The impact of prior deployment experience on civilian employment after military service

The problem More than five million U.S. veterans are expected to return to our communities and the civilian workforce by the year 2020. The vast majority of Americans have little understanding of military service or the impact service may have on civilian employment outcomes. Connection to the labor force provides the swiftest means for a successful transition back home, yet almost half of post 9/11 veterans indicate finding a job is their biggest challenge. An exploratory literature review was conducted to examine if and how the career transition of post 9/11 veterans with service-connected disabilities is presented in the human resource development (HRD) literature. The solution Based on the results of this exploratory literature review, three solutions are proposed: (a) examine what is working at work for veterans with disabilities in an effort to change the research conversation from problems to solutions, (b) understand and begin to deconstruct the veteran–civilian career identity conflict, and (c) explore the lived experiences of veterans with service-connected disabilities and their employers. The Stakeholders HRD researchers, HRD scholarly practitioners, and HRD professionals with an interest in the complexity of career transition and return-to-work issues facing veterans and people with disabilities.

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The Impact of Military Service Exposures and Psychological Resilience on the Mental Health Trajectories of Older Male Veterans

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264320975231 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 089826432097523

Author(s):

Stephanie Ureña ◽

Miles G. Taylor ◽

Dawn C. Carr

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptom ◽

Military Service ◽

Later Life ◽

Traumatic Experiences ◽

Psychological Resilience ◽

Previous Exposure ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Symptom Trajectories ◽

The Impact

Objectives: We examine the impact of exposure to the dead, dying, and wounded (DDW) during military service on the later-life depressive symptom trajectories of male United States veterans, using psychological resilience as an internal resource that potentially moderates negative consequences. Methods: The Health and Retirement Study (2006–2014) and linked Veteran Mail Survey were used to estimate latent growth curve models of depressive symptom trajectories, beginning at respondents’ first report of resilience. Results: Veterans with higher levels of resilience do not have increased depressive symptoms in later life, despite previous exposure to DDW. Those with lower levels of resilience and previous exposure to DDW experience poorer mental health in later life. Discussion: Psychological resilience is important for later-life mental health, particularly for veterans who endured potentially traumatic experiences. We discuss the importance acknowledging the role individual resources play in shaping adaptation to adverse life events and implications for mental health service needs.

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Veteran Status Matters! Life Course Perspectives on the Health and Well-Being of Aging Veterans

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2179 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 636-636

Author(s):

Avron Spiro

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Vietnam Veterans ◽

Military Service ◽

Combat Veterans ◽

Well Being ◽

Veterans Health ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Veteran Status ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

Abstract Military service during early life can result in exposure to traumatic events that can reverberate throughout life. Although much attention is focused on the negative effects of military service, many veterans report positive effects. These papers explore life course effects of military service on veterans’ health and well-being. Three used national US longitudinal cohorts (HRS, MIDUS); two sampled veterans from Oregon or from Korea. Three compared veterans to non-veterans; two examined veterans only. Cheng and colleagues found that veterans in HRS are more likely to be risk-averse than non-veterans. Risk aversion matters because it determines how people make decisions and predicts a wide array of health and economic outcomes. Kurth and colleagues examined Oregon veterans from several wars, finding PTSD symptoms were highest among Vietnam combat veterans, the oldest cohort; there were no differences among non-combat veterans. Piazza and colleagues examined in MIDUS the impact of veteran status on cortisol, a stress biomarker, finding older veterans more likely had non-normative patterns than did younger or non-veterans. Lee and colleagues studied patterns of mental health among Korean Vietnam veterans, identifying two patterns as ‘normal’ and ‘resilient’ encompassing half the sample; these veterans demonstrated positive outcomes of military service. Frochen and colleagues compared depression trajectories between veterans and non-veterans in HRS, finding veterans had less depression than non-veterans, but among veterans, trajectories varied based on extent of service. in sum, these papers demonstrate that military service can have positive as well as negative effects on veterans’ health and well-being in later life. Aging Veterans: Effects of Military Service across the Life Course Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

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The Impact of Military Service on Young Men′s Smoking Behavior

Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1006/pmed.1994.1033 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 242-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

E. Schei ◽

A.J. Sogaard

Keyword(s):

Military Service ◽

Smoking Behavior ◽

Young Men ◽

The Impact

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Military Veterans’ Transferrable Skills

Advances in Developing Human Resources ◽

10.1177/1523422316682961 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 6-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Valerie E. Davis ◽

Sarah E. Minnis

Keyword(s):

Human Resource Development ◽

Military Service ◽

Military Veterans ◽

Armed Forces ◽

Skills Training ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Civilian Workforce ◽

Retention Initiatives ◽

Civilian Employment ◽

Hrd Professionals

The Problem Military veterans face a number of employment challenges as they transition from military service to civilian employment. Although the American workforce has become much more diverse, there continues to be a lack of understanding and misperceptions about veterans’ skillsets and military experiences which inhibits successful employment after military service. Veterans are a source of talent for civilian employers as they bring distinctive capabilities and valuable skills developed through real-world, high-pressure experience, but some human resource development (HRD) practitioners may not be aware of the vast array of skills, training, and knowledge that veterans bring to the civilian workforce in addition to supervisory and management skills acquired during their time in the armed forces. Given the civilian public’s general lack of knowledge about military experience, HRD practitioners, in particular, may be less able to effectively evaluate and integrate veterans’ military experiences, skills, and capabilities in the civilian employment sector. These misunderstandings are contributing factors impacting veterans’ ability to transfer their skills from military to business cultures. The Solution It is imperative that HRD practitioners understand the potentially strong contributions and societal misperceptions regarding the business value of military veterans’ skills and experiences. This article will explore distinctive capabilities of veterans that make them assets in the civilian workforce as well as some potential concerns and highlight HRD’s role in recognizing and facilitating the development of veteran hiring and retention initiatives in civilian employment. Educating HRD professionals about how to integrate military veterans’ skills, knowledge, and abilities in business cultures and mitigate concerns is vital to promote veterans’ contributions to civilian organizations and is necessary for effective hiring and talent development. The Stakeholders Veterans, HRD professionals, scholars, practitioners, and policy makers interested in the HRD field, private sector, federal, nonfederal public sector, and U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

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Military Serving at What Cost? The Effects of Parental Service on the Well-Being Our Youngest Military Members

Annual Review of Nursing Research ◽

10.1891/0739-6686.34.109 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 109-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alicia Gill Rossiter ◽

Rita D'Aoust ◽

Michaela R. Shafer

Keyword(s):

Military Service ◽

Well Being ◽

Service Members ◽

Veterans Administration ◽

Military Children ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Military Members ◽

Conducting Research ◽

Multiple Deployments ◽

The Impact

Since the onset of war in Iraq and Afghanistan in April 2002, much attention has been given to the effect of war on servicemen and servicewomen who have now been serving in combat for over thirteen years, the longest sustained war in American history. Many service members have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and suffered from the visible and invisible wounds of war. Much work has been done in the Veterans Administration, the Department of Defense, and the civilian sector after observing the effects of multiple deployments and overall military service on the service member. A survey of the literature revealed that the ethics of conducting research on programs to assist these brave men and women is fraught with ethical concerns based on a military culture that often precludes autonomy and privacy. While strides have been made in developing strategies to assist service members deal with their military service issues, a serious lack of information exists on the impact of a parent's service on the health and well-being of military children. A discussion of current research on services for children is presented with an analysis of the ethical problems that have precluded adequate study of those who need society's help the most.

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Ageing, limb-loss and military veterans: a systematic review of the literature

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x18000119 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (8) ◽

pp. 1582-1610 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

NICK CADDICK ◽

HELEN CULLEN ◽

AMANDA CLARKE ◽

MATT FOSSEY ◽

MICHAEL HILL ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Care ◽

Military Service ◽

Military Veterans ◽

Limb Loss ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Term Care ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACTThe impact of losing a limb in military service extends well beyond initial recovery and rehabilitation, with long-term consequences and challenges requiring health-care commitments across the lifecourse. This paper presents a systematic review of the current state of knowledge regarding the long-term impact of ageing and limb-loss in military veterans. Key databases were systematically searched including: ASSIA, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, PsycArticles/PsychInfo, ProQuest Psychology and ProQuest Sociology Journals, and SPORTSDiscus. Empirical studies which focused on the long-term impact of limb-loss and/or health-care requirements in veterans were included. The search process revealed 30 papers relevant for inclusion. These papers focused broadly on four themes: (a) long-term health outcomes, prosthetics use and quality of life; (b) long-term psycho-social adaptation and coping with limb-loss; (c) disability and identity; and (d) estimating the long-term costs of care and prosthetic provision. Findings present a compelling case for ensuring the long-term care needs and costs of rehabilitation for older limbless veterans are met. A dearth of information on the lived experience of limb-loss and the needs of veterans’ families calls for further research to address these important issues.

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The impact of fathers’ military deployment on child adjustment. The support needs of primary school children and their families separated during active military service: A pilot study

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1359104517724494 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 110-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sharon Pexton ◽

Jacqui Farrants ◽

William Yule

Keyword(s):

Parental Stress ◽

Military Service ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Child Adjustment ◽

Military Training ◽

Well Being ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Military Deployment ◽

Adjustment Difficulties ◽

The Impact

Background: Although direct exposure to war-related trauma negatively impacts children’s psychological well-being, little is known about this impact within the context of parental military deployment to a combat zone and ‘indirect’ experience of the effects of armed conflict. This study investigates the impact of father’s military deployment to Afghanistan on child well-being in primary schoolchildren and compares measures of adjustment with a matched group of children with fathers deployed on military training (non-combat) deployment. Method: Data were collected within primary schools in 2011–2012 from 52 children aged 8–11 years with fathers deploying to Afghanistan ( n = 26) and fathers deploying on military training ( n = 26) via self-completion of questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and levels of self-esteem. Data were collected in both groups, at pre-, mid- and post-parental deployment. Class teachers and parents (non-deployed) completed a measure of child behaviour and parents completed a measure of parenting stress and general health. Results: Unexpectedly child adjustment difficulties were not significantly raised in children whose parents deployed to Afghanistan. Ratings of behavioural difficulties and depression were low in both groups. However, clinically elevated levels of anxiety and stress symptoms were reported by both groups of children at each stage of deployment. No associations between parental stress, parental mental health and child adjustment were found. Conclusion: High levels of children’s anxiety and stress reported during fathers’ active military service warrant further investigation. Implications for school and health monitoring and CAMHS community liaison work are discussed.

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