This document discusses two studies on the experiences of those bereaved through military death. It finds that the experience is often different in several ways: the nature and timing of sudden, violent deaths abroad; the young age of those who die leaving families and children behind; additional losses surrounding the military culture and identity of the deceased; and feelings of isolation from both civilian and military support systems. The domino effect of multiple changes can compound the grief experienced by partners and children left behind.

1. WHAT MAKES THE EXPERIENCE OF BEREAVEMENT
THROUGH MILITARY DEATH DIFFERENT?
Dr. Liz Rolls
with Dr Gillian Chowns and Dr Mairi Harper
Honorary Research Fellow, University of Gloucestershire
Independent Researcher: Pegasus Projects
BSA: Death, Inequality and Social Difference
14 November 2014

2. TWO STUDIES
 Literature review and Scoping study of support organisations
 An Evaluation Study with bereaved military parents
Both funded by Forces Support
a charity that provides practical support to those bereaved through military death
(with Dr Gillian Chowns)
(with Dr Mairi Harper)

3. 25.75%
33.72%
8.81%
7.78%
21.71%
2.23%
Disease
Traffic accident
KIA
Suicide/open verdict
Other accident
Not known
(Source: UK Defence Statistics Compendium)
DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS IN THE UK ARMED FORCES
2003-2013 (n=1720)
Just under three quarters are from sudden causes of death

4. 7.78%
64.76%
21.75%
5.08%
0.16%
0.48%
18-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50+
NK
These are predominantly young deaths – approx 85% under 40
DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS IN THE UK ARMED FORCES
IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN 2003-2014
BY AGE (n=630)
(Source: BBC)

5. Families (Partners and Children)

6. Käthe Kollwitz The Mourning Parents, Vladslo German Cemetery, Belgium
.... and Parents

7. Käthe Kollwitz The Mourning Parents, Vladslo German Cemetery, Belgium

8. 1. Is the experience of those who have been bereaved
through a military death different and, if so, in what
ways?
2. With a particular focus on bereaved parents, how is
the experience compounded by the complexities of
the social, cultural, and political context that
surrounds them?
QUESTIONS FOR TODAY........?

9. ‘Cultural script of military life’
WHAT MAKES THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
BEREAVED THROUGH A MILITARY DEATH DIFFERENT?
(Keegan, 2011)

10. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes

11. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes
Deployment:
Constitutes varying degrees of loss
 Companionship and intimacy
 Emotional and instrumental support,
inc childcare.
Associated with:
 Spousal depression
 Sleep disturbance
 Physical symptoms
 Significant increases in parenting distress
 Disruption in parenting rules/expectations
 Increased rates of child/intimate partner
Military families - used to cycles of absence

12. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes
‘Crisis’ deaths
 Unusually traumatic, and violent
 Anticipated but sudden
Death outside the UK
 Repatriation of the body
 RWB helpful/intrusive
 Few relatives able to visit the place of death
Death in the UK
 No repatriation ceremony
Inquest
 Delays in funeral arrangements
 Uncertainty knowing what has happened
and in getting the story clear

13. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes
Those who die are relatively young
leaving behind:
 Partners In post-modern family
structures - Which one?
 Parents Consequences when
relationships poor
 Siblings Forgotten?
 Children Unborn/Very young?

14. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes
Consequences
 Recognition to person/bereaved
 ‘Honour’ the death
BUT:
 Attention on-going over time/images
repeated
National news & Information very public

15. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes
Military culture:
 Language, social norms,
and attitudes
 Strong identity bound up with it
BUT:
 Finding meaning
may be challenging

16. The impact of deployment
prior to the death
DIFFERENCES
Nature and timing
of the death
Those who have died
and those left behind
Media coverage
Military culture and
personal identity
Additional losses
and changes
Domino effect of changes/loss
For partners
 Practical support
 Military life
 Parenting Support
 Supportive relationships
 House
 Work
For children
 Friends
 School/Education

17. CIVILIAN MILITARY
The shattering of life
The enduring presence
of the deceased son
Enduring feelings
of grief
Feeling isolated and redundant
PARENTAL BEREAVEMENT
Grieving state of mind
Cultural
isolation
Isolated from
‘military family’
Geographical
isolation
Social
isolation

18. CIVILIAN MILITARY
SUDDEN AND VIOLENT DEATH
How parents
were informed
The processes
surrounding the death
‘Seeing’ the body
Loss of control
A paradoxical
space
Narrative re-enactment
of violent death
The Funeral
The Belongings
Kinship
Hierarchy
• of loss
• of death

19. lrolls@glos.ac.uk