The Trials of Homecoming: Odysseus Returns from Iraq/Afghanistan

This lecture introduces some of the poignant challenges and stressors facing service members and their families as they return from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. A focus on the nature of psychological injuries, as compared with disorders, sets the stage for discussing some central factors necessary for a harmonious transition back home. The article stresses the vital role played by a community of Veterans in healing moral injuries. The importance of effective leadership, sound sleep, and supportive unit cohesion are stressed as vital protective factors in theater. To assist mental health and health clinicians working with Veterans, the article asserts that the prevention of secondary trauma should be ethically obligatory self‐care supported by mental health centers and academic institutions.