Post-Deployment: Lessons Identified, Lessons Learned, and the Giving of Meaning

Military deployments had a large impact on people. Coming home did not necessarily mean an end to the deployment experience. This chapter discusses this post-deployment period. It analyses how the military organisation dealt with identified ‘lessons’ in evaluations. It demonstrates that some policies were adapted but many lessons were not ‘learned’ or applied in future deployments. Problems such as scarcity or ambiguity over rules remained continuously present throughout the researched period, to the frustration of medical personnel. The analysis of the aftermath of military deployments on a personal level demonstrates the role of professional identity, norms, and values while reflecting on and coping with problems and ethical dilemmas in hindsight. This process lasts long after their deployments end. While mostly positive on past medical engagement, recollections prove emotional, and some physicians and nurses continue to struggle with their experiences. Yet, military deployments also provided a lot of meaning. Their professional identity – as mostly medical professionals, even for those considered hybrid while deployed – was strengthened by their military service.