Harriet, a comforter in military crises

Even the best soldier needs emotional and moral support at some point in his and her life.

Thanks to Captain Harriet Clarke, while she may not always provide a shoulder to cry on, she certainly provides a listening ear, a helping hand, and is fully skilled and equipped to deal with the issues our country’s soldiers face both on and off duty.

With some 20 years’ experience in social services, Clarke’s role as coordinator of social services at the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is crucial.

She is there when a soldier dies to provide comfort to his or her family; available to offer support when  a member of that soldier’s family dies; when life’s challenges are overwhelming, and when moral, mental and emotional support are necessary for soldiers to perform their duties effectively.

Clarke is quick to point out that soldiers are people too.

“The issues soldiers experience are no different from other persons. They too experience issues related to grief and loss, marital, family and relational issues, parental conflicts, issues related to managing finances and budgeting, and of course matters related to workplace stressors such as allocation of tasks and duties, work load, matters related to career choices and promotion, and interpersonal conflicts within the workplace,” she pointed out. (CH)

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