acknowledge the part we play.[4] Each time I do something that goes against my deeply held belief system but is also the easy way out – such as driving past the houseless, or throwing plastic away instead of recycling it, or letting my middle schooler veg out on endless Ipad time, I acknowledge that I am part of the problem, I feel guilty, and yet I do it anyway. I ask again, does this result in a micro-moral injury? This reminds me of Paul’s comment in Romans 7:18-19, For the desire to do the good lies close at hand, but not the ability. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.
The concept of moral injury also made me wonder about those who do something hurtful to another while experiencing mental illness. Sometimes a mental health condition can cause one to act in ways they would not otherwise. Loved ones are often on the receiving end of their behavior. Often when the mental health crises is resolved the person living with the mental illness feels embarrassed, saddened, guilty for their actions toward another while in crisis. This may cause even more psychological distress. Does this count as moral injury?
I don’t know what my son will decide about entering the military. I only hope that should he decide to serve there will be military chaplains, therapists, and other support systems that can hold his grief should he have to act in ways that go against his deeply held belief system.
[1] Edwin Friedman, and Peter Steinke. 2017. A Failure of Nerve, Revised Edition: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix. 10th Anniversary edition. New York: Church Publishing.
[2] Marc LiVecche, The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury (Oxford University Press, 2021), 3.
[3] Travis Vaughn, Moral Injury vs. Moral Bruising and a Green Beret Father, https://blogs.georgefox.edu/dlgp/moral-injury-vs-moral-bruising-and-a-green-beret-father/, accessed April 3, 2024.
[4] Joseph Bently and Michael Toth, Exploring Wicked Problems, What they Are and Why They Are Important, Archway Publishing, Bloomington, IN, 2020, Scribd, 21.
About the Author
Kally Elliott
Mom of four. Wanna-be Broadway star. PC(USA) pastor. Wife. Friend. Sometimes a hot mess. Sometimes somewhat together. Is this supposed to be a professional bio?7 responses to “Moral Injury in Military Action and in Every-day Life”
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Kally,
Whew! This took me out. You wrote, “Even if my son never came face to face with an enemy on the “battlefield,” he could be responsible for the death of soldiers and civilians and as his mother, while I would never wish moral injury on my child, I would hope, any killing on his part would violate his normative and deeply held belief system. I don’t want to believe any of my kids think killing another human to be okay!” This is hardcore! I can’t wrap my head or my heart around my son having to hold this tension. I definitely don’t want him on either side of a gun. I was the crazy parent screaming during water gun fights, “Don’t shoot my son!” I am terrified in a very crippling way.
You wrote an excellent post…and you made me cry. I am grateful for your voice, my friend.
Hi Kally,
Thank you for this post. I have similar thoughts of my son and panicked when he was a young boy wanting to serve in the Singapore military (The dream was not possible since he is not a Singapore citizen). The moral injury he might incur or the loss of my son both terrify me in equal measure. I do not know how military families handle it. I appreciate your point that there are likely many types of moral injury. We are a wounded people after all, in need of love and freedom from guilt and shame.
Thanks Kally. As I responded to Jonita’s blog post, I also began to ponder the notion of the ‘regular bruising’ that we experience just going through our lives, and particularly in leadership. If I don’t want to let someone on my staff go (knowing it will create a crisis for them and perhaps uprooting their family) but I ‘have to’ for the sake of the organization…am I experiencing a type of ‘moral bruising’…having done something that is morally right but still regrettable? And don’t leaders have to constantly do that as it relates to our ideals and what’s happening in reality? I wonder if this contributes to the fatigue of leadership?
Scott, I definitely think this kind of thing – doing what is morally right but very hard to do – leads to leader fatigue and burnout!
Hi Kally,
You wrote, “I don’t know what my son will decide about entering the military. I only hope that should he decide to serve there will be military chaplains, therapists, and other support systems that can hold his grief should he have to act in ways that go against his deeply held belief system.”
Speaking from personal experience the answer is a qualified, “no.”
The U.S. military response to PTSD is like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.
I think that a real discussion Before, During and After would yield less suicides/outbursts of pain etc….
Yes, war is bad. It is also inevitable. Let’s get the soldiers in our congregations/families ready for the worse.
Selah…
Great reflections about micro-moral injury in our everyday lives. I too struggle with how and when to help the homeless individuals in our city, including those that ring our doorbell regularly asking for help. It’s yet another wicked problem with no easy answers.
Also, I had to chuckle when you said you responded to your son by saying “Well, it’s definitely something to consider.” You probably played it way cooler than I would have. My kids have learned to see right through me when I saw something like that. They can tell when I’m calm on the outside and losing it on the inside. 😆
Hey Kally, I thought about writing about moral injury in every day life but decided to go in a different direction. Thank you soo much for bringing this to the forefront. I have an easy question for you.
As a pastor do you think you have ever experienced a moral injury from men or even women who believe you should not be a pastor or even in ministry? If so, how have you healed through it?