Men With a Mission: Veterans' Meanings of Peacekeeping in Cambodia

摘要

This qualitative study examines veterans' meanings of peacekeeping in Cambodia. In-depth interviews were conducted among 19 veterans. Purposive sampling distinguished between veterans with and without stress responses. Thematic analysis showed that peacekeeping reflected a different reality in which military performance and comradeship provided clear sense and direction. A sense of fulfillment and appreciation by the local people was perceived as rewarding. Professional skills and life experience created new opportunities in the veterans' future careers and personal life. Comparison of subsamples reflected different perceptions of threat, witnessing an unjust world in Cambodia, and coming to terms with different realities.