EXAMPLES OF MORAL INJURY IN WAR:
- Using deadly force in combat and causing the harm or death of civilians, knowingly but without alternatives, or accidentally
- Giving orders in combat that result in the injury or death of a fellow service member
- Failing to provide medical aid to an injured civilian or service member
- Returning home from deployment and hearing of the executions of cooperating local nationals
- Failing to report knowledge of a sexual assault or rape committed against oneself, a fellow service member, or civilians
- Following orders that were illegal, immoral, and/or against the Rules of Engagement (ROE) or Geneva Convention
- A change in belief about the necessity or justification for war, during or after one’s service
As the characteristics and causes of moral injury gain recognition, research is being directed to understanding and treating individuals who have experienced it. These developments have important implications for education about war and education for peace, given that little in either of these fields to date has focused on the psychological perspectives and experiences of perpetrators of violence, particularly those who have believed they were fighting a 'just war' and then acted against their own deeply held moral codes. Healing the wounds of the individual soul of the combatant and the collective soul of the society necessitates a deeper understanding of moral injury and the development of appropriate pedagogical strategies for different age groups and contexts.
To read more on this topic, Syracuse University's initiative, "The Moral Injury Project", is a good place to start:
http://moralinjuryproject.syr.edu/about-moral-injury/
Another rich introductory read is David Wood's three-part HuffPost series on moral njury among American soldiers, entitled "A warrior's moral dilemma": http://projects.huffingtonpost.com/projects/moral-injury/healing