SPANISH MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS. LESSONS LEARNED IN AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

Within the framework of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a NATO-led mission, Spain deployed from 2005 to 2014 in Herat, Afghanistan, a military field hospital (Role 2 Enhanced) endowed with, among other health specialties, a psychology service. During almost ten years of mission, military psychologists commissioned there performed various functions and tasks, including clinical-assistance, support to commanders, preventive and expert duties, the goal of which was to improve the well-being and psychological health of our personnel deployed in the area of operations. Lessons learned from this experience are presented in this paper. In this respect, several reflections and proposals are presented, the objective of which is to contribute to a better functioning of the military psychology service in international operations abroad and, therefore, to the improvement of the adaptation of our contingents engaged in these operations.

Keywords

• Military Psychology
• Operational Psychology
• Military operations abroad
• ISAF (International Security Assistance Force)
• Afghanistan