Organizational Responses to Death in the Military

When a friend or loved one dies, the challenge for survivors is to somehow cope effectively with the loss and go on living and functioning. This is true not only for family members, but also for friends and coworkers of the deceased. How organizations respond to a death can influence coping in either a positive or negative direction. Military organizations have long experience with death, and have developed poprams and policies aimed at assisting survivors to adjust positively to loss. This report reviews how casualty policies have developed in the U.S. Army, and draws on the Army's casualty experience to suggest some ways in which organizational responses to death might facilitate healthy adjustment for survivors.