Military and Veterans Studies Commons^™

Reimagining Military-To-Civilian Transition: Addressing Barriers And Building Solutions, Rosalinda V. Maury, Gilly Cantor, Jeanette Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief highlights key findings from IVMF research, outlines IVMF policy priorities, showcases the impact of Onward to Opportunity (O2O), and emphasizes the importance of stronger collaboration across public, private, nonprofit, and education sectors. Our goal is to inform decision-making and drive actionable solutions that reduce barriers to successful transition, improve long-term stability, and create meaningful career pathways for those who have served.

Where Military Spouses Work: Industries & Occupations, Rosalinda V. Maury, Jenna-Lyn R. Roman, Brice Stone, Jeanette Yih Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research brief explores where military spouses work, analyzing industries, occupations, and wage trends. It also highlights employment disparities between military spouses and their civilian counterparts and identifies high-opportunity career paths for military spouses seeking stable employment. This is the first in a series of briefs that will examine the challenges, opportunities, and actionable strategies needed to advance military spouse employment and long-term economic mobility.

Military Spouse Employment Landscape: Trends, Barriers, And Opportunities, Rosalinda V. Maury, Jenna-Lyn R. Roman, Brice Stone, Jeanette Yih Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Military spouses remain a uniquely positioned but persistently underleveraged segment of the U.S. labor force. Despite being well-educated, resilient, and highly mobile, their employment outcomes continue to lag behind civilian peers. This report draws primarily on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), offering a comparative view of active-duty spouses alongside veteran and civilian spouses across industries, occupations, and geographies. To provide a more comprehensive perspective, these findings are considered alongside other national research efforts that offer deeper insights into the lived experiences, household dynamics, and employment challenges specific to military-connected families.

Selected Artificial Intelligence Provisions In U.S. Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The 2025 Fiscal Year National Defense Authorization Act contains multiple provisions relating to artificial intelligence (AI). These congressionally mandated provisions direct various sections of the Department of Defense (DOD) and individual U.S. armed service branches to execute congressional intent for AI policymaking. Examples of such intent include identifying and planning DOD's AI workforce, demonstrating AI biotechnology applications for national security, improving the human usability of AI systems, and establishing an AI security center. This presentation will note that reports on these initiatives must be prepared for relevant congressional oversight committees, and, in many cases, are in many cases, publicly released …

How Veterans Can Benefit From Skills-Based Hiring, Adam Pritchard, Rosalinda V. Maury

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

There are many advantages for veterans when employers enact a skills-based employment strategy. Veterans bring unique skills and attributes to the workforce, many of which are critical today and expected to be increasingly sought after in the future of work. Skills-based employment opportunities can benefit both employers and veterans. This data brief summarizes key insights from the IVMF report The Skills-Based Business Case for Hiring Veterans.

Recent U.S. Government Policy Literature On Critical And Strategic Minerals, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Critical and strategic minerals have become increasingly important in U.S. government civilian and military policymaking in recent years. This is demonstrated by the heavy use of such minerals in many critical civilian and military infrastructures. This work will discuss how this subject has been addressed in laws, presidential documents, and works by government agencies along with congressional oversight committees and support agencies. It will stress how the United States is heavily dependent on strategic minerals from adversarial foreign countries such as China and will examine U.S. efforts to increase its ability to produce such materials in the United States by …

Air And Missile Defense Threat Scenario Variation To Reduce Pretest Sensitization, Video Games As A Case Study, Julie Renee Szekerczes

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study uses fixed and variable video game types to measure pretest sensitization as a proxy for repeated and varied threat test scenarios in system performance testing of air and missile defense systems. The pretest sensitization phenomenon exists when repeated exposure to a test condition influences the participant's response. Research shows air and missile defense development correlates with video games, resulting in similar interfaces and computer operating environments. Department of Defense acquisition test and evaluation results must reflect system performance without prior knowledge of the threat scenarios confounding the results. System performance results inform acquisition decisions, such as further funding …

The Odds Of War: Links Between Conflict And Service Member Health, Duncan E. Mcnees

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the recent uptick in global tension and warfare between states, it is increasingly important to understand the nature of different types of conflict and how they affect the most important resources any nation's arsenal - the service member. Although there is a significant amount of raw data for casualties across all recent U.S. conflicts, there are remarkably few studies that examine the impact of specific conflict types directly on veteran disability levels. This paper uses recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Community Population Survey (CPS) Veterans Supplement to examine three major conflict periods and their differing effects on …

Planning To Pivot: Employment Lessons From A Military Spouse, Jennifer Barnhill, Rosalinda Maury, Jeanette Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This narrative profile is part of a companion series to the Reimagining Military Spouse Employment research initiative. While the data briefs provide statistical analysis of employment patterns, industries, and outcomes, this series puts a human face on the data by following military spouses through the career pivots the research describes.

The profile follows a new military spouse as she navigates early career disruptions, PCS moves, and the compounding effects of short-term decisions on long-term career outcomes. It is written for a dual audience: military spouses seeking practical insight, and employers and policymakers looking to understand the lived experience behind the …

Quantifying The Functional Impact Of Chronic Patellofemoral Pain And Its Relationship To Perceived Duty-Related Medical Readiness Among Active Duty Service Members, Emma H. Beisheim-Ryan, Sara R. Gorczynski, Ryan W. Smith, Shawn Farrokhi

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Chronic patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a heterogeneous pain condition that may significantly burden active duty service members, whose rigorous physical training demands include activities such as running and heavy load carriage. While chronic PFP is often defined by its pathoanatomical characteristics, evidence from other pain conditions (e.g., chronic low back pain) suggests classifying pain by its functional impact on work, social, and self-care activities may better inform personalized treatment approaches. As this approach has not been previously undertaken in chronic PFP or younger populations with chronic pain, this study aimed to characterize the global impact of PFP on day-to-day …

Conducting Effective Literature Searches And Writing Strong Abstracts, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This invited presentation for students at Poland's War Studies University communicates ideas on how Ph.D. students at this institution can enhance their research quality. Specific content includes formulating your research question, determining research aims and methodology, reviewing a research question checklist, understanding the meaning of search terms you propose to utilize, devising effective search strategies, consulting multiple varieties of information resources from multiple countries, finding gaps in literature, being able to distinguish between nuances in literature and data, writing succinct abstracts, and enhancing the clarity of your prose.

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 …

Perceptions About Pain And Alcohol In Relation To Hazardous Drinking Among Veterans With Chronic Pain, Ava Cohen, Victoria E. Carlin, Kyle Mackenzie White, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction. Chronic pain and hazardous drinking (e.g., patterns of alcohol consumption associated with increased risk for negative consequences) are highly prevalent among U.S. military veterans. Perceptions regarding pain-alcohol interplay (i.e., pain as a motivator of drinking, use of alcohol to cope with pain, and pain as a barrier to alcohol cessation/reduction) may contribute to the onset and maintenance of hazardous drinking among individuals with chronic pain. Methods. Participants included 430 veterans who reported current chronic pain and past month alcohol consumption (24% female; 73% White; Mage = 57) and completed an online survey using Qualtrics Panels. Measures included the Perceptions …

Pain-Related Sleep Disturbance And Hazardous Alcohol Use Among Veterans With Chronic Pain, Alexa G. Deyo, Kyle Mackenzie White, Joon Kyung Nam, Victoria E. Carlin, Grant H. Ripley, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Pain-related sleep disturbances (PRSD) may contribute to patterns of alcohol consumption that elevate risk for negative health outcomes among U.S. military veterans with chronic pain, with this association potentially heightened among those who experienced combat. We are not aware of any prior research that examined either relations between PRSD and hazardous alcohol use among veterans, or the potential influence of combat exposure. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that PRSD would be positively associated with hazardous drinking among veterans, and that combat exposure would moderate this relationship. Method: Participants included 430 U.S. veterans (Mage = …

Cannabis Use, Psychological Distress, And Suicidal Ideation Among U.S. Veterans, Grant H. Ripley, Colin J. Jarrat, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Frequent cannabis use is rising among U.S. adults, particularly among those experiencing psychological distress. While Veterans generally report lower cannabis use than civilians, they face higher risks of mental health disorders, with approximately 17 Veterans dying by suicide daily. Understanding the relationship between cannabis use and psychological distress, particularly among Veterans with and without suicidal ideation, is crucial.

National Survey Of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs (Nsmae): Understanding Entrepreneurial Ecosystems And Opportunities, Mirza Tihic, Rosalinda V. Maury, Adam Pritchard, Alexander Mckelvie

Voices of Service Symposium

This poster presents findings from the National Survey of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs (NSMAE), the largest ongoing study of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs in the U.S. It explores how military experience shapes entrepreneurial pathways, and identifies key challenges such as access to capital, resource navigation, and post-service transition. The data informs research, policy, and program development to strengthen support for military-connected small business owners.

Ovma Resiliency Program: A Holistic Approach To Supporting Veteran And Military-Connected Students, Ken Marfilius, Brenic Nam, Natalie Hawes

Voices of Service Symposium

The Syracuse University Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) Resiliency Program (ORP), launched in August 2024, is an innovative initiative designed to support veteran and military-connected students. Developed in partnership with the OVMA, School of Social Work, and Hendricks Chapel, the program provides tailored resources and support networks to help students navigate academic, financial, physical, social, and mental well-ness challenges. Staffed by an Associate Director and graduate-level social work interns, the ORP addresses the critical needs identified in a U.S. Government Accountability Office report on veteran college experiences. Through dynamic support systems, the ORP fosters success and engagement, advancing …

Introduction To Military Culture And Mental Health Practice, Ken Marfilius, Sam Coyl

Voices of Service Symposium

The Introduction to Military Culture and Mental Health Practice course equips students across disciplines primarily social work with foundational skills for working with service members, veterans, and their families. Developed in 2016 by a former U.S. Air Force officer, the course addresses trauma, ethical dilemmas, dual loyalty, and command structures within military systems. Coursework includes case studies, ethical analysis, and interviews with military-connected individuals, fostering clinical and cultural competence. With 153 students trained to date, the course supports careers in the VA, nonprofits, and the Armed Forces, while advancing the university's commitment to military-affiliated students.

Social Work Advocacy In Veterans Treatment Court, Ken Marfilius, Elizabeth Kubala, Bill Rielly, Margo Lance, Paige Esposito

Voices of Service Symposium

Veterans Treatment Court provides a rehabilitative alternative to incarceration for justice-involved veterans by addressing the underlying causes of legal involvement. Social workers are key to this model, offering trauma-informed assessments, case management, and service coordination. By connecting veterans to mental health care, housing, employment support, and treatment programs, social workers promote stability and successful reintegration. The collaboration with legal professionals and community partners strengthens the Veterans Treatment Court's capacity to reduce recidivism and support long-term well-being for veterans navigating the justice system.

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 …