DA PAM 165-109 MILITARY CHAPLAINS' REVIEW DEATH AND DYING SPRING, 1976 PREFACE The Military Chaplains* Review is designed as a medium in which those interested in the military chaplaincy can share with chaplains the product of their experience and research. We welcome articles which are directly concerned with supporting and strengthening chaplains professionally. Preference will be given to those articles having lasting value as reference material. The Military Chaplains' Review is published quarterly. The opin- ions reflected in each article are those of the author and do not neces- sarily reflect the view of the Chief of Chaplains or the Department of Army. Articles should be submitted in duplicate, double spaced, to the Editor, Military Chaplains' Review, United States Army Chaplain Board, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York 10305. Articles should be approximately 8 to 18 pages in length and, when appro- priate, should be carefully footnoted. EDITOR Chaplain (LTC) John J. Hoogland May 1971-June 1974 Chaplain (LTC) Joseph E. Galle III July 1974- A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH Considerable literature has been published on the subject of death. Thanatology courses attract large numbers of high school and college students as do conferences and symposiums attract others. Televi- sion has highlighted the subject over major networks. All would indi- cate that there has been a growing interest in recent years to talk openly about death and dying. Despite the increasing interest, however, there remains a signifi- cant number who seldom reflect on death. To some, perhaps many, death seems so far in the future that it is irrelevant to current living. As one of the authors for this issue of the Review puts it, "Our daily attitudes and actions are more consistent with the conviction that personal death is an unfounded rumor." Though we have no control—no choice—over our eventual death, we are not left to wait helplessly for it to come. We may choose our attitude toward death and how we will live the balance of our days, weeks, months, or years. Henri Nouwen of Yale suggests, "Let's so live that when we die, we'll become what we've given." Marjorie McCoy, author of To Die With Style reputation, explains that we die the way we live—"We achieve our death," she writes, "throughout our living." We are right now the persons we're aiming at becoming; and we all become ultimately what we aim at. Those whose articles appear in this issue of the Review demon- strate profound perception as they share their extensive research with us or permit us to share their most intimate experiences with death. All, however, remind us that dying is a matter of life as well as death. The two are inexorably bound together. If we deny one, we deny the other. When, however, we accept both with some degree of un- derstanding, we can live fuller lives and experience more dignified deaths. ORRIS E. KELLY Chaplain (Major General), USA Chief of Chaplains u Pam 165-109 HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Washington, D.C., Spring 1976 MILITARY CHAPLAINS' REVIEW Articles Page Dignified Death: An Ideal Jai Swyter 1 "I Listen; I Love; I Learn" Joy Ufema 9 The Military Way of Death and Ministry Chaplain (LTC) Eugene E. Allen 17 Suicide: Preventive and Supportive Ministries Dr. Kenneth R. Mitchell 23 The Chaplain Discusses Death With Children Dr. Earl A. Grollman 33 The Chaplain's Ministry to Dying Children and Their Families Chaplain (LTC) James Jaeger, USAR 43 Therefore, Choose Life Chaplain (LTC) Glenn R. Pratt, USAR 53 The Sociology of Death and Dying Chaplain (MAJ) Donald E. Gnewuch, ARNG 65 Greater Love Hath No One Dr. Glenn M. Vernon 73 A Primer on Human Grief Chaplain (LTC) Donald H. Welsh, USAR 85 A Death in the Family Chaplain (MAJ) David C. Coulter, ARNG 93 Reflections At The Border Chaplain (MAJ) Richard A. Johnson 99 Author Index 105 Subject Index 109 iii "Our daily attitudes and actions are more consistent with the conviction that personal death is an unfounded rumor." —Earl Grollman "I think the most valuable gift we can give to each other is ac- ceptance; especially to the dying person who has no experience on which to rely. He has never died before and so his coping mechanisms might not always be acceptable." —Joy Ufema ^Hs^jfc^^j^^ "Our concept of dignity contains the elements of self-respect, poise, impressiveness of character or manner, repose and serenity of demeanor." "In the past people were afraid they would die if they went to a hospital. Now they are afraid they will not be allowed to die." ai Swyter "My only qualification (about publishing these notes) is that I am dying, and that is really not unique. You are dying, too." —Richard Johnson "Our son, Ken, died suddenly one night. We were totally unpre- pared for his death." —David Coulter DIGNIFIED DEATH: AN IDEAL Jai Swyter INTRODUCTION Speaking at a conference on ethics and theology, Margaret Mead said, "If we want a society in which older people, acting with the dignity of an Eskimo grandmother, decide they will no longer be a burden on the young, then that must be the decision of individual human beings. Society itself must back up such individual decisions" (Mead, 1970). The Eskimos choose to die in a manner which, according to our laws and dominant values, is suicide and forbidden. And yet, there is a growing number of individuals who feel the Eskimo custom is dignified and desirable. This new perspective is evidenced by the in- crease in discussions of such formerly taboo subjects as euthanasia, death and dying, death with dignity and the right to die. Television, newspapers, books, conferences and legislation are beginning to re- flect this new awareness. Our concept of dignity contains the elements of self-respect, poise, impressiveness of character or manner, repose and serenity of de- meanor. It is recognition, by ourselves and others, of the inner strength to live up to our personal ideal of how and what we want to be and do. It is the ability to recognize the reality of our world and to act accordingly. It is the courage to see and to do. It is from this position that we see the Eskimo custom as dignified. This paper will be an inquiry into why the Eskimo custom is seen as our ideal of a dignified death. Eskimo and American practices will be reviewed including influential environmental factors. Comparing dying in these seeming vastly different cultures will help define and clarify what a dignified death means to us. DYING IN THE ESKIMO SOCIETY Aged Eskimos are treated with great respect but are put out of the way when "life becomes too heavy for them." The act is usually done in accordance with the wish of the person concerned and is thought to be a proof of devotion. The Eskimo belief system also affords special compensation for someone who dies a violent death for he will be transported to the highest heaven. Suicide is not a rare occurrence The author has worked as a research dietitian on kidney dialysis and transplant units in San Francisco, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. This work led to a new professional interest in chronically ill and dying people. She is currently working on a Ph.D. in medical anthropology for use in clinical work, teaching, and research in ethi- cal dilemmas in which death is one of the choices. and is usually brought about by hanging (Boas, 1964; Simmons, 1945). Freuchen (1961) vividly describes this custom: Life is their essential concern. The thought of death is remote. But suicides are numerous among them. If they are hit with sickness,— if great human sorrows weigh them down, when—as they express it "life is heavier than death," then no man hesitates to make an end of his torment and cross into the distant land. In many places, voluntary death is normal for old men and women who are burdened with the memories of their youth, and who can no longer meet the demands of their own reputation. Old people kill them- selves to avoid being a hindrance to their kin. Fear of death is unknown to them, they know only love of life. The Es- kimos are themselves unaware of the difficulty of their existence, they al- ways enjoy life with an enviable intensity, and they believe themselves to be the happiest people on earth living in the most beautiful country there is. When an old man sees the young men go out hunting and cannot himself go along, he is sorry. When he has to ask other people for skins for his clothing, when he cannot ever again be the one to invite neighbors to eat his game, life is of no value to him. Rheumatism and other ills may plague him, and he wants to die. This has been done in different ways in different tribes, but everywhere it is held that if a man feels himself to be a nui- sance, his love for his kin, coupled with the sorrow of not being able to take part in the things which are worthwhile, impels him to die. In some tribes, an old man wants his oldest son or favorite daughter to be the one to put the string around his neck and hoist him to his death. This was always done at the height of a party where good things were being eaten, where everyone—including the one who was about to die—felt happy and gay, and which would end with the angakok conjuring and danc- ing to chase out the evil spirits.