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Book Review: The Raider: The Untold Story Of A Renegade Marine And The Birth Of U.S. Special Forces In World War Ii, Wylie W. Johnson

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Stephen R. Platt

Reviewed by: Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College class of 2010

In this gripping narrative, Stephen R. Platt uncovers the forgotten legacy of a rebellious Marine whose daring vision helped shape the future of US Special Forces. Blending biography with battlefield drama, the book reveals how unconventional tactics and bold leadership redefined America’s approach to warfare. A must-read for anyone interested in the origins of elite military units and the individuals who defied tradition to forge them.

©2026 Wylie W. Johnson

When Flood Warnings Fail: Psychological Predictors Of Information Clarity And Evacuation Intention, Katsuya Tanaka, Tadashi Kito, Kohji Tanaka

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

Flood warnings are often assumed—particularly within traditional average-effect models—to prompt uniform behavioral responses, yet real-world evidence suggests that message effectiveness varies widely across the population. This study empirically identifies and explains such heterogeneity using a factorial survey experiment (n = 1671) conducted among residents in flood-prone regions of Japan. We estimate finite mixture beta regression models to disentangle the distinct behavioral patterns underlying information clarity and evacuation intention. Results reveal two psychological segments: a Responsive majority, whose decisions are shaped by concrete and credible warning attributes (e.g., specific breach point, forecast basis, large-font display), and a Non-Responsive minority, who remain …

Building A Coordinated Care Network For New Mexico Veterans: A Roadmap For Statewide Implementation, Nosa Akol, Zachary M. Bridgewater, Vincent R. Delsignore, Emily Graham, Mary Rachel Keville

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

With the support of the New Mexico State Legislature, the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is leading a multi-phase project to design a coordinated care system for New Mexican service members, veterans, and their families. In the project’s first phase, the IVMF conducted a landscape assessment to understand the needs of the military-connected community and examined the viability of a coordinated care system for the state. We found that veteran-serving organizations that participated felt that a coordinated care network would be of value to New Mexico veterans, but questions on how best to implement such a network …

Does What Happens In Vegas Increase Pedestrian Safety? A Longitudinal Study On The Effectiveness Of Pedestrian Bridges, Jalen Paulos, Jalen Paulos, Joaquin Del Mundo, Brock Wentz

School of Medicine Research Poster Showcase

Urban populations continue to rise and the frequency that pedestrians are exposed to vehicular traffic continues to increase. The result is an increase in automobile versus pedestrian collisions. This study aims to determine the efficacy of pedestrian bridges in reducing the rates of automobile-pedestrian collisions. Data for all automobile versus pedestrian collisions and injuries from July of 1997 through December of 2023 at four distinct intersections along Las Vegas Boulevard were retrieved from the Nevada Department of Transportation. These sites were chosen because of their historically high rates of automobile versus pedestrian incidents and the construction of pedestrian bridges at …

Understanding The Underutilization Of The Campus Recreation Facility: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Social Physique Anxiety, Sense Of Community, And Physical Environment Barriers, Caden M. Pfingsten

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

General Abstract

Understanding the Underutilization of the Campus Recreation Facility:

A Mixed-Methods Examination of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction,

Social Physique Anxiety, Sense of Community, and Physical Environment Barriers

Caden Miles Pfingsten

Department of Health and Human Performance, Fort Hays State University

May 2026

General Abstract

This study investigated why students at a mid-sized Midwestern public university elect to pay for off-campus commercial gym memberships rather than use the on-campus Campus Recreation Facility (CRF), which is available at no additional direct cost. A cross-sectional quantitative survey (N = 169) was administered to students across six fitness facility groups. Validated and researcher-adapted …

Pages Of Despair: Economic Policy Uncertainty And Mental Health, Kori Massner

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Policy uncertainty threatens access to affordable medical care, yet few studies have examined how it shapes what people search for online. This study examines whether economic policy uncertainty predicts mental health information-seeking behavior by analyzing daily Wikipedia pageviews from July 2015 to April 2026 using a time series model. Results show that as economic policy uncertainty increases, there is an increase in pageviews on Wikipedia for suicide related information. When there is an increase in those searching for information on pages about depression and pages about anxiety, there is also an increase in pageviews on Wikipedia for suicide related information. …

Competition As A Solution To High Prices And Low Capacity In U.S. Healthcare: A Synthetic Control Analysis Of Certificate Of Need Repeal As A Lever For Hospital Market Reform, Eve Velasquez, Wyatt Greco

School of Public Policy Capstones

The U.S. healthcare system faces dual challenges: rising hospital prices and declining capacity. Between 2000 and 2024, average hospital expenses per adjusted inpatient day increased from approximately $1,000 to over $3,000, while hospital beds per capita declined from 3.11 to 2.45. This capstone evaluates three policy alternatives to address affordability and accessibility: restrictions on most-favored nation clauses in insurance-provider contracts, elimination of federal tax exemptions on employer-sponsored health insurance, and repeal of certificate of need (CON) laws. Through a comprehensive literature review and a synthetic control analysis of Indiana's 2019 nursing home CON reinstatement, we assess the empirical effects on …

The Future Of Dual Immersion In California: Analyzing California’S Global 2030 Goals, Jonathan Tejeda, Kamila Campos, Robert Emmans

School of Public Policy Capstones

California's Global 2030 initiative set an ambitious target: half of all K-12 students to achieve bilingual proficiency by 2030. This qualitative study examines whether Dual Language programs (DLPs) in California's major metropolitan areas are positioned to meet that goal. Drawing on ten semi-structured expert interviews with researchers, administrators, teachers, and nonprofit advocates, the study identifies four central challenges: inadequate student preparedness, chronic underfunding, insufficient teacher training, and a failure to connect students to their cultural heritage. The findings reveal that California lacks the infrastructure, data systems, and financial commitment necessary to achieve the 2030 goals. The authors recommend establishing a …

Exploring The Stress-Strain Relationship Of Lightweight Concrete To Enhance The Lifecycle Performance Of Transportation Highways And Bridges, Fariborz M. Tehrani

Mineta Transportation Institute

Concrete is the primary construction material of bridges, roads, and other transportation infrastructure across the United States, but conventional normal-weight concrete (NWC) is heavy, prone to cracking, and expensive to maintain over time. This study examines the mechanical properties, durability, and lifecycle performance of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWC) and internally cured concrete (ICC) as alternatives in transportation infrastructure applications. Through laboratory testing, computer modeling, and lifecycle analysis, the research evaluates how these materials perform in terms of strength, flexibility, durability, cost, and environmental impact. The results show that LWC and ICC can meet required strength levels while being lighter and …

The Military Officer's Oath To Disobey Lawful But Unethical Orders, Joshua Braver

Northwestern University Law Review

How should a military officer respond to a lawful yet unethical order, unethical in the sense that it conflicts with their professional responsibilities? Army culture, scholarship, and doctrine regard officers as professionals, akin to doctors and lawyers, with expertise in the management of violence and a shared commitment to an ethical code. This code demands obedience to lawful orders to uphold civilian control of the military. But to protect against civilian misuse of the military, the code requires disobedience to unethical orders. Faced with a lawful but unethical order, the military officer is mired in a contradiction in which their …

Zero Tolerance Policies In Schools & Subsequent Outcomes, Annalise Loucks

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Zero tolerance policies refer to policies and practices that disproportionately push marginalized students out of classrooms and into the criminal justice system. These patterns contribute to long-term negative outcomes, including higher dropout rates, increased incarceration, and reduced economic and social opportunities.

Exploring How Long-Term Residents Influence Environmental Policy Decisions In The Takushara Settlement In Abuja, Nigeria, Agbanusi Uchechukwu Jonathan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid urbanization of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has increasingly marginalized indigenous communities, creating a significant disconnect between top-down environmental governance and how it affects residents. Previous research has found that this land swap displaces indigenous stewards and erodes their traditional ecological knowledge, endangering local livelihoods, food security, and sustainable management of natural resources. The purpose of this narrative qualitative study was to explore how long-term residents perceive and experience their influence in environmental policy decisions through the lens of the social-ecological systems framework and the theory of resilience. This study examined the systematic exclusion of long-term residents of the …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Daily And Per Capita Vmt In California: A County-Level Analysis (2019–2023), Yong Lao, Bo Yang

Mineta Transportation Institute

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a fundamental metric for assessing mobility trends and infrastructure needs. This study examines the spatial-temporal dynamics of daily VMT (DVMT) and per capita DVMT across California counties from 2019 to 2023, covering the pre-, mid-, and post-pandemic periods via GIS mapping and k-means clustering. To identify determinants of per capita DVMT, we compared traditional linear regression approaches (OLS, Ridge, LASSO, Elastic Net) with ensemble tree-based models. Specific results include: the ensemble models estimated using 2019–2022 data delivered substantially higher accuracy, achieving R² values exceeding 0.98; meanwhile, out-of-sample performance on 2023 data remained robust (R² ≈ …

Brokerage Competition In Demographically Differing Neighborhoods: A 25-City Study, Jason Beck

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Risk To Resilience: A Wildland Fire Preparedness And Mitigation Grant Proposal, Jacob Davis

ATU Scholars Symposium

Data shows that Teton County, Wyoming faces an escalating wildfire risk driven by drought, climate variability, and continued expansion of wildland-urban interface (WUI) adjacent to the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park. Although the county is predominantly federally managed land, residential communities, tourism infrastructure, and critical services remain constantly vulnerable to rapid fire spread and constrained initial attack capacity. This study investigates the research question: How can implementation of the Department of Interior (DOI), Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) Slip-On Tanker Units Grant enhance wildfire preparedness, operational response capability, and mitigation effectiveness in Teton County.

A mixed-methods design …

Resource Navigator Passport: From "Resource Lists" To Trackable Next Steps For Veterans, Amanda Keeler, Seth M. Owens, Elizabeth Kubala, Ken Marfilius

Voices of Service Symposium

Veterans participating in the Veteran's Legal Clinic (VLC) in partnership with Altamont often face a familiar challenge at program exit: knowing exactly which supports to contact next, how to reach them, and how to follow through-especially when needs are specialized (e.g., financial planning/credit building, transportation, behavioral health supports) and enrollment pathways are complex. Altamont staff and the VA social worker identified a need for a practical, targeted resource list prior to discharge, while VLC law students requested a resource guide that is usable without overwhelming clients.

To address this gap, we developed the Resource Navigator Passport, a personalized, living document …

Pain Catastrophizing As A Distinct Predictor Of Pain Interference Among Veterans, Annie Zusin, Emily Rabinowitz, Victoria E. Carlin, Qiuxi Huang, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Pain catastrophizing, defined as a cognitive distortion that magnifies threat of pain, is a strong predictor of pain interference. However, the construct of pain catastrophizing has been criticized for potentially reflecting underlying psychopathology rather than a distinct pain-specific process. The present study examined whether pain catastrophizing uniquely predicts pain interference after accounting for symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Clarifying this distinction is critical for understanding whether the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) captures a construct that is meaningfully distinct from general psychological distress or if the measure is conceptually and statistically redundant with psychopathology Method: A sample of 266 …

Co-Occurring Hallucinogen Use And Mental Health Symptoms, Emerson Hoagland, Grant H. Ripley, Joseph W. Ditre, Dessa Bergen-Cico

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Mental health concerns, including depression and psychological distress, remain highly prevalent among U.S. military veterans and are associated with elevated functional impairment, suicide risk, and barriers to care. Public discourse increasingly suggests the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelic substances in treating mental illness. However, population-level data examining associations between psychedelic use and mental health burden among U.S. military veterans remain limited. The present study examined associations between past-year hallucinogen use and past-year major depressive episode (MDE) and serious psychological distress (SPD) among veterans. Method: Data were drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2021-2024). Analyses were …

Associations Between Psychological Distress And Benzodiazepine Use And Misuse Among U.S. Veterans, Joshua Soh, Victoria E. Carlin, Joon Kyung Nam, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Psychological distress, defined as a generalized state of emotional suffering characterized by depressive and anxiety symptoms, is common among U.S. military veterans. The use of benzodiazepines, which are central nervous system depressants often used to treat symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and insomnia, is also prevalent in this population despite ongoing concerns regarding dependence, misuse, and potential adverse mental health outcomes. Although benzodiazepines may provide short-term symptom relief, both their use and misuse may contribute to increases in symptoms of psychological distress. As such, this study examines the relationship between psychological distress and BZD use and misuse among …

Citations, Accounting, And Accountability: Citing Sources And Building Connections At The Defense Comptrollership Program New Student Orientation, Winn W. Wasson

Voices of Service Symposium

By student request, the Defense Comptrollership Program at Syracuse University integrates focused instruction on citing sources, avoiding plagiarism, and using citation management software into its orientation. The session uses "humor in uniform", in the form of a World-War-II-era cartoon, to convey the "why":of citing sources to a military-connected audience--particularly those studying accounting--namely that using citations not only provides proper credit to one's sources; it also helps track down the source of incorrect information, rectify past mistakes, and safeguard against future errors.

"Out Of Step": How Executive Department Must March Together In Recognizing "Honorable" Service, Brent Filbert, Elizabeth Kubala, Seth M. Owens

Voices of Service Symposium

This article examines how veterans with less-than-honorable discharges must navigate two separate systems--the VA's Character of Discharge (COD) process and the Department of War's discharge upgrade system--despite both addressing similar underlying issues. These systems apply different legal standards and priorities, leading to inconsistent outcomes, delays, and duplicative proceedings. The lack of coordination between the agencies creates an administrative burden that can prevent eligible veterans from accessing benefits and health care. The article argues that recent expansions in VA COD regulations have made the systems functionally similar, but without shared legal effect between their decisions. To address this, it proposes a …

Bridging The Gap: How My Internship In The Veterans Legal Clinic Helps To Narrow The Civilian-Military Divide, Anna Lupardo, Elizabeth Kubala

Voices of Service Symposium

Anna Lupardo, an undergraduate student at Syracuse University, describes how her internship in the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic has helped bridge the civilian-military divide on campus. Her work has included coordinating the AFCCA outreach visit, observing the Onondaga County Veteran Treatment Court, and conducting weekly visits to support homeless veterans at Altamont. She has taken on a leadership role as the VLC's Volunteer Coordinator, working to expand undergraduate involvement in veteran and military community events. Additionally, she was named a Veteran and Military Learning Scholar through the Center for Health Behavior Research and Innovation, allowing her …

Designed For Those Who Served: Universal Design Principles In The National Veterans Resource Center, Emily Jalbert, Elizabeth Kubala, Ken Marfilius

Voices of Service Symposium

The National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) at the Daniel and Gayle D'Aniello Building exemplifies a holistic approach towards accessibility tailored to the specific needs of veterans on Syracuse University's campus with an emphasis on universal design. The purpose of the building is to further the social, economic, and wellness concerns of veterans while providing resources through the military focused offices in the building. The accommodations at the NVRC go above and beyond standard requirements and are a part of the universal design of the NVRC, making the building a hub of accessibility for veterans.

Enhancing Student Development In Social Work Through Military Culture And Mental Health Practice, Ken Marfilius, Allyson Donovan

Voices of Service Symposium

The Introduction to Military Culture and Mental Health Practice course refines students' clinical skill sets through therapeutic frameworks tailored to the lived experiences of active-duty service members and veterans. By addressing a population often overlooked in social work education, the course strengthens both professional identity and ethically grounded practice. It stands as a practically relevant and essential component of MSW training.

Federal Funding Opportunities For Veterans Research, Chetna Chianese, Katherine Mcdonald, Tessa Livingston, Mcallister & Quinn

Voices of Service Symposium

Veterans and military-connected populations face distinct health challenges-including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, chronic pain, military environmental exposures, and substance use disorders-that require dedicated research attention. Multiple federal agencies fund research on these topics through a range of mechanisms. This poster provides a landscape overview of current and anticipated funding opportunities to help university-based researchers identify sponsored funding pathways for Veterans' health research.

Predicting Request Resolution In Coordinated Care Networks For Military-Affiliated Populations, Zachary Bridgewater, Joshua-Paul Miles, Catherine Annis, Julia Carboni, Gilly Cantor, Michelle Shumate

Voices of Service Symposium

Coordinated care is an interorganizational network approach to care that connects individuals to diverse services (e.g., housing, income assistance, job support, social and spiritual support, etc.) via human navigators and shared referral platforms. This approach has become prevalent in the military-connected sphere to help service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF) access care. Yet, prior research suggests variation in the resolution of coordinated care referrals"”25% for one United Way 211 (Boyum et al., 2016), and 66% and 88% for two Unite Us networks (Drake et al., 2024; White et al., 2025). This research explores why some referrals resolve while others …

Statewide Coordinated Care For New Mexican Veterans: Viability Assessment & Community Design, Nosa Akol, Zachary Bridgewater, Vincent Delsignore, Emily Graham, Mary Rachel Keville

Voices of Service Symposium

Veterans in New Mexico navigate a fragmented system of support, marked by rural access barriers, limited coordination among providers, and inconsistent pathways to care. To address these longstanding challenges, the New Mexico State Legislature engaged the IVMF to assess readiness for and design a roadmap to a statewide coordinated care network aimed at serving veterans and their families.

Over 2022-2023, the IVMF evaluated the state's readiness for such a network by mapping service providers, assessing collaboration practices, and analyzing demographic and rurality factors. Our team engaged 41 nonprofit and government organizations to understand community needs, current coordination, and perspectives on …

Strength In Partnership: Advancing Veteran Resilience Through The Orp-Va Vital Collaboration, Ken Marfilius, Ron Novack, Dwayne Murray, Margo Lance, Daijon Richards

Voices of Service Symposium

"Strength in Partnership: Advancing Veteran Resilience through the ORP-VA Vital Collaboration": demonstrates how meaningful collaboration transforms ideas into action and creates pathways for lasting community impact. This initiative connects the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Resiliency Program (ORP) with the VA's Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) Program to advance the health, academic success, and overall well-being of student veterans. Through this collaboration, student veterans gain direct access to VA healthcare, mental health counseling, and transition support, integrated into their campus experience. This partnership bridges federal and university systems and ensures that veterans receive holistic care that addresses the …

Syracuse Veterans Field Guide: The Homefront Edition, Amanda Keeler, Seth M. Owens, Elizabeth Kubala, Ken Marfilius

Voices of Service Symposium

Social services are available to veterans in the Syracuse area, yet locating and accessing help can remain challenging-particularly when needs span multiple systems and eligibility requirements are unclear. The goal of this project was to create a brief, pocket-sized resource guide that can be distributed to area veterans and used quickly "in the moment": to identify actionable supports.

The guide organizes services into 12 categories: accessing veterans' benefits; mental and physical healthcare; education benefits; financial services; housing; nutritional support; legal services; documentation resources; technology access; and peer support. Within each category, the guide provides a curated, limited set of local …

The First Dedicated Va Benefits Attorney For Syracuse University Veterans, Andrew M. Patterson, Elizabeth Kubala

Voices of Service Symposium

In 2025, Andrew M. Patterson became the first university-based Veterans Benefits Attorney in the U.S., a role established through the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic at Syracuse University College of Law. Andrew is an Army combat Veteran and former Massachusetts State Police Trooper who provides free legal services to the Syracuse University veteran community "” students, faculty, and staff. His practice covers the full spectrum of VA claims, including disability compensation, education benefits (GI Bill, VR&E, Yellow Ribbon), healthcare enrollment, and discharge upgrades. The initiative integrates clinical legal education with institutional support to reduce barriers and improve …