How researching with the RAF Reaper community exposed my own suppressed trauma and what I would do differently next time

ABSTRACT

It is common for service personnel and military veterans to experience trauma and its ongoing effects. It is also common for that trauma to go unacknowledged and untreated, with personal denial being the first major obstacle to overcome. Professor Peter Lee reflects on coming to terms with his past Iraq War experiences as a military chaplain, prompted by the unexpected resurfacing of overwhelming emotions triggered during a research project more than a decade later. He concludes by offering recommendations for other researchers to consider, especially if they have experienced prior trauma: either in the armed forces or elsewhere.