WHAT MAKES THE EXPERIENCE OF BEREAVEMENT THROUGH MILITARY DEATH DIFFERENT?

Dr. Liz Rolls

with Dr Gillian Chowns and Dr Mairi Harper

Honorary Research Fellow, University of Gloucestershire Independent Researcher: Pegasus Projects

BSA: Death, Inequality and Social Difference 14 November 2014

TWO STUDIES

Literature review and Scoping study of support organisations

An Evaluation Study with bereaved military parents

Both funded by Forces Support a charity that provides practical support to those bereaved through military death

(with Dr Gillian Chowns)

(with Dr Mairi Harper)

25.75%

33.72%

8.81%

7.78%

21.71% 2.23%

Disease

Traffic accident

KIA

Suicide/open verdict

Other accident

Not known

(Source: UK Defence Statistics Compendium)

DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS IN THE UK ARMED FORCES 2003-2013 (n=1720)

Just under three quarters are from sudden causes of death

7.78%

64.76%

21.75%

5.08%

0.16%

0.48%

18-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50+

NK

These are predominantly young deaths – approx 85% under 40

DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS IN THE UK ARMED FORCES IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN 2003-2014

BY AGE (n=630)

(Source: BBC)

Families (Partners and Children)

Käthe Kollwitz The Mourning Parents, Vladslo German Cemetery, Belgium

.... and Parents

Käthe Kollwitz The Mourning Parents, Vladslo German Cemetery, Belgium

1. Is the experience of those who have been bereaved through a military death different and, if so, in what ways? 2. With a particular focus on bereaved parents, how is

the experience compounded by the complexities of the social, cultural, and political context that surrounds them?

QUESTIONS FOR TODAY........?

‘Cultural script of military life’

WHAT MAKES THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BEREAVED THROUGH A MILITARY DEATH DIFFERENT?

(Keegan, 2011)

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

Deployment: Constitutes varying degrees of loss Companionship and intimacy Emotional and instrumental support, inc childcare. Associated with: Spousal depression Sleep disturbance Physical symptoms Significant increases in parenting distress Disruption in parenting rules/expectations Increased rates of child/intimate partner

Military families - used to cycles of absence

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

‘Crisis’ deaths Unusually traumatic, and violent Anticipated but sudden

Death outside the UK Repatriation of the body RWB helpful/intrusive Few relatives able to visit the place of death

Death in the UK No repatriation ceremony

Inquest Delays in funeral arrangements Uncertainty knowing what has happened and in getting the story clear

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

Those who die are relatively young leaving behind: Partners In post-modern family structures - Which one? Parents Consequences when relationships poor Siblings Forgotten?

Children Unborn/Very young?

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

Consequences Recognition to person/bereaved ‘Honour’ the death BUT: Attention on-going over time/images repeated

National news & Information very public

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

Military culture: Language, social norms, and attitudes Strong identity bound up with it BUT: Finding meaning may be challenging

The impact of deployment prior to the death

DIFFERENCES

Nature and timing of the death

Those who have died and those left behind

Media coverage

Military culture and personal identity

Additional losses and changes

Domino effect of changes/loss For partners Practical support Military life Parenting Support Supportive relationships House Work

For children Friends School/Education

CIVILIAN MILITARY

The shattering of life

The enduring presence of the deceased son

Enduring feelings of grief

Feeling isolated and redundant

PARENTAL BEREAVEMENT

Grieving state of mind

Cultural isolation

Isolated from ‘military family’

Geographical isolation

Social isolation

CIVILIAN MILITARY

SUDDEN AND VIOLENT DEATH

How parents were informed

The processes surrounding the death

‘Seeing’ the body

Loss of control

A paradoxical space

Narrative re-enactment of violent death

The Funeral The Belongings Kinship

Hierarchy • of loss

• of death

lrolls@glos.ac.uk