Actualités sur la question du conseil médico-psychologique aux autorités en opération extérieure

Abstract

Command counseling is part of the medical officer's regalian function in supporting the armed forces. The psychiatrist performs this function on issues of mental hygiene in order to preserve the health and operational readiness of combatants. He is the guarantor of an approach centered on the subject's clinic, keeping in mind the medical-military issues in which he practices. While the command is most often concerned with the operational effectiveness of its regiment, the doctrines of the exercise of the command have evolved to include the recognition of suffering and in particular that of its soldiers. However, soldiers suffering from mental illness are still often confronted with stigmatization and incomprehension from their comrades, their entourage, or their hierarchy. The psychiatrist, in his role as advisor, sometimes finds himself at odds with the command, which is the sole decision-maker, the final decision being made through dialogue and compromise. In this article, based on our experience in the field, we discuss the points of concern for the psychiatrist in military operations, we can evoke the questions of ethics, the loss of moral sense or the risks related to the subordination of the psychiatrist. Nevertheless, the presence of psychiatrists in the theater of operations improves their understanding of the environment and the command and allows them to comprehend the operational stakes.