Military and Veterans Studies Commons^™

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 …

Recent Alcohol Use Moderates The Relationship Between Psychological Distress And Daytime Sleepiness Among Military-Connected Students, Treston Pulley, Emily Rabinowitz, Grant H. Ripley, Qiuxi Huang, Stephen A. Maisto, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Sleep difficulties are prevalent among college students and especially among veteran and military-connected students (VMCS), who face unique stressors related to military service and campus life. Alcohol use is common in both military and university settings, and many students use it as a sleep aid, especially when dealing with symptoms of psychological distress. However, alcohol use disrupts sleep quality and contributes to next-day fatigue. Research has shown that psychological distress is strongly linked to both alcohol use and sleep problems, although little research has examined how these factors jointly relate to sleep among VMCS. This study examined associations between …

Adaptable Psychopathic Traits: Military And Para-Military Organizations, Mariana Ramirez

Student Theses

Although culturally distinct, both military and law enforcement careers demand individuals to operate effectively in high-risk environments; a characteristic shaped through processes of military and para-military occupational socialization, reinforced by an adaptable personality. Understanding the distinctions between military and law enforcement cultures provides a foundation for examining individual-level factors such as personality, behavior, and mental health. Recent research (e.g. Anestis et al., 2019; Batastini et al., 2023; Falkenbach et al., 2017; Falkenbach et al., 2018; McKinley & Verona, 2023; Patton et al., 2018; Preston et al., 2020; Roșca et al., 2021) has increasingly applied a psychopathic framework to study these …

Physical Activity Among Active-Duty Us Military Servicemembers With Overweight And Obesity, Natalie M. Yarish, Jessica L. Morse, Jennalee S. Wooldridge, Erin E. Dooley, Niloofar Afari

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

Background

To examine physical activity (PA) among US military servicemembers (SM) with overweight and obesity (OW/OB) and if they meet Physical Activity Guidelines (PAG). To assess differences in PA by sex and associations between PA and body composition.

Methods

PA duration and intensity were objectively collected via accelerometers and self-reported daily average via self-report International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) among US active-duty SM (n=113, 58% female, Mean BMI = 33.3 ± 3.9 kg/m2). Sex, body mass index (BMI), and body fat % (BF% via circumference and an equation) were measured. Accelerometer PA and sedentary time were computed for IPAQ categories …

Communication And Privacy Management Between Female Veterans, Their Military Voluntary Kin, And Biolegal Family Members, Carol Lee Tschampl-Diesing

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Military voluntary kin (MVK) refer to relationships between Service members and/or Veterans that they consider to be “like family,” despite lacking blood or legal ties. The purpose of this qualitative/interpretive communication study was to explore how female Veterans, who are the largest growing population of U.S. Veterans, discursively construct MVK relationships, navigate communication, privacy management, and boundary turbulence with their MVK and biolegal families (BLF). The researcher undertook in-depth interviews with nine female U.S. Veterans who reported having at least one MVK. The researcher posed four research questions, engaging in an interpretive analysis.

Participants described three ways they navigated interactions …

Review Of Sheila A. Smith, Japan Rearmed: The Politics Of Military Power, Timothy C. Hebb

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Sheila Smith, a long-time political scientist focused on Asia-Pacific studies and an expert on Japan specifically, would publish possibly her most influential work in 2019: Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power. In this well-researched work of hers, she gives the reader an in-depth yet concise look at the reasons for Japan’s rearmament, the history of their Self Defense Force, and the challenging political situation that was built in the wake of a world war that still affects them today. This book goes over much of what is needed to understand why Japan’s military is in the shape it is …

Rethinking The Narrative Of Turkey’S July 15 Events: An Intelligence Operation Disguised As A Coup Attempt, Mustafa Kirisci, Ibrahim Kocaman, Murat Balci

Publications

Academia, think tanks, and international media have largely adopted the Turkish government’s narrative that the events of July 15, 2016, constituted a failed coup attempt. This dominant framing has shaped policy responses and scholarly interpretations despite the authoritarian context in which it was crafted. Many Turkish and Western scholars accepted the Turkish government’s narrative that the July 15 events were a failed coup attempt. They often rely on surface-level indicators and official statements without critically engaging with available evidence. Also, they disregarded substantial evidence and defendants’ statements in judicial proceedings that directly contradict official statements. One notable exception to this …

Better Serving Those Who Serve: Supporting Psychological Wellness Of Lgb Military Personnel In The Post “Don’T Ask Don’T Tell” Era, Anne Neuweiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have been able to explore lesbian, gay, and bisexual military personnel’s experiences in military mental healthcare settings. This study examined the experience of LGB servicemembers in military counseling environments, as well as how to support these servicemembers in military mental health and military communities. Six participants volunteered for the study and six semi-structured interviews were completed with LGB servicemembers who had contact with mental health. Three research questions guided the present study and a transcendental phenomenological frame was used to analyze the data and themes emerged. Research question one yielded three themes: 1) “I'm Definitely not Gay”: The …

Institutional Betrayal And Military Vaccine Mandates: An Inquiry Into Loss Of Health Autonomy Concerning Unlimited Liability Contractual Employment In The Covid-19 Era, Aaron G. Dehaven

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The balance between government control and personal liberty is a growing concern in the modern world. Nowhere is this more evident than in discussions surrounding government policy in public health and individual health autonomy. The Covid-19 pandemic forced many institutions to change their standard operating procedures by adapting to rapidly changing health guidance instituted to protect public health. These changes highlighted the role of health autonomy and individuals’ rights to refuse medical treatments. The Department of Defense changed many aspects of how it operated during the pandemic, including the mandate of the Covid-19 vaccine for all service members. For various …

A Narrative Review Of Military Reverse Triage., Daniel J Hurst

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Military reverse triage has been described at several points in the literature. However, an extensive review of the concept and any gaps that may exist has not been conducted. This narrative review seeks to understand how reverse triage is used in the military literature and how it might be implemented in practice, as well as the documented historical applications of reverse triage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four databases were searched manually for English-language articles: PubMed, SCOPUS, JSTOR, and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. In addition, a manual search of references, U.S. DoD, and NATO doctrine, as well as other published works …

Military And Veterans Law Society At The Syracuse College Of Law, Elizabeth Kubala, Brandon J. Bryant

Voices of Service Symposium

The Military and Veterans Law Society is a student organization at the Syracuse University College of Law. The mission of the MVLS is to better serve the local veteran population in Syracuse and the surrounding areas. The Military and Veterans Law Society provides veteran legal support and services, community outreach, and veteran policy research to support various veteran issues. The Military and Veterans Law Society strives to better connect the College of Law with our veteran population both on campus and in the community. VetFest: The recent 'Cuse Vet Fest was attended by over fifty Central New York veterans who …

National Military Trial Competition: First Competition Of Its Kind Hosted By Syracuse University College Of Law, Elizabeth Kubala, Todd Berger, Anna Lupardo

Voices of Service Symposium

Trial advocacy refers to the skills required of lawyers in order to effectively represent their clients during litigation. This involves all of the methods used in presenting a case in court such as opening statements, direct examinations, cross examinations and closing arguments. Effective trial advocacy requires a combination of legal knowledge, effective communication skills, and the ability to read the dynamics of a courtroom in order to ultimately influence the outcome of the case in the favor of your client. Law students develop their trial advocacy skills through classes, competitions, or personal development. Military justice refers to the legal system …

Research Review: "United States Army Reserve/National Guard Soldiers’ Healthcare Experiences, Attitudes, And Preferences: Differences Based On Deployment Status", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research review highlights findings from a recent study aimed at better understanding health care preferences of National Guard and Reserves service members. The authors found that found that among 430 USAR/NG service members, the overwhelming majority (83%) reported that their community/private provider has never asked how their military service impacts their health despite 39% of participants indicating that their current health concerns are related to their military service. Additionally, there is no difference between USAR/NG servicemembers who were previously deployed overseas and those who were not in their perception of whether community/private providers can address their military-related health concerns. …

Increased Suicidality Risk Among Adolescents With An Active-Duty Sibling Or Parent In The United States, Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel

Population Health Research Brief Series

Adolescents who have a parent currently serving in the U.S. military face distinctive social stressors and developmental challenges, and have higher rates of internalizing and externalizing disorders, substance use, and suicidality than adolescents who do not have an active-duty parent. Additionally, adolescents with siblings who enter the military are at increased risk of experiencing a major depressive episode relative to adolescents who do not have an active-duty sibling. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the 2016-2019 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to examine whether having a sibling and/or a parent on active …

Professional Quality Of Life Of Air Force First Sergeants: An Exploratory Study, Ryan K. Barney

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

This exploratory study was designed to measure the prevalence and correlates of professional quality of life constructs in a novel population: active-duty Air Force First Sergeants. Given the similarities in duties and stressors that First Sergeants encounter with those of other helping professionals, this study aimed to expand the scope of existing professional quality of life research by applying Stamm’s (2010) professional quality of life framework to cross-sectional survey research with a sample of First Sergeants. Four primary research questions guided this study: first, what is the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout, and compassion satisfaction in a sample …

Military Forensic Archaeology: The Process And Recovery Of U.S. Missing-In-Action (Mia) Service Personnel, William Belcher, Luann Wandsnider, Ella N. Axelrod, Finn Kennison, Alicia Lawson

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

The United States (U.S.) Department of Defense's (DoD) Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is the largest skeletal identification laboratory in the world and receives several hundred cases per year for identification related to Missing-in- Action (MIA) U.S. service members. While there are various sources for these accessions, by far the largest source is through unilateral or bilateral (done in cooperation with another governmental entity or nongovernmental organization) as well as public-private partnership excavations. While the DPAA-style military forensic archaeology follows archaeological principles and recording standards, the work is goal-oriented, evidence/trace-driven, and time-constrained— a common occurrence with cultural resource management sites …

“Remember, You Are Not A Superhuman”: The Lived Experience Of Rest, Unrest, And Leadership In Special Operations, Trey Zoda

Dissertations

U.S. special operations forces (SOF) operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that demand cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and relational presence. While previous research on SOF readiness has addressed physical fitness, resilience, and sleep, little attention has been given to the psychological dimensions of rest and their implications for leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of psychological rest and unrest in U.S. government SOF and the perceived influence of these states on their leadership. Guided by Moustakas’s transcendental method, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SOF personnel. They were …

Experiences Of Civilian Mental Health Providers Who Work With Military Clients: A Dissertation, Lydia P. Perry

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Using a qualitative survey design, this study sought to understand the experiences of fully civilian providers who had achieved self-perceived military cultural competence when working with military or veteran clients or their families. This study also sought a better understanding of what pathways fully civilian providers took in this process, as well as their perceptions of how to better equip other fully civilian providers for work with military and veteran clients and their families. The results of this study yield recommendations for changes in graduate training programs; for example, through more inclusion of the military as a culture in cross …

Themes In Help-Seeking Of Female Military Sexual Assault Survivors, Priscilla Phan

Doctoral Dissertations

While large efforts have been made to address military sexual assault, there are still barriers in the help-seeking journey that need attention. This study aimed to examine barriers and facilitators to formal and informal help-seeking behaviors and to understand the role of stigma in survivors' help-seeking behaviors for female military sexual assault survivors. Through semi-structured interviews, the study explored the help-seeking experiences and mental health sequela of fourteen female military sexual assault survivors. This study focused on cis-gender women over the age of eighteen who experienced a military sexual assault, by another military service member, while on active-duty. Women shared …

Research Review: "A Novel Mind-Body Podcast Program For Military And Veteran Caregivers", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research review discusses how mind-body interventions can alleviate stress and enhance health for caregivers, but they are not widely accessible in many communities. To overcome this limitation, a study converted an 8-week mind-body program into a 28-day daily podcast series featuring education on stress response, relaxation techniques, and self-compassion exercises. The program was tested with 55 military caregivers, all cisgender women averaging 42.3 years old, and evaluations at the start, halfway through, and at the end of the program revealed notable reductions in stress, depression, and physical issues, along with improved social role performance, indicating that a daily mind-body …

Associations Between Combat Exposure, Moral Injury, And Suicidality Among U.S. Military Members: The Moderating Impact Of Positive Rumination, Jeffrey M. Gabelmann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Numerous studies have documented the risk for suicide among recent-era veterans with combat experience. Recently, moral injury has emerged as a possible contributor to suicidality in veterans. To that end, no study has approached the combat exposure-moral injury-suicidality link with a focus grounded in positive psychology. Specifically, the present study explored whether positive rumination, or the reflection on positive emotions and moods, may buffer the deleterious effects of potentially traumatic experiences in warzones on moral injury and suicidality. This study was a secondary analysis of 250 current or former U.S. military members (M_age = 33.3 years) who had …

The U.S. Military Does Not Adequately Prepare Members For Transition From Service, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Nearly 250,000 U.S. military members transition out of service each year. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information, tools, and training to prepare service members for their transition to civilian life. However, nearly half of veterans say the military did not adequately prepare them for their transition from service. This issue brief highlights the shortcomings of veteran transition programs, like TAP, and provides recommendations for improving transition outcomes through more holistic programs.

Wellness As A Predictor Of Turnover Intention In The Active Duty Military, Thomas Clifford Seguin

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Due to the unique nature of military service compared to civilian professions, military attrition is difficult to predict using methods derived from career development theories, so turnover remains an ongoing concern for the active duty military. For this reason, military attrition, through turnover intention, should be investigated through a novel lens with the intention of capturing an essence of military service which previous methods may have overlooked, namely the holistic construct of perceived wellness. Previous studies have shown how wellness-related factors affect turnover intention, but none has studied the relationship between perceived wellness and turnover intention. The main hypothesis of …

Research Review: "Transgenerational Factors Associated With Military Service: Comparison Of Children Of Veterans And Nonveterans In A Nationally Representative Sample", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This review examines the impact of military service on the children of veterans post-service, using data from the 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health. Children from veteran families were found to have higher family incomes and health insurance coverage but also exhibited higher rates of clinically recognized externalizing behavioral conditions compared to children from nonveteran families. Despite adjusting for socioeconomic factors, children of veterans still showed elevated levels of externalizing problems, suggesting a need for integrated child-focused screening and services within veteran support systems. This review also contains implications of these findings for practice, policy, and future research.

Consensus On Best Practices In Neuroscience-Informed Treatment Of Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress In Military Veterans: A Delphi Study Of Experts In The Field Of Mental Health, Danielle Lauren Winters

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to capture consensus among mental health professionals who work with combat trauma-afflicted veterans and/or utilize a neuroscience-informed counseling approach, about a set of best practices for uniting neuroscience-informed treatment modalities with the treatment of veterans who present with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). A multi-round Delphi study was used to elicit information from mental health professionals, which led to the proposition of ways in which mental health professionals may more efficiently work with combat veterans while utilizing neuroscience-informed treatments such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) neuro-informed Cognitive Behavioral therapy (nCBT), …

Beyond Combat: Moral Injury Exposure In Officer And Enlisted Marine Veterans With Diverse Deployment Histories And The Relationship With Posttraumatic Growth, Hira Jean Byrne Paulin

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Moral injury has been widely studied in male combat-deployed active-duty personnel and veterans, with little inclusion of non-combat or never-deployed experiences. Moral injury research has primarily focused on adverse outcomes. Within military moral injury research, there is limited information on individual branches of service or rank-specific experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore moral injury event exposure and posttraumatic growth within a single branch of service, the Marine Corps, with a focus on rank status and the inclusion of non-combat and never-deployed veterans. A community-based approach was used to recruit participants over a 2-month period. Participants completed a …

An Objective Assessment Of Neuromotor Control Using A Smartphone App After Repeated Subconcussive Blast Exposure, Charlend K. Howard, Masahiro Yamada, Marcia Dovel, Rie Leverett, Alexander Hill, Kenneth A. Manlapaz, David O. Keyser, Rene S. Hernandez, Sheilah S. Rowe, Walter S. Carr, Michael S. Roy, Christopher K. Rhea

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Subconcussive blast exposure has been shown to alter neurological functioning. However, the extent to which neurological dysfunction persists after blast exposure is unknown. This longitudinal study examined the potential short- and long-term effects of repeated subconcussive blast exposure on neuromotor performance from heavy weapons training in military personnel. A total of 214 participants were assessed; 137 were exposed to repeated subconcussive blasts and 77 were not exposed to blasts (controls). Participants completed a short stepping-in-place task while an Android smartphone app placed on their thigh recorded movement kinematics. We showed acute suppression of neuromotor variability 6 h after subconcussive blast …

Transition To Civilian Life: Exploring That Of The Fewer, The Prouder, And Female Marine, Glenisha Foreman

All Student Theses and Dissertations

Female Marine veterans are a group that intersects two at-risk populations, Marines and female veterans, and the potential struggles associated with them. Marine veterans have among the highest rates of suicide after transition, as well as one of the highest military sexual trauma (MST) rates. Studies indicate that women veterans are at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), housing instability, and PTSD. Additionally, various social factors impact female veterans, such as a lack of familial support. There are many studies on the overall transitional experiences of the military and even some that evaluate experiences of female service members, but information …

Individual And Organizational Challenges To Implementing Prolonged Exposure Therapy In The Military Health System: A Systematic Review Of Client And Provider Perspectives, Paris R. Cloutier

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Military veterans and active-duty service members face high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a chronic and debilitating condition that is comorbid with other negative psychological and social outcomes. PTSD symptomology in military careers is attributed to unique organizational factors and risks both during and post-deployment. Delivering modern, effective PTSD treatments derived from evidence-based research to the military population is a multi-faceted effort. Among these interventions, prolonged exposure therapy (PE) is a safe and effective trauma-focused treatment for veterans. To yield higher rates of PE success, common challenges faced by both military clients and their clinicians that may be impairing …

Serving Those Who Served: Renegotiating Support And Benefits For U.S. Military Veterans With Less Than Honorable Discharges, Mariah Brennan, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Approximately 1 in 7 veterans are discharged from the military under less than “Honorable” conditions. Veterans with less than “Honorable” discharges experience bias and stigma related to their discharge, which can lead to elevated risk for behavioral and mental health challenges and homelessness. This brief summarizes the different military discharge types, explains how less than “Honorable” discharges can affect veteran health, identifies groups of veterans who are at risk of receiving a less than “Honorable” discharge, and makes policy recommendations for the Department of Defense (DoD), civilian employers, and community healthcare providers.