Vietnam and New Zealand enhance psychological support for peacekeepers

Vietnam and New Zealand have launched a collaborative program to enhance psychological support for Vietnamese peacekeepers following their international deployments. Organized by the Vietnam Peacekeeping Forces in coordination with Military Hospital 175, the initiative aims to share expertise and build capacity for managing the mental health challenges faced by personnel returning from missions.

The program, which included experts from the New Zealand Defence Force led by Lieutenant Colonel Jen Atkinson, focuses on the psychological transitions of soldiers. Key areas of training include identifying psychological changes, maintaining healthy sleep and lifestyles, and strengthening connections with family and colleagues. The training addresses the specific stressors of peacekeeping, such as extreme climates, complex security environments, professional pressure, and cultural or linguistic barriers.

A central component of the exchange is the psychological cycle model, which focuses on three critical post-deployment stages: homecoming, the unsettled phase, and reintegration. The initiative was held in Ho Chi Minh City for personnel from Level 2 Field Hospital No. 7 and continued in Hanoi for officers and staff from Engineer Brigade No. 4.