Death and grief in the military: an attitudinal focus.

Abstract

Little research has been undertaken with respect to people's attitudes on sudden death, even though a wealth of material on death and grief is now available. Given the potential lethal nature of the military profession, such studies are necessary. A literature survey of death and grief was conducted addressing the traditional cultural attitudes of the United States, possible reasons for the recent popularity of death education, and a variety of factors that affect an individual's attitudes toward death. A questionnaire reflecting a model by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was developed to elicit attitudes toward death and dying from a military viewpoint. The sample was comprised of veterans of the Vietnam conflict. The survey addresses the military member's feelings on death based on recent combat experience. Recommendations for further research are proposed as a result of this author's findings.