Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.

You’ve probably lost a few friends to combat or training accidents. It seems like a useless waste of life, so how do you deal with it?

Key Points:

  • Celebrate their service instead of cursing the circumstance. Focus on the way they impacted the world for good.
  • Acknowledge the loss and be ready to grieve. It’s okay to feel sadness over this loss.
  • Be the person that picks everyone up. Help those around you heal and move on, including the family of the deceased.
  • Learn from the mistake. Figure out what went wrong and what to do differently in the future.

Quote This:

…It is a proud privilege to be a soldier – a good soldier … [with] discipline, self-respect, pride in his unit and his country, a high sense of duty and obligation to comrades and to his superiors, and a self-confidence born of demonstrated ability. – George S. Patton, Jr.

See Also: Grief, Military

Talk About It
  1. What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Have you ever lost someone close to you? How did you work through the grieving process?
  3. What are some ways you can celebrate the life of a fallen service member? How do you feel that would honor their sacrifice for their country?
  4. Why do you think some people go into a form of denial when someone from their unit dies? How would that be a detriment to the unit?
  5. How might you help the family of the deceased when you are most likely in another country? What would you want your fellow soldiers to do for your family if you were to lose your life?
  6. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.