Soldiers and Students: Lessons in Coping with Loss and Grief

Abstract

Violence in our society has been a growing problem for years. Educators have seen a steady increase in the number of reported cases of violence in schools. Military personnel have always faced the threat ofviolence. Violence, in its many forms, is not new to the army, army reserve, National Guard, or state guard. However, the events of September 11 showed that terrorist violence had reached a new level in the United States. The lessons from September 11 have much to offer to the military. Those lessons learned from the response and the recovery that followed can benefit not only the military but also educators, parents, business people, and members of the general public. This article identifies lessons learned by the author in service with the New York Guard after 9/11 and suggests ways in which they can be applied to the problem of violence in schools.