At the two main entrances of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Palm Beach, granite markers have the following statement carved deep into the stone “The Price of Freedom is Visible Here”. As a healthcare chaplain, it is sometimes easy to see the physical wounds of the patients to which I minister. However, the spiritual wounds are not so readily visible.As all chaplains, we minister to those in spiritual distress. However, a unique group of Veterans suffer from the silent wounds of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While every serviceman and woman who experiences combat will not be diagnosed with PTSD, it is true that everyone will be changed in some way. In the past, PTSD was referred to as soldier’s heart, nostalgia, shell shock, battle fatigue, and Vietnam Syndrome. I believe that it is also a spiritual injury. In some cases, it has led to the strengthening of one’s spiritual beliefs. Yet, in many war Veterans, it has led to the questioning and abandonment of those once held beliefs.
This silent wound leads many on a quest for meaning and purpose of life. Providing a non-anxious presence is imperative to those who ask the theological questions, “Why did God allow war” and “why did I live through it when my buddy didn’t?” Realizing that there are no good answers to these questions is where we began to walk along the path with the Veterans who many times continue to fight the battles. We are not the light but hope to help those ailing to find their way out of the darkness and learn that life is worth living.
Some Veterans had good experiences with military chaplains while in the war zones. Because these military chaplains did not judge them and kept their issues confidential, many newly returning Veterans seek out chaplains when they come to the VA Medical Center. We assist them in continuing the spiritual journey toward healing for the Veteran and their family members. We do this by facilitating spirituality groups and individual counseling. Our mission is based on the words of President Abraham Lincoln, “To care for those who shall have borne the battle.” Our prayer is to help bandage their spiritual, silent wounds so they can begin to heal.
For more information about PTSD, visit the website for the National Center for PTSD at www.ptsd.va.gov.
