ABSTRACT
Danish armed forces — in particular the Army — have gone through a major transformation to the new complex of tasks. A great effort was made to carefully diagnose and remove unstable and mentally unadapted persons from the armed forces. During the Second World War, quite a number of very valuable experiences were gained about treatment and prevention. The work in the peacekeeping missions has been followed with great interest by mass media and politicians. Heavy strain and subsequent psychological short- and long-term reactions can hardly be avoided in enforcement or peacekeeping missions. A vast number of physiological processes are started and the individual responds with stress reactions — physical, psychological and behavioural. The activities can be divided into three principal groups: preventive measures, assistance and counselling in connection with major incidents in the area of mission, and follow-up effort, including assistance to persons with after-reactions.
