Corie Weathers offers words to encourage those who are struggling
Corie Weathers is the spouse of an Afghanistan veteran. She is a licensed counselor and was the 2015 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year. We asked her to share a few words of advice for military families who are struggling with the situation in Afghanistan.
“It is an incredibly difficult time for our military and veteran community and country at large. The withdrawal of troops and evacuation of Americans and allies may not be the end of the Afghanistan/US narrative and definitely not the end of the story for the people of Afghanistan. It will be important for each of us to process our feelings individually as we (service members and families) have had to create our own meaning about our presence there. No doubt we will each experience relief with the thought of an end to a two decade war and simultaneously the many emotions of grief as we continue to watch a country facing intense difficulty.”
- Process carefully your own feelings, knowing they may be very different from your spouse.
- Consider getting professional help if you or your spouse has endured mental, emotional, or physical wounds from time in Afghanistan. This is also important for caregivers of servicemen members whose life was altered.
- The civilian-military divide can feel like a Grand Canyon during times like this. Remember that we all, even our fellow citizens, have different perspectives and experiences of this war. Adding patience and kindness to our explanations to others will go a lot further in creating understanding and building bridges than anger and aggression.
