Veterans and Civilians find Common Ground at the Intersections

"War touches the lives of all people," says Scott Thompson, a 20-year psychologist working on veteran and civilian programming at Intersections. "Perhaps more than any single social enterprise, war shapes the character of individuals, families, cultures and nations."

The Veteran-Civilian Dialogues, recently launched by Intersections, is a process designed to assist in healing both groups. "Too often, we don't know each other, and we assume the other doesn't care. We are learning that veterans cannot heal alone, by themselves," says Thompson.

The most recent dialogue took place Sept. 18 at Intersections. Some 40 people — 20 veterans and 20 civilians — gathered for an evening of structured dialogue. It began with participants being asked to reflect, in veteran-civilian pairs, on their personal connection to war and peace. Then, Larry Winters, a Vietnam veteran, and Megan Hoelle, Intersections director of communication and program development, began a conversation about their own personal experiences with war. After about 15 minutes, the veteran-civilian pairs continued the conversation from their points of view. In the end, the group came together to talk about how war affects us all.

"The environment [and] process enabled strangers and people who have never discussed their war-peace experiences and aspirations to do so together, easily and openly. There's more and more to say to each other," said one civilian.

The impacts of war on veterans, their families and the broader public are felt every day. Recent news headlines depict the implications of post-traumatic stress disorder, with stories pointing to violence and other similar behavior. "We are learning that civilians, which include families of veterans and all others, have been deeply impacted as well," Thompson said. As one veteran remarked, "Life can feel like war sometimes. Civilians are also veterans to that extent."

Erik Spilk, a civilian participant at the Sept. 18 discussion, reflected that "there is something transcendent about listening to a veteran, and [the event] certainly fosters that idea. I think it is because to share those stories requires such a great level of trust and comfort that the exchange becomes somewhat sacred."

The idea of "exchange as sacred" is what led Intersections to establish this forum to exchange ideas, perspectives and experiences in a way not often seen in other venues.

"The Veteran-Civilian Dialogues are not to supplant the many important needs that both individually have," said Thompson. "Rather, they are a way to address the part of our identity that knows that we share far more in common than we differ. This process is where both are honored."

The Veteran-Civilian Dialogues will be an ongoing resource provided by Intersections. They will explore important themes and experiences and serve as a catalyst for developing larger conversations and processes. For more information, contact Scott Thompson at sthompson@intersectionsinternational.org.