Conference announcement: Women Veterans Moral Injury
Three organizations – Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen, Women Veterans Social Justice Network, and Leashes of Valor – invite you to attend “Women Veterans Military Moral Injury Conference: Research, Recovery, Resources, and a Call for Compassionate Community Responsiveness.” The conference will take place in two places and on two dates: Charleston, South Carolina March 26-27, 2020; and Richmond, Virginia May 14-15, 2020. Registration is open here. From the conference website:
The conferences will bring together women veterans, researchers, mental health professionals, and chaplains to learn about new assessments, treatments, and resources for military-related injuries, including moral injury, and address regional lay leaders in how to assist them in transitioning well into their civilian communities.
Moral injury is a term that refers to the inner conflict military service members feel when their sense of moral rightness is violated during their time in the service. Initial findings of a current study underway on moral injury for women veterans conducted by Dr. Daniel Roberts of Roberts Research and Consulting and Joann Kovacich, Ph.D. of the University of Phoenix suggest military sexual trauma is one common cause of moral injury, as well as witnessing atrocities, killing in combat, and being forced to do things that are against one’s moral values.
Both military chaplains and civilian clergy have a special role to play in the well-being of service personnel. Military chaplains are often the first person a soldier talks to when he or she experiences difficult circumstances. Once service members leave the military, civilian clergy and Veterans Administration (VA) chaplains can provide care, but civilian clergy often do not know how to “speak the veteran’s language.” Veterans are often hesitant to reach out to people they do not know.
The conferences aim to address these problems by putting military chaplains, civilian clergy, and women veterans in the same room. Veterans will get a chance to tell their stories. Researchers who specialize in moral injury, soul care, PTSD, and mental health will share their latest findings, and clergy and mind/body/soul practitioners will describe healing modalities. The conference leaders hope to create an environment for positive relationships and future collaboration.
Sponsors, exhibitors, and donations are needed to defray the cost of the event and provide travel scholarships for those veterans who are short on funds. There are many levels of sponsorship, from $10,000 to $500. Sponsorship benefits include exhibitor space, company logo in program books, advertising on web pages, luncheon tickets, and opportunities to present your organization at the conference.
We also accept donations. Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen, Inc., Women Veterans Social Justice Network, and Leashes of Valor are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that accept tax-free cash and in-kind donations. Consider donating cash for veteran travel scholarships or in memory of a woman veteran or chaplain. In-kind donations may include food, beverages, paper goods, hotel rooms for veterans or speakers, technology assistance for disabled veterans, program printing, welcome bags and other items.
For more information:
Dr. Dan Roberts, Conference Chair/Coordinator
Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen, Inc.
droberts@chaplainconsultants.com 910-690-5964
or
Dr. Christiane O’Hara
WVSJ Network
christianeohara@wvsj.org or christianeohara@gmail.com
404-538-4470