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The significance of the body has emerged as a vital yet neglected element in the transition from military to civilian life. The recognition of a military body enhances the understanding of potential pastoral and counseling needs among veterans beyond the mind and the soul. This article attempts to contribute to further knowledge about this topic, drawing from both theory and empirical research, in an effort to provide insights for pastoral care and counseling.

The purpose of this article is to further advance the understanding of self-identity work amid transition from military to civilian life, with emphasis on the complexities between and within the military and civilian cultural I-positions of a dialogical self. An analysis of a longitudinal case study of an aborted transition leads to the hypothesis that a culturally dominant military I-position that sustains a cultural dichotomy may hinder dialogical advancement toward reintegration into civilian life. The insights from this article can be used to better understand self-identity issues amid transition and may also have relevance for nonmilitary persons who are exposed to cultural transitions.

A dialogical self theory framework has shown to be a promising methodology in the pursuit of mapping and gridding the psychological topography among military personnel during transition from military to civilian life and thereby advance the understandings of self-identity work in the process. This article demonstrates this methodology through a case study example drawn from a longitudinal research project that followed nineteen Swedish service members with annual interviews over a three-year period as they transitioned to civilian life. This case study example evolves into a discussion about a potential vulnerability that may be inherit among service members with distinct religious/spiritual/ethical positions in the self when or if those I-positions perceive themselves to be violated as a result of military service. The implication of such violations or transgressions may result in a type of spiritual injury that disconnects the spiritual capacity of the self to varying degrees. It is proposed that such spiritual injury is typically followed by monologue instead of dialogue. Theological concepts of forgiveness and acceptance may gradually restore the dialogical capacity between a violated position(s) and a traumatized military position within the self. Acceptance and dialogical evolution may then begin to heal the spiritual damage.

Adopting a longitudinal approach to exploring the psychology of the transition from military to civilian life, one case study is presented that adds a spiritual perspective to the transition process. This case study serves as an example representative from a group of participants who have been followed through a research project on identity reconstruction during the transition to civilian life. This individual, not unlike many others within the group, undergoes an unexpected progression of the military I-position of the self throughout the process of becoming a civilian. This study utilizes a dialogical approach to the identity work to further the understanding of longitudinal adjustments to the self. An analysis of the narrative developments and interactions among pre-existing and new I-positions of the self over time has been made based upon three annually conducted interviews spanning from 2014 to 2016. The results lead to the suggestion that if a military I-position of the self grows more salient and voiced throughout the process of transitioning into civilian life, then this vocalization may be related to the spirit of a person embodied in a specific I-position of the self. Such growth of a military I-position after leaving active service may gravitate around a deep sense of "who I am" with a profound sense of meaning attached to this position. Instead of perceiving as an unwanted development the growth of a military sense of "who I am," one should acknowledge it as a deeper dimension of self and life. It is important to find an outlet for such a progression of the self so as to sustain balance and dialogue. Future research is encouraged to further examine these qualitative findings.

In this article, we explore the process of transitions from a military life to a civilian life. Making use of the concepts offered by Dialogical Self Theory, we explore how individuals negotiate the acquisition of new, civilian identities by integrating different, sometimes conflicting, cultural I-positions. Moreover, in this article, we explore how this narrative process is reflected through embodied processes of becoming civilian. We do so by presenting an in-depth analysis of two case studies: that of former Lieutenant Peter, who fully transitions to civilian life, and of Sergeant Emma, who opts for a hybrid outcome, combining a civilian job with working as an instructor in the military. We will argue that the narrative and embodied process of transition are intertwined in self-identity work, and that attention to the specifics of this entanglement can be useful for professionals who counsel military personnel who transition to civilian life.