ABSTRACT
Ritual has been largely underestimated in the research and writing on moral injury. The concept emerged in 1994 and has received extensive attention since 2009 to describe the moral challenges of military service. This neglect is somewhat surprising, given that the military uses an effective initiation ritual to prepare recruits for prosecuting wars and for performing in ways that may violate their personal moral values. In this essay, Brock explores how ritual might help veterans deal with morally challenging experiences and transition out of a military culture that makes it difficult for them to return to their families and communities and flourish in civilian society. Brock begins with a discussion of how definitions of moral injury emerged. Drawing on the author’s experiences with veterans, the chapter considers how ritual supports recovery from moral injury.
