Essay Sample on Veterans' Combat & Homecoming: Belonging in a Divided Society

Introduction

In the book "Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging" by Junger (2016), the experiences of military veterans when in combat, and when they go back home are highlighted. Rather than focusing mainly on the disadvantages, Junger argues that combat has its advantages since it can bring together today's society that is deeply scarred. Society, as it is now, is one of the major reasons why veteran soldiers are not comfortable when they finally go back home since they do not feel like they belong (Junger, 2016). Many are often looking for more opportunities to go back to combat as volunteers. For those who are unable to do so, the rate of PTSD increases with significant symptoms, including rape trauma syndrome. Junger describes society today as one full of cases of depression, high rates of suicide, and increased loneliness. In his view, society would be better off if its communities were small and closely knit with limited resources. That way, the members of the community would have to depend on each other for survival. To offer solutions for society's ills, Junger follows a worrisome approach since he supports violence as the answer. It is not clear, however, that this conclusion applies to specific problems resulting from going to combat such as rape trauma syndrome. This paper attempts to answer the question, "How can the military veterans be assisted in experiencing feelings of belonging when they come back from combat with symptoms of PTSD resulting from experiences such as rape?"

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Rape Trauma Syndrome

Rape trauma syndrome refers to the emotional, physical, and behavioural reactions showcased by victims of rape. The majority of the combat veterans have gone through either attempted or completed rape. The result is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that features a series of symptoms such as Rape Trauma Syndrome. Even though many of the cases have been reported, only a few went to trial leading to an even lesser number of convictions. The fact that fellow soldiers conducted the rape assault worsens the outcome since the military is meant to be like family far from home.

When combat stress is combined with sexual assault, the veteran will experience a severe case of PTSD. Therefore, when they go back home, the result will be a veteran who is unable to fit back into the Tribe for fear of being assaulted by those they call family (Junger, 2016). Without the much needed psychological intervention, many will struggle with this disorder that may lead to many sleepless nights, and a yearning for the combat zone that they were already used to. That is because they tend to feel like they belong in the war where they have a purpose, unlike back home, where some may even face discrimination (Stafford & Elzy, 2015). If this yearning is not dealt with, many will suffer and eventually commit suicide.

Therefore, the rate of rape during combat is quite high, not just from fellow soldiers, but also from the enemies. Hence, whenever the soldiers go to combat, they risk being raped or being sexually harassed. Thus, it is important to consider Junger's view that combat brings about significant psychological benefits by promoting unity concerning this issue. That is because the consequences of rape appear to be quite severe, which is why it would be assumed that many will prefer to avoid such a scenario in the future.

Rape versus Combat

Rape is quite common among female veterans than males. During combat, it is considered the most accurate predictor of PTSD. Unfortunately, even though the prevalence is quite high in women than men, they are still less likely to get a diagnosis of the disorder since the Veteran's Affairs professionals tend to assume that combat-related PTSD follows the prototypical presentation (Conard et al., 2014). Therefore, any benefits that would have been earned will be denied as there is no proof of a link between the rape trauma syndrome and being in combat (Junger, 2016). Even though many men are also victims of rape, they are less likely to disclose this issue. They become reluctant to seek medical attention, and will also avoid any psychological assessments. That is why, during any general psychological evaluations for veterans, the clinician should attempt to get answers regarding the history of sexual abuse, and the nature of any disturbing thoughts that one may be experiencing.

Junger (2016) argues that veterans struggle with feeling like they are outcasts when they come back home because of how they are set aside and left with nothing important to do. Mostly, this occurs due to the belief that the veterans have gone through psychological torture during combat. Those who have PTSD and were also diagnosed with sexual trauma tend to experience more severe mental health diagnoses compared to those with no history of rape or harassment. The women with PTSD and sexual trauma are more likely to get diagnoses of comorbid anxiety, depression, and even eating disorders (Conard et al., 2014). Men, on the other hand, will most likely engage in comorbid substance use. Therefore, rape and sexual trauma are more likely to trigger severe mental health disorders for veterans with PTSD. Therefore, by understanding these patterns, the returning veterans will be effectively treated as they are assisted in fitting back into society and with their families.

The mental health conditions that have been associated with rape and sexual trauma are many. Examples include eating disorders, bipolar disorder, substance use, and even personality problems. Although it seems that rape trauma is primarily linked to mental health problems, research also shows that it may trigger other medical conditions as well (Stafford & Elzy, 2015). The military women who experienced sexual assault during their services showcased the poor quality of life concerning their health, as compared to those who did not experience the assault. Also, some health conditions were related to their behaviour, such as liver disease and obesity, among many others. It shows that rape during combat, just like many other traumatic stressors, may be directly linked to negative behaviours that impact health outcomes. Besides, some associations have also been found with endometriosis, HIV, and STIs, among many others.

The cultural bias which exists among the VA professionals sees to it that they automatically link PTSD symptoms to combat. Unfortunately, they also fail to link other contributors such as sexual assault to PTSD. This occurrence greatly impacts the recovery of veterans after they come back home. It is one of the arguments presented by Junger (2016) to show how individuals struggle to feel like they fit in since inequality in treatment exists where some are compensated, and others are not. Hence, if the right diagnosis is not given, the veterans lack an opportunity for getting treatment that would also impact their rape-related beliefs.

In general, combat veterans are stereotyped as heroes and being extremely strong individuals. These attributes are directly linked to the role of a soldier since they go to war knowing the risk, but will still do it to protect the citizens of their countries. On the contrary, a rape victim is stereotyped as weak and feminine (Stafford & Elzy, 2015). Even though both genders will experience feelings of guilt and being ashamed to open up about the incident, the stigma against the vulnerable members in the society may trigger a great feeling of powerlessness for the male combat veterans who experience the assault (Conard et al., 2014). That is because society might assume that soldiers should be able to protect themselves from such criminal activities. Unfortunately, such feelings are what enhance the silence among men who go through sexual trauma. It will, in turn, limit how they process traumatic events. Thus, treatment failures may be experienced because the victim may fail to disclose the issue, and the clinician may fail to ask about the same, thereby leading to an inadequate therapy session.

The experience of sexual assault or harassment triggered the link between women's exposure to combat and PTSD symptoms. It also contributed to the PTSD symptoms experienced by male soldiers. A lot of discussions exist concerning the high rates of female veteran's sexual assault (Stafford & Elzy, 2015). However, not much has been covered regarding male veterans who went through the same incident (Conard et al., 2014). Therefore, this inadequate information regarding the rape trauma experiences of veterans is what contributes to the misleading stereotypes regarding the victims of sexual assault. It also prevents the identification of clinically significant events.

Most victims of sexual assault will experience a significant loss in their self-efficacy. It is most common among females who have been assaulted by their colleagues. That is because they consider the military to be their Tribe, as explained by Junger (2016). Unfortunately, when such incidents occur, they no longer feel safe about their position in the military. That is why the resulting PTSD, which is triggered by the stress, tends to be more severe than those caused by other types of trauma. However, it is uncertain whether the same comparison exists for male veterans since not much literature discusses the issue.

The Veteran Affairs' Response to the issue of Military Sexual Trauma

Considering the high rates of rape and other forms of sexual assault that exists among soldiers coming back home from the military, the VA has taken steps to ensure that they are offered with essential healthcare. A focus has been given to the treatment of veterans suffering from rape trauma. A policy was first developed in 1992 when hearings on female veteran problems by the senate were addressed (Katz & Sawyer, 2019). It gained the significant attention of policymakers who felt a need to introduce measures that will ensure they get justice and are also compensated accordingly.

Congress took action by passing the Public Law 102-585, which gave the VA an authority to counsel women veterans who experienced rape trauma during their in-service (Katz & Sawyer, 2019). Later on, the laws were expanded to also cover male veterans after the realization that they were also experiencing the same issues but may choose to remain silent about it due to shame. The limitations on the duration of service needed for one to qualify for these sessions were also repealed, and the treatment coverage was expanded to include the physical health conditions resulting from the rape trauma.

After these public laws were passed, many directives required a universal screening of all veterans for any rape trauma history while in the military. A rape trauma coordinator for each facility is given the mandate to oversee the screening of veterans before referring them for further treatment.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Although the VA has introduced a series of measures to support the veterans who have suffered sexual trauma, it is clear that society is still not that supportive. Once they come back from combat, the soldiers are not reintegrated effectively into society since many are left jobless and considered fragile after the trauma (Social Support and Its Implications for Combat Exposed Military Veterans, 2016). Therefore, just because they are honored as heroes who served their countries when they come back home does not mean that they are now satisfied and comfortable with their lives. Many will feel lost and traumatized as a result of PTSD. However, a lot can be done to help them feel more comfortable and aid in overcoming these struggles.

Several recommendations can be considered to help assist the veterans to feel like they are part of the Tribe once again, rather than outsiders. First, since it has...