Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using Photovoice To Understand The Meaning Of Social Participation As It Impacts Transitions For Student Veterans, Caitlin Gene Dobson

Theses and Dissertations

Student veterans encounter a variety of social pressures that civilian students do not, making the transition from military life to student civilian challenging. The issue of military personnel transitioning to roles as student veterans is one that is relevant to occupational therapy, as the profession promotes social participation as a meaningful occupation. It has been found that veterans find social relationships to be a critical challenge in the process of transitioning to the university and the civilian world (Plach & Haertlein Sells, 2013).

Additionally, this issue is important to occupational therapy as a factor in promoting mental health. Mental health …

Factors Influencing Recruitment Into The U.S. Armed Services: Could Health Insurance Be A Motivator?, Michael P. Hughes

Public Administration Master’s Projects

Caring for our nation's veterans is a responsibility of the federal promise that began with a promise by Abraham Lincoln on the event of his second inauguration. The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act requires the Army to recruit an additional 16,000 enlisted personnel and retain an additional 9,000 soldiers by the end of September 2017, with the Army offering enlistment bonuses of up to $40,000 and upwards of $10,000 for soldiers willing to extend their contracts for one year (Myers, 2017). A RAND Corporation study identified several risk factors for Army recruitment should the need arise to commit forces including …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Process Of Transitioning Out Of The Military And Into Civilian Life From The Acculturation Perspective, Wilisha C. Daniels

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of transitioning of veterans the perspective of acculturation. The study explored the lived experience of veterans, by attempting to gain a better understanding of the transition process of post 9/11 military members.

The study used the acculturation framework to view the experiences of transitioning from military to civilian culture. Limited research exists examining the connection between acculturation and transitioning for veterans. The phenomenological methodology was used to explain the veterans’ experiences.

The study revealed that TAP, the government-mandated transition program did very little to prepare veterans transition back to the …

Achieving Pssm Through Civil Society And Military Cooperation, Lee Moroney

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The core focus of physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) is twofold: mitigate the risk of unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) that could have drastic humanitarian consequences, and secure stockpiles from illicit diversion and munition theft that could fuel growing insurgencies, terrorist events, and civil conflict by state and nonstate actors worldwide. These areas of concern increase the risks associated with national and regional stability. Increasing PSSM helps professionalize a state’s military and security forces, which builds confidence and strengthens security measures between security forces, the civilian population, and its regional neighbors.

Research Brief: "Reproductive Health Of Active Duty Women In Medically Austere Environments", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the use of contraceptives, the unintended pregnancy rates, and birth defects among active duty servicewomen as compared to the civilian population. In policy and practice, servicewomen and female veterans should use reproductive and health services provided by local VA medical centers and discuss environmental exposures to their healthcare provider, who should conduct full exams with patients and discuss healthcare needs while the servicemembers are deployed; the DoD should look into the use of portable medical equipment and how to support all servicemembers, and policymakers may consider funding DoD programs for counseling about women's reproductive healthcare options. …

Military-Ngo Partnerships: Lessons Learned For The 8th Theater Sustainment Command's Hma Mission In Vietnam, Shawn Kadleck, Richard Calvin

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In August 2016, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and medical personnel executed the first phase of a four-year mission in support of Vietnam. The goal of this mission is to develop indigenous, International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) Level 3 certified instructors for the recently established Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC). USARPAC partnered with Golden West Humanitarian Foundation, an NGO that runs mine action operations around the world. Golden West provided insight and recommendations on equipment purchases, curriculum development, and other aspects of program development as it related to EOD tasks. As USARPAC looks toward the future, …

Incidence Rates For Work Health And Safety Incidents And Injuries In Australian Army Reserve Vs Full Time Soldiers, And A Comparison Of Reporting Systems, Rodney Pope, Rob Orr

Rob Marc Orr

Objective:

To determine incidence rates of reported work health and safety (WHS) incidents and injuries in Army Reserve (ARES) and Australian Regular Army (ARA) personnel and assess the relative performance of the WHS incident reporting system, compared to ‘point-of-care’ systems.

Methods:

WHS incident data for a 24-month period were extracted from a military database. Reported WHS incident and injury rates for both populations were calculated and compared. The WHS injury rates were compared with previously published injury incidence rates based on ‘point-of-care’ incident reporting in Army populations to ascertain relative performance of WHS and ‘point-of-care’ systems.

Results:

In both populations …

Research Brief: "The National Veteran Sleep Disorder Study: Descriptive Epidemiology And Secular Trends, 2000–2010", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the relation between sleep disorder diagnosis and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health disorders among veterans. In policy and practice, physicians should familiarize themselves with signs of and screenings for sleep disorders and should discuss factors that affect sleep with their veteran patients; the VHA should continue recommending policies that help veterans receive a prompt diagnosis and treatment of their sleep disorders, policymakers should fund early intervention programs to help veterans learn how to cope with reintegration, and the VHA should create a database on sleep disorders in veterans. Suggestions for future research include studying veterans …

Warrior To Civilian: The Impact Of Social Identity And Emotional Well-Being On The Community Reintegration Of Us Service Members And Veterans, Mary E. Fortson-Harwell

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

In this dissertation, the author explores the relationship between the social identity and emotional well-being of military service members and veterans when transitioning to civilian roles following deployment(s) and/or the end of military service. This mixed-methods study uses participant observations, survey measures, and semi-structured interviews to answer the following questions: How does social identity impact the emotional well-being of military service members when transitioning to civilian roles following deployment(s) and/or end of military service? How does participation in formalized or ad hoc community reintegration “rituals” influence the service member’s felt sense of return? By combining Social Identity Theory with Maslow’s …

Supporting Women Veterans: Transitioning From Military Life To University Life, Kristen M. Zellers

Undergraduate Theses

Many researchers have analyzed the various adversities that women servicemembers/veterans face in the military, upon reintegration into society, and upon transition into a university setting. These researchers suggest that women veterans experience an identity crisis throughout those three stages of their military career and future plans (Baechtold & DeSawal, 2009; Heineman, 2016; Women Warriors, 2011). What the research lacks is a more in-depth analysis of the women’s experiences and a look into how prevalent identity crises are among female veterans. The present study analyzed these ideas. Student women veterans (N = 9) from three different universities in the Mid-Western …

Us Aid In The Arab World Fact Checking Us Democratization Rhetoric Against Reality, Nicholas Canfield

Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development—Student Research

Many factors have been used to explain durable authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and one of the most important external influences of MENA governments’ structure is support from the United States. The US balances security concerns and democratization rhetoric in the region, but much literature promotes that security concerns are the most important factor for US support in MENA. Using US aid as a proxy for US support, this study finds that US aid actually increases democratization in MENA, and counterintuitively, aid to MENA military and police forces seems to have a stronger democratization effect than …

Research Brief: "Impact Of Social Networking Sites On Children In Military Families", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief summarizes an analysis on potential mechanisms by which military children can gain resiliency against unique set of stressors that can put them at risk for numerous psychological and behavior problems.

2017 Zero8hundred's Continuing The Promise Of A New Day: Support For Service Members Transitioning To Civilian Life In San Diego, Kim D. Hunt, Mary Jo Schumann

Military

This report, prepared by the Caster Center, is a 2-year evaluation report about zero8hundred. Zero8hundred is a cross-sector community initiative whose mission is to proactively link transitioning service members and their families to resources and opportunities in the community, helping them successfully transition to civilian life.

Local/State Emergency Management Relationships, Joshua L. Van Dyke

CUP Undergraduate Research

Oregon is challenged with a regional liaison program that is understaffed, underfunded, and not a primary role within the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM). This paper is going to examine what Oregon’s program could look like if the “regional liaison” was stand-alone position for several staff or at least a primary role within Oregon OEM. Programs from other states will be used for comparison in order to help build the picture. There are many challenges to the current program as well as creating a permanent liaison position - those will be briefly looked at. Lastly, some recommendations will be …

The Relationship Between The Military's Masculine Culture And Service Members' Help-Seeking Behaviors, Rachel Reit

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, over 2.5 million active duty U.S. military service members have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (Knobloch & Wilson, 2015). Of those who return as veterans, twenty percent experience serious mental health problems, and only 30-40% of them seek help or treatment (Tanielian & Jaycox, 2008; Wilson, Gettings, Hall, & Pastor, 2015). Recently, the military has increased efforts to encourage help-seeking behaviors among service members and to normalize mental health treatment. However, the military’s masculine culture and emphasis on strength and toughness inhibits the success of these efforts. The present studies investigate the …

Research Brief: "Women At War: The Crucible Of Vietnam", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief summarizes a scholarly article of the same name. It reviews research which evaluates the perspectives of women who served in the Vietnam War and the impact of deployment/military service on their mental health in comparison to contemporary servicewomen.

2017 Corporate Playbook For Supporting Military Families, Caster Family Center For Nonprofit And Philanthropic Research, University Of San Diego

Military

This report, by Blue Star Families and the Caster Center and sponsored by USAA, examines the unique strengths and challenges of military families, best practices for supporting military families, why your company should support these families, and the steps to begin or strengthen your company's plan to support military families.

Attack At Fort Hood: Experiences And Suggestions For Security, William P. Moravits

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past 8 years, at least 4 lone wolf terrorists have targeted military bases or recruiting centers in the United States and research suggests attack on the US military are increasing globally. The problem was that research had not addressed the lived experiences of survivors of lone wolf attacks or how they could inform procedures regarding a sense of security for military men and women. The purpose of this research was to establish a need to address threats to the security of the military from these attacks, to provide a rich description of survivors' experiences of the attack at …

How Do Counterterrorism Policies Influence Domestic Terrorism On Military Installations, Leona Rena Monroe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Department of Defense (DoD) utilizes risk management to develop antiterrorism practices and policies on military installations. However, there is a gap in understanding the impact these practices have on the culture and relationship among military personnel and their civilians. Using Schneider and Ingram's conceptualization of social construction of target populations, the purpose of this ethnographic qualitative study was to understand the nature of the relationship between antiterrorism programs, culture, and risk management on a single military installation. Using a snowball sampling strategy, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 participants who were either a civilian or military person …

Combat Service And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder As A Violent Crimes Predictor In Oef/Oif Veterans, Rachel L. Ivory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an established link between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and criminal activity. Of every 100 veterans who served during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), 11 to 20 percent are diagnosed with PTSD each year. Previous research has documented that veterans are incarcerated at higher percentages compared to nonveteran inmates, though little published research examines incidence of PTSD relative to violent crime. Using Agnew's general strain theory as the foundation, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine combat service, PTSD, and specific violent crimes as defined by the FBI as murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, …

Engaging The Private Sector To Fortify Strategic Base And Port Community Resiliency In The Aftermath Of A National Crisis, Rosalie J. Wyatt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The initial 72 hours after a large-scale crisis are critical in terms of preserving life and property, and the private sector and its critical infrastructure are often called upon to assist government organizations in such events. However, little research explores the unique circumstances surrounding the relationship between public-private partnerships and community resilience in strategic communities including military installations and ports. Using Bryson, Crosby, and Stone's conceptualization of cross-sector collaboration, the purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a theory of private sector engagement and collaboration with military base and port community leaders in response to large scale crises. …

Autarky Or Interdependence? U.S. Vs. European Security And Defense Industries In A Globalized Market, Diane Maye Zorri

Publications

Globalization theorists show how downward pressure to compete and/or

save costs in global markets will lead producers and consumers to source

goods and services in the cheapest and most efficient manner. However, in

certain sectors, such as the defense industry, security concerns and politics

can overshadow economic logic when it comes to making procurement

decisions. These political and security concerns keep the U.S. defense

industry from using the most cost-effective supply chains and

manufacturing centers, whereas in Europe, post-Cold War socioeconomic

and political realities allowed for more transnational cooperation on

defense procurement. Three cases serve to illustrate the spectrum between …