ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews literature as it pertains to grief work with veterans and military service members. It discusses the mental and physical health impacts of combat. The chapter describes the ways in which service members and veterans experience disenfranchised grief. It examines literature pertaining to the treatment of grief within this population with an emphasis on the use of art therapy. While some individuals may return from deployment without any of the wounds, they may still be grieving losses due to their combat experience. Combat experiences can result in both physical and mental health issues, including grief, which may become complicated or prolonged due to the circumstances of the losses. Additionally, veterans, and service members are likely to experience another type of grief. Loss experienced during combat is especially likely to result in grief that is disenfranchised due to the nature of the combat environment and the culture of the military.
