Military and Veterans Studies Commons^™

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: August 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

U.S. employment grew by 162,000 jobs in August 2026 while the national unemployment rate remained at 4.1%. Veteran unemployment improved significantly, falling from 4.2% in July to 3.4% in August, with Post-9/11 veterans declining from 4.7% to 3.5%. Female veterans (2.4%) and male veterans (3.6%) both had lower unemployment rates than their nonveteran counterparts. Unemployment among Black veterans dropped sharply from 10.4% to 4.4%, while Hispanic veterans improved to 4.9%. Younger veterans continued to experience the highest unemployment rates. Overall, veterans maintained lower unemployment rates than nonveterans across most demographic groups.

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: July 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The July 2026 Employment Situation of Veterans report indicates that veteran unemployment increased slightly from 4.1% in June to 4.2% in July, while post-9/11 veteran unemployment improved marginally from 4.8% to 4.7%. Although overall veteran employment conditions remained relatively stable, notable differences emerged across demographic groups. Younger veterans (ages 18–24) experienced a significant decline in unemployment, while rates increased among veterans ages 45–54. Female veteran unemployment rose slightly but remained below that of nonveteran women. Sharp increases were reported among Black and Hispanic veterans, highlighting persistent disparities. Overall, the report reflects a generally resilient veteran labor market amid broader economic …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: June 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The June 2026 Employment Situation of Veterans report from Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, highlights a softening labor market for veterans in June 2026. Veteran unemployment rose from 3.2% in May to 4.1% in June, matching the national unemployment rate but representing a notable monthly increase. Post-9/11 veterans experienced a rise from 4.1% to 4.8%. Younger veterans faced the greatest challenges, with unemployment among those ages 18–24 increasing sharply to 17.4%. Unemployment also increased among veterans ages 25–34 and 55–64. By gender, rates rose for both men and women, …

The Accidental Entrepreneur: How Military Spouses Take Their Careers Into Their Own Hands, Jennifer Barnhill, Rosalinda Maury, Jeanette Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The Accidental Entrepreneur is the second narrative profile in the Reimagining Military Spouse Employment series, a companion to the initiative's data briefs. Through the story of a mid-career military spouse who builds a business after repeated career disruptions, it examines why many spouses turn to entrepreneurship and what stands in their way. The profile covers the barriers spouses face when starting a business, including access to funding, certifications, and grants, along with the reality that self-employment does not eliminate the military spouse earnings penalty. It offers guidance for military spouses considering entrepreneurship and for the community leaders positioned to support …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: May 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The May 2026 employment report highlights improving labor conditions for U.S. veterans, with unemployment declining from 3.6% in April to 3.2% in May..pdf) Despite this progress, Post-9/11 veterans experienced a slight increase to 4.1%. Younger veterans continue to face higher unemployment rates than their nonveteran peers, while older veterans maintain relatively low rates. Long-term unemployment remains a concern, with over half of unemployed veterans out of work for 15 weeks or more. Unemployment decreased across most demographic groups, including women and minority veterans, often falling below nonveteran rates, indicating gradual but uneven improvement in veterans’ employment outcomes nationwide.

Collaboration In Context: The Present And Future Of Coordinated Care For New Mexico's Military-Connected Population, Zachary Bridgewater, Vincent Delsignore, Mary Rachel Keville, Lisa Marie Murray

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) led 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. Key findings included strong support for coordinated care amongst veteran serving organizations, a fragmented service landscape across the state, structural barriers to care caused by rurality and geographic concentrations of resources, and …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: April 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The April 2026 employment report shows veteran unemployment declined to 3.6%, down from 3.9% in March, with post‑9/11 veterans improving to 4.0%. Overall U.S. unemployment remained stable at 4.3%, while job growth occurred in healthcare, transportation, and retail. Younger veterans faced higher unemployment, especially ages 18–24 (12.8%) and 25–34 (8.1%), compared to older groups with lower rates. Female veteran unemployment fell significantly, while male rates rose slightly. Racial and ethnic trends varied, with decreases for Black and Asian veterans but increases for Hispanic veterans. Long-term unemployment remained prevalent among veterans.

Changing U.S. Military Force Structure: Rebuilding Confidence In Public Institutions By Bridging The Civil-Military Gap, Corri Zoli, Linda Euto

The Lender Center for Social Justice

This research brief assesses a changing U.S. military force structure in an era of waning trust in public institutions and new security pressures, both domestic and global. While many U.S. public institutions are facing declining trust, one key aspect in the case of the military is lack of understanding between U.S. veterans and nonveterans—often termed the civil-military gap. Understanding this gap is necessary to forge connections across military-connected communities and those without service experience. Bridging this gap is a timely model to restore baseline confidence in many institutions that serve all members of the public.

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 …

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 …

Examining Tobacco Use Among Student Servicemembers And Veterans: The Unique Role Of Hazardous Duty Exposure, Holly Schmidt, Victoria E. Carlin, Emily Rabinowitz, Joon Kyung Nam, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Student servicemembers and veterans (SS/V) use tobacco products at higher rates than the general college student population. These students face unique stressors during and after military service, which may influence their health behaviors, including tobacco product use. One such stressor is hazardous duty exposure, as previous research indicates that veterans with riskier deployments and greater deployment stress are more likely to engage in tobacco use. However, no prior research has examined the relationship between hazardous duty exposure and tobacco use among SS/V. Method: Participants included 4,626 SS/V who completed the 2023-2025 National College Health Assessment (NCHA) III. Participants were …

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.

Developing A Veteran Reintegration Ecosystem For Ukrainian Universities: Syracuse University As An Exemplar Model, Tetiana Pohorielova, Emily Rabinowitz, Ken Marfilius, Dessa Bergen-Cico, Stacy Hawkins, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

This poster outlines the development of a comprehensive Veteran Reintegration Ecosystem for Ukrainian universities, using Syracuse University as an exemplar. In collaboration with experts across public health, social work, and behavioral science, the project addresses the urgent need to support the influx of Ukrainian veterans through structured institutional frameworks. The proposed ecosystem focuses on three critical pillars: behavioral health and wellbeing, workforce and economic integration, and institutional capacity and coordination. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between military service and civilian life, fostering national resilience and postwar reconstruction in Ukraine.

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 …

Va Medical Center Collaboration With Coordinated Care Networks: Barriers And Benefits, Gilly Cantor, Zachary Bridgewater, Kimberly A. Hochstedler Webb, Kritee Gujral, Todd H. Wagner, Leslie R.M. Hausmann

Voices of Service Symposium

AmericaServes is a network approach for coordinating care among health and human service organizations to address the needs of the military-connected population. The IVMF and researchers with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) partnered on two studies to explore the extent to which Veteran Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) participate in AmericaServes and the benefits of collaboration for veterans.

First, we conducted a convergent parallel mixed-methods pilot study. We interviewed staff from 7 AmericaServes coordination centers and VAMCs in those locations. We then categorized VAMC participation into levels of intensity and complexity, and identified barriers and facilitators to participation. We found that …

Va Wholehealth Approaches To Treatment Of Ptsd, Mackenna Murphy, Justin Hirschberg, Emily Rabinowitz, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented the Veterans Health Administration Whole Health model as a system-wide transformation toward personalized, proactive, and patient-driven care. Whole Health emphasizes the integration of conventional medical treatment with complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches, including mindfulness, yoga, meditation, tai chi, acupuncture, health coaching, and peer support. Given the high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and substance use disorders among veterans, Whole Health programming may offer a non-stigmatizing and holistic pathway to mental health support.

Considerations For Statewide Coordination Of Veteran Services In New York, Zachary Bridgewater, Mary Rachel Keville, Vincent Delsignore, Gilly Cantor

Voices of Service Symposium

New York State (NYS)'s large military-connected population has faced challenges in accessing the plethora of post-service resources available from federal, state, and community agencies. A 2021 IVMF and Maxwell School landscape analysis of county veteran service officers found veterans navigating a fragmented system of care, unequal access to resources based on rurality, high demand for certain services, geographic funding inequities, and inconsistent service coordination. The report recommended a statewide, integrated system with a single entry point that harnesses existing resources, close gaps, and ensure access for all veterans across the state.

To advance this goal and other efforts enhancing coordinated …

Military And Veterans Law Society, Rebecca J. Lee, Elizabeth Kubala

Voices of Service Symposium

The Military and Veterans Law Society (MVLS) is a student organization at Syracuse University College of Law dedicated to providing legal support, community outreach, and policy research for the local veteran population. A flagship event, 'Cuse Vet Fest, drew over fifty Central New York veterans and offered free services including VA Healthcare enrollment, benefits claims, VA ID cards, and estate planning documents prepared by attorneys from Bond, Schoeneck & King. MVLS also partners annually with Tully Rinckey and Price Chopper/Market 32 to distribute over 100 free turkeys to local veterans each Thanksgiving. Additional highlights include co-hosting the Second National Military …