ABSTRACT
Bowen’s years as a medical doctor in the US Army began in psychiatry. He went into the Army expecting to go to the Mayo Clinic on discharge. The relationships he formed at Ft. Bragg, especially with Dr. Norman Brill, and the duties he performed led to a change in trajectory for his career—from surgery to psychiatry. Bowen also worked with Gaine Cannon, known as the Mountain Doctor. Cannon and Bowen worked together at the rural medical clinic that was set up by Cannon at Hope Mills, NC Cannon wanted Bowen to join him there after the war. Bowen served on the front lines at the Battle of the Bulge, and his wartime experiences brought an interest in psychosomatic medicine and in severe psychological problems. During his active duty, he had the opportunity to conduct research on the causes of disability leading to discharge in a serviceman’s first year of service and, while overseas, to use Arsenotherapy learning about mind/body connections. This period of his life marked the beginning of what would prove to be an abiding interest in emotional systems, both institutional and familial. On discharge, he began his search for a psychiatric position.
