The Invisible Wounded Warriors in a Nation at Peace: An interview study on the lives of Swedish veterans of foreign conflicts and their experiences with PTSD, moral injuries, and military identities
Although there has not been war in Swedish territory for many years, this does not mean that the country has no veterans who have experienced the challenges of war zone deployments or suffer from combat trauma. The Invisible Wounded Warriors in a Nation at Peace gives a rare look at the international operations of the Swedish military, while offering the reader a unique and deeper understanding of life with PTSD. The book uses terms such as moral injury to further describe the complexity. Complex PTSD after deployment in a conflict zone is a uniquely complicated web of problems that can have medical, psychological, moral, existential and spiritual dimensions. The book discusses what this might mean from an identity and pastoral care perspective.
Abstract: In March 2023, the governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts appointed the first secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) to oversee state-level veteran benefits and programs. EOVS replaced the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services and, since its inception, has worked with the governor to improve veteran care and housing. In 2024, the governor signed An Act Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing Our Servicemembers and Veterans, which seeks to update and expand health and wellness benefits for veterans. To support new initiatives, EOVS partnered with the authors on a comprehensive analysis of the well-being of veterans in Massachusetts. In this analysis, the largest of its kind since 2017, the authors identified unmet veteran needs and evaluated how well EOVS programs are serving veterans. The findings and recommendations presented in this report will provide valuable guidance for EOVS to ensure that its programs are aligned with what Massachusetts veterans need most. The authors also offer a draft strategic framework for EOVS to consider as it works toward strengthening strategic planning efforts in the years ahead.