On the 4 March, EUROMIL, the European organisation of military Associations and Trade Unions co-organised with MEPs Liesbet Sommen and Wouter Beke (photo) a conference, titled Strengthening Mental Health in the Armed Forces: A European Imperative.Across Europe, military personnel and veterans face increasing mental health challenges linked to operational stress, trauma, moral injury, institutional pressures, and difficulties in accessing care. Despite growing awareness, stigma, fragmented support systems, and insufficient coordination between military and civilian services continue to leave many needs unmet. Reintegration into civilian life remains a particularly vulnerable phase, with clear gaps in psychological, social, and employment-related support.
Mental health is not only a matter of individual well-being but also of institutional responsibility, operational effectiveness, social cohesion, and fundamental rights. These challenges affect active service members, reservists, veterans, and their families, with specific impacts on women and LGBTQI+ personnel.
Therefore, the conference aimed to highlight the urgent need for effective policies, best practices, and cross-national cooperation to strengthen mental health support for military and uniformed personnel. The panels addressed operational and psychological stress factors in military service, mental health and social reintegration of veterans, institutional stigma and barriers to seeking help, and gender and diversity considerations alongside other considerations of mental health(care).