Why aren't soldiers being debriefed when they return from missions?

Nicole Thomas — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 00:02:42 -0400

A retired RANGER friend of mine told me that he feels as if he is ALWAYS still ON A MISSION

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Sep 17 at 2020 1:04 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 01:04:33 -0400

Being debriefed after a mission/patrol is one thing and PTSD treatment is something else all together.

During my time in the Military most operations had a lengthy in and out briefing process. That isn't to say that there were times things happened that we didn't have a sitdown afterwards like we should have had. But I do argue the idea that debriefs never happen. That's just inaccurate as a whole.

But if we are talking about legitimate cases of PTSD and legitimate treatment of PTSD I have serious doubts that a debrief would have sufficed. The problem with PTSD isn't that it wasn't addressed at the moment. It's the fact that those memories and incidents leave a lasting mark in your head and heart to the point they come back up or never leave. Debriefs can't mitigate that. This is where our friends at Mental Health can help break down those things into consumable pieces to help us decipher whats going on. I put off going to therapy for over a decade and I can honestly say that therapy helps as long as you commit to the process.

But in regards to the injury of PTSD and path to healing this goes way beyond the concept of debriefs.