Dignity for the Enemy

Abstract

There is an ongoing and obvious problem of reintegrating war veterans into family, community, and society. A selective review of the supporting literature provides a foundation for the offered solution: “dignity for the enemy” (DFTE). DFTE is a method for retraining the mind to be calm, transforming the perception of who the enemy is, and thereby altering the combat veteran’s negative thinking and behavior. The DFTE practice is based on ancient sources and is offered as a specific solution to some difficult combat veteran reintegration issues generally related to violence. The “DFTE” practice emerges from the combination of the “enemy to friend spectrum” and the “elements of dignity.” The enemy to friend spectrum allows the combat veteran to identify feelings toward pertinent relationships. The elements provide choices of appropriate higher attitude(s) or emotions toward identified groups of people along the spectrum from negative to positive, enemy to friend. Through the application of the practice, relationships are transformed. Positive changes in relationships can reduce agitation, anger, and lower a heightened sense of danger. The result for the combat veteran is calmness and for the enemy is dignity. With calmness comes a reduction in violent and abusive behavior.