By Kelsey Alpaio — 2020
As much as we want to dedicate ourselves fully to the causes that we’re passionate about, it’s not always possible.
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CLEAR ALL
Like most veterans, I found the transition from military to civilian life a struggle—a tougher struggle than I had anticipated. For me, I found that one of my trickier struggles was with my identity.
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Viktor Pylypenko has become a role model for dozens of LGBT+ Ukrainian war veterans and their supporters since he organised their participation in Kyiv’s largest ever gay pride march.
In a path to heal, a clinician guides a veteran through a conversation with an imaginary and benevolent “moral authority” to talk about the act or event that has caused suffering. The patient then describes the regret and sorrow that has followed, and asks for forgiveness or a chance to atone.
Soldiers are always supposed to be thinking. That’s what West Point teaches its cadets, who are officers in training. You’re supposed to question the orders you’re given, to see whether they conform to the Geneva Conventions and the laws of war.
The process to uncover your purpose after a career in military service takes great introspection.