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Military REACH Publications
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Military Branch of Service
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Military Affiliation
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Award Winning Publications
1.A phenomenological study of the educational needs of military-connected students transitioning from military connected schools to non-military connected schools
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2.Educational performance of military-connected children in SC 2022 report
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3.The effect of COVID-19 on the mental health of military connected children and adolescents
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4.Service-connected disability and the veteran mortality disadvantage
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5.Changes: Understanding how military-connected students acquire social and cultural capital in higher education
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6.The application of a self-labeling approach among military-connected adolescents in a public school setting
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7.Northwestern Florida teachers' perceptions of the academic success of military-connected English-language-learners
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8.Disability identity work among student veterans with service-connected injury
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9.Strengthening couple relationships through a digital connection
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10.Considerations for supporting Canadian military-connected students in K-12 and higher education
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11.What are organizations doing to strengthen veterans' social connections?: An examination of program operations and evaluation efforts
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12.Forgotten conscripts: Understanding the needs of military-connected adolescents
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13.Capturing school mobility experiences of military-connected high school students: A qualitative study
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14.Connectome-wide investigation of altered resting-state functional connectivity in war Veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder
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15.Emerging adult military-connected students express challenges transitioning into higher education: Implications for helping professionals
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16.From service to struggle: Exploring the link between service-connected disability and poverty among veteran households
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17.Post-secondary education experiences of military-connected students: A phenomenological study
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18.Supporting military-connected students with visual impairments
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19.Challenges elementary public school teacher’s face when teaching military-connected students
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20.The need for clinicians to recognize military-connected children
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Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.
Forging Bonds: The Importance of Unit Cohesion
Imagine an efficient, well-oiled machine standing against any challenge with unshakable unity - this is steadfast military unit cohesion in action. Unit cohesion is a type of social support defined by how strongly military members feel connected to and supported by their unit (Armistead-Jehle et al., 2011). The concept of unit cohesion can be broken down into two types, peer-to-peer and peer-to-leadership (i.e., horizontal and vertical cohesion, respectively; Siebold & Kelly, 1988). Though they work together to create unit cohesion, it’s important to understand that horizontal and vertical unit cohesion each impact Service members in different ways. As unit cohesion develops, it can have a great impact on Service members’ overall well-being. Specifically, higher levels of unit cohesion were related to the likelihood of Service members having a supportive network for emotional, informational, tangible, and mental health help-seeking needs (Barr et al., 2023). Essentially, close bonds within the unit help Service members build support systems to cope with various challenges of military life. Furthermore, Rugo and colleagues (2020) found that Soldiers who reported greater unit cohesion tended to indicate decreased likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms or suicidal ideation. In this article, we will explore the elements of both horizontal and vertical unit cohesion and examine their impact on the well-being of Service members. Horizontal Unit Cohesion Horizontal unit cohesion refers to peer-to-peer support within a military unit (i.e., excluding leadership and higher-ranking officials; Campbell-Sills et al., 2022; Siebold & Kelly, 1988). Horizontal unit cohesion has been identified as a protective factor for Service members exposed to combat, such that unit cohesion protects against the harmful effects of combat exposure on Service members’ PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts (Campbell-Sills et al., 2022). These findings mean that having a close, supportive group of peers within a unit can reduce the impact of mental health challenges for Service members at home and abroad. Support networks for Service members highlight the impact of peer connections on mental health, emphasizing how camaraderie and mutual understanding within a unit can alleviate challenges faced by Service members both during and after deployment. The concept of horizontal unit cohesion becomes apparent when thinking about real-life scenarios. Take a look at the fictional Service member, Specialist Davis, who seems to be struggling while on deployment. Specialist Davis finds herself face-to-face with the stress and pressure of combat. Sitting alone, Davis feels reality weighing on her. Noticing Davis’s isolation, Specialist Bradley and a few unit members approach her, not to give orders, but to offer something far more impactful—genuine, peer-to-peer support. They start up a card game at Davis’s table and begin to share their own struggles and vulnerabilities, recounting battle stories and cracking jokes to help ease the emotional tension. This informal, yet earnest conversation provides Davis with a sense of understanding and comfort, lifting some of that heavy emotional burden. Vertical Unit Cohesion Vertical unit cohesion refers to peer-to-leadership support within a military unit, encompassing both leadership and subordinate roles (Campbell-Sills et al., 2022; Siebold & Kelly, 1988). Vertical unit cohesion is invaluable as it fosters a deep sense of trust and mutual respect, both essential for units performing complex and high-pressure assignments. Charbonneau & Wood (2018) found that perceptions of fairness within the unit and the quality of unit leaders serve as important contributors to Service members’ perceptions of unit cohesion. Similar to horizontal unit cohesion, vertical unit cohesion has been shown to buffer the harmful effects of combat exposure on psychological symptoms for Service members (Campbell-Sills, et al., 2022). Beyond mental health, leadership quality in vertical relationships (i.e. peer-to-leadership) is associated with Service members’ overall emotional attachment to the military, which may have consequences for their decision to stay in the military (Charbonneau & Wood, 2018). This concept can be vividly illustrated in the fictional scenario where Sergeant Martinez’s leadership significantly impacts her squad’s morale and cohesion. Sergeant Martinez, leading her squad through a grueling training exercise, notices Private Lee struggling and falls behind. Sensing his exhaustion, she pauses the exercise and gathers the squad for a break and begins to share her own challenging experiences. She encourages the squad to share their worst training exercise and how they survived. As they open up, Lee feels a renewed sense of connection. This informal exchange uplifts his spirits and strengthens his bond with the squad, helping him complete the exercise with renewed determination. Horizontal and vertical unit cohesion work together to create a supportive and resilient military environment. Horizontal cohesion, peer-to-peer support, helps Service members address the psychological challenges of combat and deployment. Vertical cohesion, peer-to-leadership support, builds essential trust and collaboration for success as well as emotional well-being. Together, these forms of cohesion create a strong foundation for military units ensuring that Service members are not only equipped to handle their responsibilities but also receive the support needed to navigate their challenges. References Armistead‐Jehle, P., Johnston, S. L., Wade, N. G., & Ecklund, C. J. (2011). Posttraumatic stress in U.S. marines: The role of unit cohesion and combat exposure. Journal of Counseling & Development, 89(1), 81–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2011.tb00063.x Barr, N., Petry, L., Fulginiti, A., Arora, A., Cederbaum, J., Castro, C., & Rice, E. (2023). Who supports the troops? Social support domains and sources in active duty Army networks. Armed Forces & Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X231182907 Campbell-Sills, L., Flynn, P. J., Choi, K. W., Ng, T. H. H., Aliaga, P. A., Broshek, C., Jain, S., Kessler, R. C., Stein, M. B., & Bliese, P. D. (2022). Unit cohesion during deployment and post-deployment mental health: Is cohesion an individual- or unit-level buffer for combat-exposed soldiers? Psychological Medicine, 52(1), 121-131. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720001786 Charbonneau, D., & Wood, V. M. (2018). Antecedents and outcomes of unit cohesion and affective commitment to the army. Military Psychology, 30(1), 43–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2017.1420974 Rugo, K.F., Leifker, F. R., Drake-Brooks, M. M., Snell, M. B., Bryan, C. J., & Bryan, A. O. (2020). Unit cohesion and social support as protective factors against suicide risk and depression among National Guard service members. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 39(3), 214-228. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2020.39.3.214 Siebold, G. L., & Kelly, D. R. (1988). Development of the Combat Platoon Cohesion Questionnaire (Report No. 817). Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA204917.pdf
More than a Flag: A Symbol of Hope, Bravery, Unity, and Mission
More than a Flag: A Symbol of Hope, Bravery, Unity, and Mission By: Haley Sherman and Kaylee Short-Smith Some of us may be familiar with the iconic photograph you see below, which depicts six United States Marines who raised the American Flag on top of Mount Suribachi, Japan, during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945 (Garner, 2021). (Image credit: Joe Rosenthal/Public Domain) If you, like me, Haley, were unaware of the exact history associated with the image above, you may be wondering why it is so iconic while simultaneously thinking how proud you are to be an American and how grateful you are for those six Marines, their service, and their sacrifice. Until recently, I had never thought much about why they were raising the American flag. I assumed it had something to do with an order received or that they saw it falling and wanted to raise it before it touched the ground. In reality, the history of this image holds much deeper meaning. According to Garner, the flag itself depicts the United States capturing this important location during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Before this location was captured by the United States military, the Japanese forces used this vantage point to employ direct artillery fire onto the American forces; this exact point aided in making the Battle of Iwo Jima one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific War (Garner, 2021). In knowing this, we began to think more deeply about the American Flag, what it means, the feelings it elicits, and the importance it holds not only for our military and country but also in different situations and for different individuals. You see, something as simple as a flag holds weight, and for the month of June—the month celebrating Flag Day—we decided at Military REACH that it is important to investigate, share the history of, and even share the personal meanings that these flags have for Service members and their families. The article discusses the flags representing the United States Armed Forces, which include the American flag and the flags of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard.Buckle up, friends, because today we are having fun with flags! American Flag The history of the American flag begins in 1777, and the original design is credited to Betsy Ross (US History, 2024). The flag originally had thirteen horizontal stripes alternating between red and white and thirteen white stars arranged in a circle on a blue field to represent the original thirteen colonies (Smithsonian, 2024). As America continued to expand their territory between 1791 to 1959, the American Flag evolved such that more stars were added to represent the additional states. As of today, there are fifty stars, and the thirteen stripes have remained untouched (Smithsonian, 2024). Not only do the stars and stripes have meaning, but so do the colors of the American flag: the red symbolizes valor and hardiness, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance, and justice (US History, 2024). As we examined what the American flag historically symbolizes, our team here at Military REACH reflected on what the flag means to them: “When I see the American flag, I am reminded of our country's foundational demand for representation and freedom from oppression, and our continued endeavor to ensure these rights for all Americans.” - Emily Hanson, MNM, MPA “When I see the flag, I think of all the young men and women who have sacrificed so much and continue to do so. I think about the duty we have as Americans to uphold the values this country was founded on, particularly those reflected in the first amendment - freedom of speech, the right to protest, and the right to petition our government for change. “ – Carly Vandenberg, PhD Army Flag The United States Army was established around 1775, however a flag was created in 1956 – 181 years later (Center for Military History United States Army, 2021). The Army flag is made of silk, centering the original “War Office” seal in blue. In the center of the seal, there is a Roman cuirass (i.e., body armor worn by Officers that was made of steel) which symbolizes strength and defense. An unsheathed sword sits in the center with a Phrygian cap, often called the ‘Cap of Liberty’ resting on the top. To the left is a musket, and on the right is an esponton (i.e., a half-pike used by subordinate Officers); these are behind the cuirass and represent the weapons of the Army (U.S. Army Center of Military History, 2000). On the right side of the seal is an unidentified flag with cords and tassels; the flagstaff is a spearhead. Below the flag is a cannon barrel that is slanted upward behind the cuirass. To the left of the cuirass on the bottom are three cannon balls and a cannon barrel. Above the cannon barrel is a drum with two drumsticks, a symbol of the Army’s intention to serve the nation and its’ people. An unknown flag partially covers the drumhead, showcasing another spearhead for the flagstaff. Finally, along the top of the seal is a rattlesnake holding a scroll with the motto, “This We’ll Defend.” The rattlesnake and scroll, used on other American colonial flags, signified the Army’s constant readiness to defend and preserve the United States (U.S. Army Center of Military History, 2000). Below the blue seal is a Scarlett scroll with white lettering that writes, “United States Army” (Center for Military History United States Army, 2021). In some instances, you may see various streamers connected to the Army flag. There can be up to 190 streamers, and these denote the various campaigns fought by the United States Army throughout its history (The Institute of Heraldry, n.d.). “For myself, it’s a reminder of why I serve and motivation to carry on what those before me have done, from the Revolutionary War to now.” – Sergeant Nicholas DiGradio, active duty Soldier “When I see the Army flag I naturally think ‘thank you for your service’ for whoever the owner of the flag is. I hope that they have good memories from being in the service and that they were and are currently being treated well. Veterans are not treated with the respect and dignity they deserve, and I always wish there was more I could do.” – Breanna DeBoer, Army National Guard and Reserves Veteran Marine Corps Flag The early versions of the Marine Corps flag are very different from the flag that flies today. During the 1830s-1840s, the flag was white in color, held a design of an anchor and eagle in its center, and included the words “To the shores of Triopli” across the top (Military.com, 2024). These words, colors, and symbols have changed over the years. Today the Marine Corps flag is scarlet in color and contains the Marine Corps emblem in the center of the flag (Marine Parents, 2023). The Marine Corps emblem consists of an eagle on the top with a streamer in its’ beak that bears the motto of the Marine Corps, “Semper Fidelis,” which means, “Always Faithful.” The eagle itself is a symbol of the United States, and the globe the eagle stands on represents the worldwide commitment of the Marine Corps. Finally, the anchor that goes through the globe represents the founding of the Marine Corps and its close ties to the United States Navy (The Official Website of Marines, n.d.). The scarlet and gold colors within the flag were ordered in 1925 to incorporate the official colors of the Marine Corps (Military.com, 2024). “I honestly feel a sense of connection and trust, sometimes with complete strangers, if I notice they are displaying a Marine Corps decal on their vehicle or a flag in front of their home. I do not seek them out, but I notice it, and in my mind I acknowledge, “There’s a Marine.” My husband is a former Marine, and I have two Marine sons, one active and one former. We proudly fly a Marine Corps flag in front of our home. Who knows? Maybe it deters bad guys from messing with our stuff. I also have five daughters. I know the Marine flag keeps their boyfriends in line.” – Lisa Dosev “The Marine flag represents pride in service and pride in the Corps! Seeing it displayed on a vehicle also leads me to seek the veteran out, if possible, to ask where he served, when, and in what units. Veterans want to connect with their peers and the need for Marines to reconnect is a bond that cannot be broken. If I see it in a store for sale, I am wondering if the store truly values veterans and do they understand the sacrifices Marines and their families give – days of boredom followed, at times, by intense combat that draws one’s memory of time shared in focused pain. Yet I am grateful they care to have it in their store.” – Lance Corporal Kaelan C. Gordon, active duty Navy Flag The official Navy flag was authorized by a Presidential Order in 1959 (Naval History and Heritage Command, 2018). In the center of the flag is a bald eagle, with wings spread wide, to represent bravery and courage. The foot of the eagle is on an anchor that is protecting a ship and symbolizes strength and power at sea. The positionality of the eagle, ship, anchor, and water symbolize unity and brotherhood amidst adversity (Alex, 2023). The imagery on this flag was drawn from the Department of the United States Navy seal such that all components are the same aside from the fact that there is no land depicted on the flag whereas there is land on the bottom right of the seal. The United States Navy flag is for display purposes and is carried on ceremonial occasions but does not fly on vessels (Military.com, 2013). “Whenever I see a Navy flag, I have a familial connection - a kinship, if you will, similar to when I see my family's coat of arms. Being born into a Navy family, marrying (x2) into a Navy family, and being the proud parent of an active-duty Navy Surface Warfare Officer, the Navy flag represents security, peace, and framily. Framily = friends that have become family through the bonds created because of shared experiences due to a military lifestyle.” – Sue Ehlers Burke “As a Navy Veteran the Navy flag represents a possible “Shipmate” or colleague. If I see it on a vehicle I am immediately drawn to ask where this Sailor served and when. It brings back a flood of memories of days at sea and time shared with fellow Sailors. If I see it in a store for sale, I am wondering if the store truly values veterans and do they understand the sacrifices Sailors and their families go through – months upon months of time away. However, I am grateful they care enough to have it there. When I see it flown properly by a government office or school, I have pride for what that flag represents, and I am grateful that they care to display it.” – Captain Terry C. Gordon, Retired U.S. Navy Chaplain Air Force Flag As do most of the branch’s flags, the United States Air Force flag have similar components as the American flag. This similarity includes the flag containing thirteen white stars to represent the thirteen original colonies (US Flag, 2009) where the three stars between eagles’ wings represent the Army, Navy, and Air Force (Air Force Historical Support Division, 2024). Unlike the American flag, the Air Force flag has an ultramarine blue background with gold accents and bears the coat of arms and the seal of the Air Force. The Air Force seal includes the American Bald Eagle which symbolizes the air striking power of the United States, and its head is turned to the right to symbolize facing the enemy and looking toward the future (Air Force Historical Support Division, 2024). The shield below the eagle has a thunderbolt, further representing striking power through the air. The pair of wings around the thunderbolt and the smaller lightning flashes complete the imagery of lightning being cast and thunder accompanying it; this part of the seal was inspired by the Roman god, Jupiter, who was the mythical god of the Heavens. Beneath the shield is a scroll with “United States Air Force” written in gold lettering (Air Force Historical Support Division, 2024). There are two versions of the Air Force flag; one is outlined in gold fringe and is to be hung indoors whereas the other is without gold fringe and is often used outdoors and seen in parades (US Flag, 2009). “One of my grandfathers was an officer in the Air Force and carried those personal and professional skills he learned into the civilian sector after a few years of service. My grandfather’s service gave my parents, and by extension me, a happy, fruitful, and safe childhood. I love the Air Force for the opportunities they’ve given my family.” – Captain Bruce James, active duty Airman “To be honest, the official Air Force flag is kind of boring. However, the newer Air Force logo brings me pride, and when I see it on someone's license plate, which occurs a lot in Texas, I automatically think I have a connection to them.” – Jeff Geringer, Air Force Veteran Space Force Flag The United States Space Force flag is the newest branch flag as of December 2019 (United States Space Force, n.d.). The dark blue and white colors symbolize the vastness of outer space. The middle, grey triangular image represents the Delta Wing of an aircraft (representing the early days in the Air Force space community) and/or space craft, representing innovation and change (United States Space Force, n.d.). The upward position of the Delta Wing represents the central role of the Space Force in defending the space domain. The blue and grey globe behind the Delta Wing represents the earthly home of the United States Space Force. The elliptical orbit (around the globe and Delta Wing) represents defense and protection from all adversaries and threats along with interagency cooperation and allied partnerships. The large white star, the Polaris, symbolizes a light of security and the constant presence and vigilance currently and in the future for space. The two clusters of smaller stars to the left and right of the globe represent the assets developed, maintained, and operated by the United States Space Force. The larger three stars represent the Organize, Train, and Equip functions of the Space Force. Finally, the Roman numerals MMXIX (2019) represent the year of the Space Force’s activation (United States Space Force, n.d.). “When I see the USSF flag out in public there are several thoughts that run through my head, the first is probably in line with most: “Wow it’s real.” I’ve been a career space operator since I’ve entered the military, so I never thought we would see a separate service dedicated to the domain. As such, I also get an immense amount of pride when I see it because I was one of the first, but I hope to lay a solid foundation for those who follow. The second thing that I think of when I see the flag, is the amount of work we have, as a service, to garner public faith and communicate the reason for our creation. On the surface, it seems pretty counterintuitive for a military branch to have to justify its existence, but the nature of our work is highly technical, highly classified, and highly misunderstood. I know that this is a top priority for USSF leaders.” – Anonymous, active duty Guardian Coast Guard Flag The origins of the Coast Guard flag are not quite as clear as some of our other branch’s flags. In 1917, the beginnings of a flag were created depicting a standard white flag with a blue eagle and a semi-circle of thirteen stars surrounding it (United States Coast Guard, 2013). Later the words, “United States Coast Guard,” were included along the top of the eagle in an arc, and “Semper Paratus,” meaning, “Always Ready,” was placed under the eagle. Then, in 1950, the semi-circle of stars was changed to be a full circle above the eagle (American Flags, 2024; United States Coast Guard, 2013). The eagle is also depicted holding an olive branch with thirteen leaves in one talon and thirteen arrows in the other to represent peace, war, and the thirteen original colonies (United States Coast Guard, 2013). The colors of the flag also hold meaning where red represents valor, white represents purity, and blue represents justice – similar to the American flag. “As a mother of a Coast Guard Academy graduate and a present Coast Guard pilot, the Coast Guard flag embodies a profound sense of pride, honor, and dedication for me. The flag brings deep gratitude for the sacrifices made by my child and his fellow “Coasties,” their unwavering dedication to protecting our country's shores, and their commitment to service- ensuring the safety of all who venture into the seas. ‘Semper Paratus – Always Ready.’” – Patrice Bramble Majewski “Particularly seeing the Coast Guard flag, as this was the branch my grandfather served in, I feel grateful for the opportunities the military provided for my family and curious of all the stories that have been shared and not shared by my grandparents.” – Lauren Scott Overall, we hope this article shed some light on the history, meaning, symbolism, and personal pride that individuals have for each of the flags that comprise the branches of the United States military. We thoroughly enjoyed reflecting on these flags and diving deeper into the meaning that each of the symbols and colors hold. It is our desire that for Flag Day this month, you take a moment to not only smile because we have a “Flag Day,” but also that you take it a little more seriously as flags can, and do, hold deep meaning for individuals, especially those who are affiliated with the military in one, or many, capacities. References Alex, Andrew. (2023). Explore the history and design of the US Navy seal logo. https://newsmilitary.com/explore-the-history-and-design-of-the-us-navy-seal-logo/ American Flags. (2024). The flag of the U.S. Coast Guard. https://www.americanflags.com/blog/post/flag-u-s-coast-guard Air Force Historical Support Division. (2024). United States Air Force seal.. https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/459019/united-states-air-force-seal/ Center for Military History United States Army. (2021). The origin of the U.S. Army flag. https://history.army.mil/faq/armyflag.htm Garner, T. (2021, February 23). Raising the flag on Iwo Jima: Here’s the story behind that iconic World War II photo. https://www.livescience.com/iwo-jima-flag-raising.html Marine Corps University. (n.d.) Marine Corps flag. https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Brief-Histories/History-of-the-Marine-Corps-Flag/ Marine Parents. (2023). The Marine Corps flag. https://marineparents.com/marinecorps/marine-flag.asp Military.com. (2011). Marine Corps history: The Marine Corps flag. https://www.military.com/marine-corps-birthday/marine-corps-history-the-marine-flag.html Military.com. (2013). Origins of the Navy flag. https://www.military.com/navy-birthday/origins-of-the-navy-flag.html Naval History and Heritage Command. (2018). Origins of the U.S. Navy flag. https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/banners/origins-of-the-u-s-navy-flag.html Smithsonian Institution. (2001). Facts about the United States flag. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/flag-day/flag-facts U.S. Army Center of Military History. (2000). Department of the Army Emblem. https://history.army.mil/reference/Heritage/Emblem.htm The Institute of Heraldry. (n.d.). United States Army flag and streamers. https://tioh.army.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=15639&CategoryId=9360&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services&from=search The Official Website of Marines. (n.d.). What is the Marine Corps emblem? https://www.hrom.marines.mil/New-Employees/About-the-Marine-Corps/Emblem/ Military.com. (2013). History of Coast Guard flags. https://www.military.com/coast-guard-birthday/history-of-coast-guard-flags.html United States Space Force. (n.d.). United States Space Force symbols. https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/About-Space-Force/USSF-Symbols/ US Flag. (2009). US Air Force flag. https://us-flag.net/military/air-force/ US History. (2024). Flag timeline. https://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagfact.html
AMBIGUOUS LOSS AMONG MILITARY FAMILIES
(334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES SEARCH 24 MAY 2024 AMBIGUOUS LOSS AMONG MILITARY FAMILIES By Bri Gordon and Ashtyn Grace KingEditors Kate Abbate Meet Joe, a 14-year-old starting high school soon. He is a very outgoing kid who loves his family and all things sports. He is preparing to receive his learner’s permit and is excited to start driving. However, his dad is getting ready to leave for a year-long deployment. Joe is starting to feel guilty about wanting to learn to drive, because he wants his dad to be in the passenger seat instead of preparing to be across the world. Fast forward two weeks, his dad has just left for deployment overseas. Joe and his mom are getting acclimated to their “new normal” while also getting back into the routine of school, studying, and extracurricular activities. When Joe arrives home from his first day of school, he and his mom sit down to call his dad to catch up. Joe talks about his teachers, the classes he is taking, and how he signed up to try out for the Junior Varsity Golf Team. Before his dad deployed, they used to bond over watching golf and playing together whenever they got the chance. Joe believed that signing up for the team would make him feel as if his dad was still here, but instead it caused him to feel depressed and anxious. Joe would much rather his dad be here physically playing golf with him, rather than telling him about it over the phone. Joe may be experiencing a concept known as ambiguous loss. What is Ambiguous Loss? Ambiguous loss was a theory first conceptualized by Pauline Boss, a family stress researcher (Boss, 1986). She defined ambiguous loss as an individual being physically present but psychologically absent (Boss, 1999). Ambiguous loss was then categorized into two different subtypes: ambiguous absence and ambiguous presence (Boss, 2002). Within a military family, ambiguous absence can occur when a Service member is physically absent but psychologically present, such as on deployment (Faber et al., 2008). Those facing either type of ambiguous loss may experience behavioral changes (e.g., acting out, emotion dysregulation), changes in their mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression), in addition to conflicts in their relationships (Huebner, 2007). Joe is beginning to feel distant from his dad because he is so far away. By the time he returns from deployment, Joe will have his driver’s license and improved in playing golf. Joe gets to tell his dad all about these milestones, but they don’t get to experience them together. This has caused Joe to build resentment towards his dad for not being there for him through these big life events. The opposite of ambiguous absence is ambiguous presence, which is when people are physically present but psychologically absent. For Service members this could occur due to a traumatic brain injury or posttraumatic stress disorder (Boss, 2002). The family member is physically present but might feel as if they are a different person because they are psychologically absent. A year has finally passed, and Joe’s dad is back from his deployment, but he seems distant, causing a change in their relationship. After several nightmares and increased anxiety, his dad was diagnosed with PTSD. Because of potential triggers, his dad tries to avoid large crowds, causing him to be unable to support Joe at his golf tournaments. His dad is also not as interested in golfing together, preferring to stay at home and sleep. This causes Joe to feel angry, spiteful, and discouraged about their relationship. Many military families may face ambiguous loss at some point, and it’s important to understand that it can present itself differently depending on the situation. When trying to navigate something as uncertain as ambiguous loss, it is important to understand what it may look like within your family (and yourself) to properly address and cope with it. Resources on Ambiguous Loss For our family readers: If you or a loved one are experiencing loss, check out these resources to assist in navigating it and/or locating a provider. Military OneSource: Military OneSource provides support and resources to military families who are grieving. If your grief involves ambiguous loss related to the possibility of losing a loved one (e.g., Missing in Action & Prisoner of War), consider reading more about the resources that are available to you. Ambiguous Loss by Everyday Health: This resource provides nine helpful tips on what to do when coping with ambiguous loss within your life. Some of the coping strategies include spending time with others and knowing that your loss is valid. It is also great for those who are interested in reading more information on ambiguous loss. For our practitioner readers: Check out these links to better understand and recognize ambiguous loss within your clientele: The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) Ambiguous Loss Resources: NCFR provides a collection of resources including links to online media (e.g. webinars, conference recordings, recorded presentations), scholarly articles from NCFR’s journals, articles from NCFR Report magazine, and papers on theory and research development for ambiguous loss. Pauline Boss Publication List on Ambiguous Loss: This resource includes books available for purchase to learn more about ambiguous loss, Dr. Boss’s scholarly publication list, interviews with Dr. Boss throughout her career, and linked media to news and discussion articles about ambiguous loss. RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References Boss, P. (1986). Psychological absence in the intact family: A systems approaches to a study of fathering. Marriage & Family Review, 10(1), 11–39. https://doi.org/10.1300/J002v10n01_02 Boss, P. (1999). Insights: Ambiguous loss: Living with frozen grief. The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 16 (5), 4-6. Boss, P. (2002). Family stress management: A contextual approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Faber, A. J., Willerton, E., Clymer, S. R., MacDermid, S. M., & Weiss, H. M. (2008). Ambiguous absence, ambiguous presence: A qualitative study of military reserve families in wartime. Journal of Family Psychology, 22 (2), 222–230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.22.2.222 Huebner, A. J., Mancini, J. A., Wilcox, R. M., Grass, S. A., & Grass, G. A. (2007). Parental deployment and youth in military families: Exploring uncertainty and ambiguous loss. Family Relations, 56(2), 112-122. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2007.00445.x MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: March 2024 2017 - 2024 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan This website uses cookies to improve the browsing experience of our users. Please review Auburn University’s Privacy Statement for more information. Accept & Close
MILITARY FAMILY READINESS: AN OVERVIEW
HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES 12 APR 2024 MILITARY FAMILY READINESS: AN OVERVIEW By Emily Wright, Allison L. Tidwell, and Emily HansonEditors Kate Abbate You may have seen in a REACH publication, the news, or other forms of media the importance of military family readiness – but have you ever wondered what the phrase really means? In this article, we'll follow the fictional Stanley family as they navigate military life. Through these events we will explain what military family readiness is, how it influences family functioning, and what resources the military has created to promote military family readiness. What is military family readiness? The term readiness is commonly referred to throughout military culture in reference to Service members. The Department of Defense (DoD) defines readiness as "the ability of military forces to fight and meet the demands of assigned missions" (Joint Chiefs of Staff, 2017, p. 195). Blake Stanley is a 30-year-old active-duty Soldier preparing for deployment in one month – for Blake, readiness means that they are physically and mentally fit and ready to adapt during deployment. For their partner Sam and 4-year-old child Alex, though, readiness is much broader. Military family readiness differs from Service member readiness in that it is "the state of being prepared within the unique context of military service, to effectively navigate the challenges of daily living and military transitions" (Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, 2021, p. 54). Assessing military family readiness is not a matter of determining whether a family is "ready or not," but rather a matter of describing the family's capacity to handle the challenges they encounter. Therefore, military families need to have adequate means to overcome both military (e.g., relocation, deployment) and normative (e.g., parenting stress) stressors. Although Blake is physically and mentally prepared for deployment, they must navigate this upcoming transition with Sam and Alex as well. Currently, Blake and Sam share childcare tasks like daycare drop-offs and meal planning, as well as alternating planning date nights every week. When Blake is deployed for the next six months, Sam must now do all daycare drop-offs as well as grocery pick-ups and meal preparation. Because of the time difference, Blake will only be able to video call once a week at 10:00am, right in the middle of the workday. To adjust successfully as a family during deployment, Blake, Sam, and Alex will have to establish a new sense of "normal." Family scientists frequently gauge "readiness" by evaluating functioning across individual family members, family relationships, and life domains (Hawkins et al., 2018; see Figure 1). By capturing insight into these various aspects of family functioning, we can gain a holistic understanding of families' readiness to respond to stress and change. When determining what comprises family readiness, it is important to view the family as a group of interdependent members who are constantly influenced by each other. Thus, when one member of the family system or one area of the system is not at optimal functioning, the rest of the system may not function at its best. The stress of the upcoming deployment has led Blake to feel anxious, along with the rest of their family. Sam is worried about how to handle caring for Alex alone for the next 6 months. Alex has picked up on both of their parents' moods and has started crying more frequently due to the stress. To help ease everyone's stress, Sam plans a family picnic for the three of them to discuss communication expectations while Blake is gone and strategize how Alex can keep in touch with them. This comes as a relief to the family, as there is one less concern to worry about. Why does military family readiness matter? Military family readiness is a primary objective for the Department of Defense, as maintaining ready families ensures maintaining a ready defense force (Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, 2012). Spillover is a commonly cited concern for military family readiness; that is, issues at home may influence Service members' performance at work, while in other cases, issues at work may negatively affect family functioning (Escarda et al., 2022). For example, when couples encounter communication difficulties or marital conflict during deployment, the Service member may be distracted by their relationship issues and therefore less able to complete their military-related duties (Cater et al., 2015). Blake and Sam agree to prioritize video calls, and Sam coordinated with their boss to allow them to block one hour of their schedule as long as they can stay after an extra hour. They both look forward to the call every day, and it is a relief to have a scheduled and predictable time together to meet. Knowing when they can expect a call helps Blake focus on their deployment-related duties during the week. To ensure that Service members' capacity to perform their duties is not impeded by family-related issues, it is necessary for the Department of Defense to place an emphasis on military family readiness (Lester et al., 2011). Not only is family readiness important for ensuring that Service members are ready to perform their military duties, but it is also critical for the retention of Service members in the military. The decision made by many Service members to enter the military or to remain in the military is often determined by financial, social, and relational functioning. For instance, when families encounter work-family conflict due to family life stressors, like having multiple children or worrying about finances, they tend to report less satisfaction with military life and are therefore more likely to separate from the military (Woodall et al., 2023). After two weeks of longer workdays and having to ask the neighbor to pick up Alex from daycare, Sam starts to feel overwhelmed and asks Blake if they can reduce the number of 10am calls. Blake can't stop thinking about Sam's stress and starts to feel guilty about being gone for so long. This is their third deployment, and this happens every time. For the sake of their family, Blake wonders if it's just easier to leave the military. Indicators of Family Readiness Figure 1. Indicators of Family Readiness (Hawkins et al., 2018, p. ES-3) Promoting readiness through the Military Family Readiness System Family functioning and readiness is further supported through the Military Family Readiness System. The Department of Defense created the Military Family Readiness System to serve as a network of programs and services which promote military family well-being, readiness, resilience, and quality of life. Since the 10:00am call has been causing some tension, Sam and Blake decide to download the Love Every Day app to communicate and connect throughout the day. Sam decides to join their installation's Family Readiness Group to connect with other spouses and parents that have experienced the stress of deployment. When Blake is preparing to return home, the couple watches a webinar on family reunions to spark conversation about how to manage expectations. Although the deployment process was stressful for each family member, utilizing these resources helped the Stanley family cope with military and normative stressors, as well as help Blake feel confident with continuing their military career. RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References Escarda, M. G., Arroyo, Y. A., & Redondo, R. J. P. (2022). Work-family spillover in the Spanish armed forces. Community, Work & Family, 25(3), 374-388. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2020.1771284 Hawkins, S. A., Condon, A., Hawkins, J. N., Liu, K., Ramirez, Y. M., Nihill, M. M., & Tolins, J. (2018). What we know about military family readiness: Evidence from 2006-2017. Research Facilitation Laboratory Army Analytics Group, and Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1050341.pdf Joint Chiefs of Staff. (2017). DOD dictionary of military and associated terms. Department of Defense. https://www.tradoc.army.mil/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/AD1029823-DOD-Dictionary-of-Military-and-Associated-Terms-2017.pdf Lester, P., Leskin, G., Woodward, K., Saltzman, W., Nash, W., Mogil, C., Paley, B., & Beardslee, W. (2011). Wartime deployment and military children: Applying prevention science to enhance family resilience. In S. MacDermid Wadsworth & D. Riggs (Eds.), Risk and resilience in U.S. military families (pp. 149–173). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7064-0_8 Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. (August 5, 2021). Military family readiness (DoD Instruction 1342.22). Department of Defense. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/documents/DD/issuances/dodi/134222p.pdf Woodall, K. A., Esquivel, A. P., Powell, T. M., Riviere, L. A., Amoroso, P. J., & Stander, V. A. (2023). Influence of family factors on service members' decisions to leave the military. Family Relations, 72(3), 1138-1157. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12757 MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: March 2024 2017 - 2024 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan This website uses cookies to improve the browsing experience of our users. Please review Auburn University’s Privacy Statement for more information. Accept & Close
SPOUSE EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: WHAT IS SECO?
(334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES SEARCH 22 MAR 2024 SPOUSE EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: WHAT IS SECO? By Bri Gordon and Ashtyn Grace KingEditor Emily Hanson The military spousal unemployment rate has historically been higher than the civilian unemployment rate; in fact, over the past decade, the military spousal unemployment rate reached 21% (Office of People Analytics, 2022), which was almost 4 times higher than the civilian rate the same year (5.3%; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Because finding stable employment as a military spouse can be difficult due to military lifestyle (e.g., frequent relocation), spouses may opt for being stay-at-home parents until their partner leaves the service. For example, in a 2021 survey of active-duty spouses, almost half of participants (45%) reported their main reasons for not working were caring for children not in school or daycare (Office of People Analytics, 2022). These periods of unemployment may cause gaps within resumes, making it difficult to find local, professional positions. This struggle may feel immense and isolating - that’s where the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program comes in! SECO was established by the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide career guidance and education opportunities to military spouses worldwide. Many of the resources SECO offers can be used for active-duty spouses or transitioned spouses (i.e., spouses whose partner has transitioned out and is no longer active-duty military), such as resume builders, job finders, and education opportunities. Our goal with this piece is to share about the SECO program, why programs like SECO are helpful, and the services SECO offers. What is SECO? The SECO program provides education, career guidance, and tools and resources to aid military spouses in their career development or in pursuing their education. The program is available to all spouses of Service members with an active-duty status, along with National Guard and Reserve Components. Additionally, spouses who have been separated from active duty and National Guard/Reserve Components for less than a year or surviving spouses of military members who died while on active-duty are eligible. Depending on a Service member’s military orders, their spouses are often required to pick up or pause their lives at any given moment. This can be very stressful for spouses, as they must leave their current place of employment and support systems, sometimes with little to no notice. Worries in navigating leaving a job, finding new career opportunities, or trying to continue an educational career may leave a spouse feeling overwhelmed with questions, and feel there are no solutions in sight. SECO was created to help spouses in finding exact solutions for these very worries. A DoD Self-Service Logon is required in order to access the many affiliated sites connected to SECO. Upon creation of a SECO account, spouses will be given access to many tools, resources, and interactive features to explore their specific interests. The Value of SECO As the acronym implies, the SECO program has many opportunities to achieve a spouse's education and career goals. Below you can see some resources SECO has to offer in both education and career guidance, respectively: Education The Department of Education College Scorecard tool aids in searching for schools that would be the best fit based on location, size, degree, major, etc. The Scholarship Finder search engine identifies scholarships offered specifically to military spouses. My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) is a workforce development program for eligible military spouses, providing up to $4000 financial aid towards licenses, certifications, or associate degrees. Career Guidance MySECO Resume Builder gives access to tools and resources that are geared towards building a competitive resume. This includes learning modules on resume formats, getting your resume professionally reviewed, and other personalized support to help best describe your qualifications and skills. Upon creation of your SECO account, you will be offered a free year of Linkedin Premium to aid in job searching, networking, and more. Career Assessments provides access to a variety of self-assessments to learn more about yourself and what careers may be of interest to you. Research Occupations (CareerOneStop) is a search engine that provides information on the latest government statistics on occupational wages and employment trends in a given area. Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) Job Search allows you to search jobs based on job title, keywords, and location. This can be beneficial when looking to obtain employment prior to arriving at your next duty station. SECO Coaching Packages offers specialized consultations with career coaches to help you succeed in your education or career. Additionally, SECO offers many in-depth articles on topics related to military life (e.g., PCS-ing, managing deployments, transition preparation) and support (e.g., financial readiness, starting a business, negotiating a salary). The SECO program is a one-stop site to guide and support spouses through any and every stage of their career or professional development. With the mobility of military life, it is essential spouses are aware of important resources available to them. If you need additional guidance on using any tool or resource within the SECO website, call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 and ask to speak to a SECO career coach. Here's what one future military spouse found out when they learned about the SECO program: "Knowing what my future holds as a future military spouse, I have experienced a lot of stress and anxiety not knowing what my next step might be [professionally]. After learning about SECO, I now have a sense of peace because they can help me to find jobs or give me a chance at working towards a master’s degree if I choose to within the next few years. If that is my choice, they provide opportunities to find scholarships and loans, along with a way to find the school and program that best fits my needs. They also provide access to an immense number of extra resources/programs that I have already begun to save for when my partner and I enter that certain stage of life. As a future military spouse, I plan to use the resources that SECO provides as well as share with my surrounding spousal community." RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References Office of People Analytics. (2022). Military life during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the 2021 Survey of Active Duty Spouses. U.S. Department of Defense. https://www.opa.mil/research-analysis/spouse-family/military-spouse-survey-survey-reports-briefings/military-life-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-results-from-the-2021-survey-of-active-duty-spouses/ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Unemployment rates for states, 2021 annual averages. U.S. Department of Labor. 789–802. https://www.bls.gov/lau/lastrk21.htm MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: March 2024 2017 - 2024 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan
How to be thrifty with the Thrift Savings Plan
HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES 23 FEB 2024 HOW TO BE THRIFTY WITH THE THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN By Matthew T. SaxeyEditors Kate Abbate; Kaylee Short Historically, Military retirement compensation came in the form of a pension that was paid out to Veterans who served at least 20 years. However, only about 17% of enlisted personnel and 49% of officers serve for at least 20 years (Murray & Adedeji, 2020). In 2018, the Military revised their retirement system by creating the Blended Retirement System (BRS). Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Under the BRS, pension benefits are still offered for those who serve at least 20 qualifying years (Office of Financial Readiness, 2023). An additional retirement option under the BRS that any Service member can invest in is the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP; Office of Financial Readiness, 2023). A TSP account is comparable to a civilian 401(k) plan where an employee can invest part of their paycheck into collections of stocks, bonds, and other investments that can earn money over time. Put differently, the TSP involves opening a retirement account that Service members can use to save money for retirement. Like civilian 401(k) plans, the TSP has an employer match (after two years of Service). If a Service member invests at least 5% of their paycheck into their TSP account, DoD will also invest an amount equal to 5% of the Service member’s paycheck. The employer match is not deducted out of a Service member’s paycheck; rather, the employer match is, in essence, free money put into the TSP account. To show why investing through one’s TSP account might be a worthwhile endeavor, consider the following example. Tom is enlisted, rank E-5, active-duty, and has been Serving for about 9 years. After learning about the TSP, he chooses to invest 5% of his paycheck into his TSP account, which means that with the match, 10% of his paycheck goes into his account each month (about $384.80). Tom stays in the Service for 20 more years, and even though his income will increase, let’s assume only $384.80 goes into his TSP account every month for the next 20 years. Tom wants to retire in 2060, so he invests his monthly contribution into the 2060 lifecycle fund. After 20 more years of Service, assuming the average rate of return for the 2060 lifecycle fund, Tom would have about $374,175.55 in his TSP account. Including the match, Tom contributed $92,352.00, but with the power of compound interest, this money quadrupled over the 20 years. Mathematical estimations like this one exemplify why Albert Einstein said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world.” In short, the TSP is a great way to take advantage of the eighth wonder of the world. Roth TSP Plans Interested Service members can manage their TSP account through the TSP website. In doing so, it is important to note the tax implications of investing in the TSP (Thrift Savings Plan, 2023a). Roth TSP contributions involve Service members paying taxes on income they earn before investing it into their TSP account (Thrift Savings Plan, 2023a). With these Roth contributions, once Service members are 59.5 years old, they can withdraw money from their TSP account tax-free. Said another way, income would be taxed before going into the account, but money can be taken out of the account without any taxes once a Service member is retirement age. Traditional TSP Plans Traditional TSP contributions are somewhat different. That is, the income that is invested is not taxed initially. However, once a Service member is 59.5 years old, the money that is withdrawn from the TSP account would be taxed as income (Thrift Savings Plan, 2023a). There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of contributions, and Service members and their families should choose the TSP contribution option, Roth or Traditional, that is most in line with their current financial situation and financial goals. TSP Investment Options For both Roth and Traditional contributions, there are three different kinds of investment options within the TSP. First, there are mutual funds (Thrift Savings Plan, 2023b). Mutual funds are a collection of several different kinds of stocks and other investments (e.g., bonds) so that not all of one’s ‘eggs’ are put in one basket. Individual stocks and other investments can fluctuate in investment returns, so having a mutual fund with a group of many different stocks and other investments is thought to decrease risk while still maximizing potential gains over time. Second, there are five different kinds of individual TSP funds (Thrift Savings Plan, 2023b). The G and F funds have a lower level of risk with smaller projected returns while the C, S, and I funds have higher levels of risk with greater projected returns. Financial planners generally recommend diversifying a portfolio with some riskier and some less risky investments to provide good return. However, someone with more time before their retirement (e.g., 40 years vs. 20 years) typically would invest in a greater collection of riskier investments for greater returns, on average, over time. Lifecycle Funds Finally, there are lifecycle funds, also called L funds (Thrift Savings Plan, 2023b). These L funds are a diversified collection of the G, F, C, S, and I funds that are designed to coincide with one’s expected retirement year. For example, if someone is planning to retire in 2055, then they might consider investing money into the 2055 L fund. The L funds’ allocation to the five different individual TSP funds is constructed in a way that is in line with when someone wants to retire. For instance, the 2025 L fund involves much less risky investments than the 2065 L fund. To learn more about the specifics of these three investment options, visit the TSP investment options on the TSP website. Being Thrifty with the Thrift Savings Plan Half the battle of being thrifty with the Thrift Savings Plan is simply being aware of it and why potentially choosing to invest in it might be beneficial. The other half involves deciding whether investing in the TSP coincides with one’s current financial situation and financial goals for the future—and consistently following through with the decision. Some Service members and their families might find great value in investing in their TSP account as part of their retirement plan while others might choose to invest in other ways (e.g., investing in a civilian spouse’s 401[k] plan) or rely on the BRS’ pension options. In other words, having a financial plan for retirement (and following through with the plan) is how to be thrifty with the Thrift Savings Plan or other retirement plans. To learn more about investing (e.g., the differences between stocks, bonds, and other investment vehicles) and financial readiness for Military families, visit the Office of Financial Readiness’ website and experience the benefits of planning for, and seeking to achieve, a desired financial future. RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References Murray, C. T., & Adedeji, A. (2020). Approaches to changing military compensation. Congressional Budget Office. https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2020-01/55648-CBO-military-compensation.pdf Office of Financial Readiness. (2023). Knowing your benefits and entitlements. Department of Defense. https://finred.usalearning.gov/Benefits#Blended-Retirement-System Thrift Savings Plan. (2023a). Traditional and Roth TSP contributions. https://www.tsp.gov/making-contributions/traditional-and-roth-contributions/ Thrift Savings Plan. (2023b). TSP investment options. https://www.tsp.gov/investment-options/ MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: 02/23/2022 2017 - 2024 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan
A HIDDEN CRISIS: WOMEN'S POSTPARTUM MENTAL HEALTH
(334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES SEARCH 12 DEC 2023 A HIDDEN CRISIS: WOMEN'S POSTPARTUM MENTAL HEALTH By Haley Sherman & Sheila SjolsethEditors Emily Hanson Although many people might consider sleep deprivation and changing dirty diapers to be the greatest struggles during the first year of having a baby, statistics show that women's postpartum mental health is of greatest concern. In fact, in the first year after a baby is born, "suicide is one of the top five leading causes of maternal death in the United States, accounting for approximately 20% of all maternal deaths" (Pratt et al., 2023, p. 1-2). This statistic does not account for all the mental and physical challenges that arise during pregnancy and before birth. Other perinatal (i.e., the time period before and immediately after childbirth) and postnatal (i.e., a year after the birth otherwise known as 'postpartum') mental health disorders, including postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and postpartum psychosis (Nguyen et al., 2023; Pratt et al., 2023), are rampant - affecting approximately 1 in 7 mothers in the United States (Nguyen et al., 2023). In addition to this severity and the serious nature of perinatal/postpartum mental health concerns, women are not often "treated to remission" meaning that treatment did not last long enough to fully address the mental health concern (Nguyen et al., 2023, p. 78). Further, these statistics may not capture the full extent of postpartum mental health challenges, as many women may have undiagnosed perinatal and postpartum disorders. While the aforementioned statistics are at the national level, mental health challenges among postpartum military women are even more prevalent. Military mothers (i.e., active-duty, dependents, reservists, and retirees) experience mental health conditions almost 3 times more often than civilian mothers (United States Government Accountability Office, 2022; Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 2023). Statistics on pregnant women from 2017-2019 suggest that approximately 36% of TRICARE active-duty Service members and their dependents received a perinatal (i.e., prenatal and postnatal) mental health diagnosis (United States Government Accountability Office, 2022). Receiving a postpartum depression (PPD) diagnosis increased drastically from 2001 to 2018 such that in 2001 for every 1,000 Servicewomen, 1.96 were diagnosed with PPD whereas in 2018 29.95 Servicewomen were diagnosed with PPD (Nicholson et al., 2020). Additionally, other research has found that although some Veteran mothers experience elevated symptoms of postnatal mental health disorders such as depressive disorder, PTSD, or pregnancy-related anxiety (Goger et al., 2022), they do not meet the established threshold to receive an official diagnosis, potentially limiting their access to resources and treatments needed to thrive during their postnatal period. Further, research suggests that compounding military-specific stressors such as combat deployment experiences, lack of access to maternity care through the Office of Veterans Affairs (VA), stigma around accessing mental health services, and the prevalence of military sexual assault may exacerbate perinatal and postpartum mental health challenges for military-connected women (Nguyen et al., 2023). Although the reality of the hidden crisis of women's perinatal and postpartum health is alarming, it is time to start bringing concerns about postpartum mental health to light, and so, we invite you to join us in a call to action. Call To Action One of the first steps in creating change is by spreading awareness that a crisis exists – we must talk about it! In addition to spreading awareness by talking about maternal mental health challenges, we need to: Normalize that some changes in mood will occur during postpartum, but that major mental health challenges are abnormal and may need to be professionally addressed. Stress the importance of new mothers asking for help, especially helping them understand what mental health symptoms or experiences may require professional support (see the WIC Works Resource System: Resources website as a place to start). Share resources with parents (i.e., both the mother and her partner) to support their parenting journey. Ideas to Take Action All efforts that promote awareness of the maternal health crisis, no matter what size, are needed. Share this article with a friend to start a conversation. Learn how to talk to a new mother experiencing depression and listen to military moms share their birth stories to better understand their experiences. When talking with others about the mental health needs of postpartum women, emphasize the severity of the need and how rates of postpartum difficulties are increasing. Advocate for increased support for military families at your place of employment and in your community with this key fact sheet on Military Maternal Health. Contact your U.S. Representative and Senator and ask for more support for military mothers like increasing paid leave for military parents and to support bills like the Federal Moms Matter Act. Find your U.S. Representative Find your U.S. Senator Support and Resources for Postpartum Servicewomen and Military Families Thankfully there are supports and resources available to help Servicewomen and their families if postpartum difficulties arise (Herrick & Chai, 2023), but we need to do our part to make sure these resources get into the hands of those who need them the most. Postpartum Support International: Help for Military Families The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline can help. Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). This hotline is for mothers as well as healthcare providers and those calling on behalf of someone. Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), PRESS 1. To chat, use their Crisis Chat. To text, send a text to 838255. Potential Signs of Postpartum Depression Depression in Pregnant Service Members: Three Things Providers Can Do to Help Postpartum depression and anxiety: How to start the conversation USDA Maternal Mental Health Resources NIH Moms' Mental Health Matters USDA Maternal Depression: Everyone can play a role to Help Families Thrive RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References Goger, P., Szpunar, M. J., Baca, S. A., Garstein, M. A., & Lang, A. J. (2022). Predictors of early postpartum maternal functioning among women veterans. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 26, 149-155 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-012-03241-0 Herrick, M. S. R., & Chai, W. (2023). Incidence of postpartum depression decreases after initial expansion of military maternity leave. Military Medicine. Article usad354. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usad354 Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. (2023, May 17). Military Mothers Experience Maternal Mental Health Conditions Almost 3 Times More than Civilians. MMHLA Takes Steps to Solve this Issue. Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance: MMHLA. https://www.mmhla.org/articles/military-mothers-experience-maternal-mental-health-conditions-almost-3-times-more-than-civilians-mmhla-takes-steps-to-solve-this-issue Nguyen, M. H. (Theresa), Semino-Asaro, S., Reminick, A. M., Rukaj, A. T., & Connelly, C. D. (2023). Barriers to and facilitators of military spouses' recovery from perinatal mental health disorders: A qualitative study. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh-2022-0067 Nicholson, J. H., Moore, B. A., Dondanville, K., Wheeler, B., & DeVoe, E. R. (2020). Examining the rates of postpartum depression in active duty US military servicewomen. Journal of Women's Health, 29(12), 1530-1539. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2019.8172 Pratt, Alessandra A., Anne G. Sadler, Emily B. K. Thomas, Craig H. Syrop, Ginny L. Ryan, and Michelle A. Mengeling. “Incidence and Risk Factors for Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders among Women Veterans.” General Hospital Psychiatry 84 (2023): 112–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.013 United States Government Accountability Office. (2022). Defense health care: Prevalence of and efforts to screen and treat mental health conditions in prenatal and postpartum TRICARE beneficiaries (Report to Congressional Committees GAO-22-105136; pp. 1–54). United States Government Accountability Office. https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-22-105136.pdf MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: 02/23/2022 2017 - 2024 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan This website uses cookies to improve the browsing experience of our users. Please review Auburn University's Privacy Statement for more information. Accept & Close
RED, WHITE, AND MERRY: CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS IN THE MILITARY
HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES 12 DEC 2023 RED, WHITE, AND MERRY: CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS IN THE MILITARY By Melissa GarnesEditors Kate Abbate; Kaylee Short Cookies, candles, and joy - it's that wonderful time of the year! November and December bring many holidays celebrated by families worldwide – Diwali, Hanukkah, Krampus Night, and Kwanza are just a few around the world that are celebrated. Yet not every family holiday mirrors the magical moments often portrayed in Hollywood films. Some families grapple with separation, financial constraints, or time limitations. Our military families, with their distinctive responsibilities and lifestyle, share in these struggles. Thankfully, the Department of Defense (DOD) and global organizations have collaborated to create support systems, traditions, and services for service personnel, their families, and civilians to lessen the burden they may face during the holiday season. In this article, we'll explore how the DOD, national organizations, and local communities are extending a helping hand to families across the globe, and we will discuss ways your family can spread holiday cheer this season. NORAD Tracks Santa One month out of each year, the North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) embarks on the magical journey of tracking the man in the red suit as he circles the globe. This whimsical tradition traces back nearly 65 years to an unexpected phone call. A little boy from Colorado Springs dialed the Constitutional Air Defense Command, hoping to speak to Santa after a department store advertisement misprinted the phone number. To his delight, Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup answered, and in the true spirit of Christmas, he and his team continued to field calls from eager children throughout the night. Beginning December 1st, you and your family can virtually visit the Noth Pole to learn more about Santa, play a new game every day in December, listen to Santa’s favorite music, and watch movies about Santa and NORAD! But make sure to come back on Christmas Eve to see when he’s flying his sleigh through a town near you! Operation Christmas Drop The holiday spirit didn't just touch the operators at the Constitutional Air Defense Command. In 1952, an aircrew aboard a B-29 Superfortress spotted Kapingamarangi islanders waving from below. Moved by the festive season, the crew decided to perform a parachute drop of supplies. This single act of generosity evolved into Operation Christmas Drop, the DOD's longest-running humanitarian initiative. For over a week, hundreds of volunteers, Service members, and communities unite to parachute packages to more than 50 remote islands in the Pacific. These aren't your typical wrapped gifts; they descend like snowflakes, filled with essentials like clothing, rice, school supplies, fishing gear, and, of course, toys! Operation Homefront Holiday Toy Drive The spirit of giving doesn't end with Operation Christmas Drop. The military community has its own secret Santa in the form of Operation Homefront's annual Holiday Toy Drive. This initiative brings joy to Veteran, wounded, and active-duty families through the gift of toys. Yet, it means more than just playthings; the Holiday Toy Drive symbolizes the community coming together to express gratitude to military personnel and their families for their unique sacrifices. In creating cherished memories and smiles, this present is priceless. If you’re feeling as moved this holiday season as we are, here are some ways you can get involved with military communities near and far to spread that good ole holiday cheer: Adopt-A-Family Holiday Support Soldier’s Angels provide aid, comfort, and resources to the military community. Through their Adopt-A-Family program, you can provide gifts and a grocery gift card for a military family in your community, just filter by zip code, city, or state. Send a Card Send a heartfelt card or handmade letter to a Veteran or Service member this season. Participate in the Military Card Challenge or send Hanukkah cards through The Jewish Soldiers Project (contact: jewishsoldiersproject@gmail.com) Volunteer to Feed Veterans Brought to you by the Soldier’s Angels organization, you can volunteer to serve our military-connected community by assisting with food distribution events. The goal of these events is to provide groceries to low-income active-duty Service members, Guardsmen, Reservists, Veterans, and their families. These events are sponsored by local businesses and organizations and are made possible with help from volunteers. This program is offered in the following cities: Atlanta, Georgia Charleston, South Carolina Denver, Colorado Detroit, Michigan Orlando, Florida San Antonio, Texas If you don’t see a city near you don’t worry, make a meal for a military member you know, so you can share in the joy of good food and good company. The collaborative efforts between the Department of Defense (DOD) and global organizations have provided invaluable support systems, established enduring traditions, and provided essential services that alleviate the burdens faced by civilians, Service members, and their families during the holiday season. These initiatives and celebrations have woven a framework of compassion, resilience, and community, fostering unity among diverse families connected by the common thread of service to their nations. These endeavors not only recognize the sacrifices made by military personnel but also extend their embrace to the families and communities that stand with them. From our home at Military REACH to yours, we hope you have a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year! RECENT STORIES Related Stories in MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: 02/23/2022 2017 - 2022 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan
Military Chaplains: Their Vital Role in Our Military
(334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES SEARCH 13 NOV 2023 MILITARY CHAPLAINS: THEIR VITAL ROLE IN OUR MILITARY By Bri GordonEditors Kate Abbate; Erin Cooper The Continental Congress established the first Chaplain Corps in July 1775 by providing one chaplain for every unit in the Continental Army (U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, 2015). Because of this, chaplains can be found wherever Service members are, and they have served with regiments in every American war (Otis, 2009). Chaplains are dedicated spiritual leaders of all religious denominations and provide spiritual support to Service members regardless of their member's religious affiliation. Their responsibilities include providing spiritual guidance, conducting public worship services, leading religious study sessions, and ministering to the wounded and/or dying (Otis, 2009). To gain more insight into the role of chaplains, I connected with Captain (Capt.) Terry Gordon, who conveniently is also my father! A retired Navy chaplain, Capt. Gordon has 30+ years of experience serving Service members and their families. With many tours and deployments both overseas and domestic, he has seen how a chaplain’s roles and responsibilities have evolved over time, especially with the increased awareness of mental health. Although I accompanied him for only about half of his military career, I can attest to how his work impacted the Service members around us and how he grew within his role as a religious leader and counselor. With Capt. Gordon’s help, I gained even more insight into the roles and responsibilities of military chaplains, who has access to their services (and how to seek their services), how chaplains interact with others in the workplace, and some common myths and assumptions. Roles and Responsibilities A chaplain’s responsibilities typically extend beyond roles performed in similar occupations, such as mental health professionals. Chaplains are often used as a source for counseling, and it is typical for Service members with high levels of combat exposure and mental health concerns to seek support from chaplains (Morgan et al., 2016). While the roles of both chaplain’s and mental health professionals are very similar and often overlap, Capt. Gordon highlighted the differences: “Chaplains bring one unique component in, which is purely a faith-based component. Many chaplains have higher education in counseling or social work, however, they’re not there to solely be a counselor but to be an ordained religious leader. Chaplains can be trained in certain counseling techniques, but faith and spirituality counseling is the main focus.” Accessing Chaplain Services Outside of who are military chaplains, how to seek out their services may be the second most commonly asked question. For Service members it’s a bit easier, considering their close proximity and initial contact with a chaplain during their basic training. Capt. Gordon explains: “For service members, it’s easy because there are chaplains in every phase of training upon entering the service. They meet their first chaplain at basic training and will have continued contact with them throughout that training. It is the chaplain's duty to explain their role as their chaplain, and how they and their families can contact them. Outside of training, a Service member and their family should always have ready access to a chaplain throughout their career.” For families, Capt. Gordon explained a process called “deckplate ministry.” This is a Navy term (also known as ‘walking the flight line’ for the Air Force, or ‘walking ministry’ in general) that refers to chaplains walking around their duty-station so Service members and their families can visually see them, and it provides an opportunity to talk. Capt. Gordon also emphasized the importance of chaplains participating in family programs. Chaplains can continue walking ministry at these events and informally meet with them in a relaxed atmosphere and provide them with resources as needed. Collaborative Model Approach to Treatment A collaborative model (i.e., the process of referring someone in need to other mental health professionals and working together as professionals to provide care) is a practice that many chaplains and military mental health professionals incorporate. Because chaplains serve alongside Service members and are in close proximity with them, they are naturally the first in line for providing support for mental health concerns (Howard & Cox, 2008). This may be because chaplains can build a trusting relationship with their unit members more easily. Chaplains provide initial services and refer Service members to trained mental health professionals when needed (Besterman-Dahan et al., 2012). Successful collaborative models include close collaboration between chaplains and mental health professionals from initial patient contact through termination of services (Howard & Cox, 2008). Capt. Gordon emphasized the importance of this model, saying: “Chaplains are there to compliment the counselor. Many chaplains will try to foster a solid relationship with the unit’s counselor [and] use it as a complimentary resource. If there’s something out of the scope of a chaplain’s abilities or vice versa, both sides should be able to use each other. A chaplain can pray for anybody, but a chaplain's counseling may not be enough compared to a professional counselor's technique.” Common Myths and Assumptions As is the case with many services, there are some common assumptions about military chaplains. Capt. Gordon has busted common myths throughout his career, the most common being that chaplain services are only available to a Service member: “That’s not true, we’re available to anyone who carries a military ID card. Could be a spouse, a dependent, a contractor; as long as you have a Department of Defense ID card, you will have access to our services.” Additionally, one barrier to accessing mental health services seen within the military is fear that mental health providers will disclose private client information, and that a Service member’s ability to progress in their career may be obstructed (Evans, 2021). Ethical standards involving confidentiality within mental health disciplines ensure the protection of clients’ privacy by not disclosing their personal information or therapy contents to others (American Psychological Association, 2017). However, Service member mental health care information may be revealed to commanders if one or more of the following criteria is met (Evans, 2021): 1. “Threats to personal or public safety (harm to self/others), harm to mission, or deployment readiness 2. Acute medical conditions that interfere with duty, including inpatient psychiatric hospitalization and substance abuse treatment 3. Judicial, law enforcement, and administrative proceedings; special sensitive personnel; or specialized government functions 4. Personnel accountability” Chaplains on the other hand maintain “absolute confidentiality.” Capt. Gordon explained absolute confidentiality, saying: “Our confidentiality by law is absolute. This is because of the sacramental right of some faith traditions that confessions made in religious repentance are kept in total confidence with the chaplain. It’s an official policy and military law. There should always be someone a Service member can talk to without fear of repercussion. It is a powerful tool and ensures people are getting the help they need, and fixing problems before they become huge problems.” It is important to note that chaplains are equipped to maintain absolute confidentiality while still ensuring the safety of all the parties involved. For example, if a Service member plans to harm themselves, their chaplain can encourage them to seek services to improve their wellbeing. Additionally, their chaplain can continue to meet with the Service member until they are receptive to meeting with a mental health professional. A Chaplain's Presence and Impact Despite these negative assumptions about meeting with chaplains, there are many positive assumptions people have about the Chaplain Corps. While it can be easy to find the flaws within a system, Capt. Gordon still had a lot of good to say about his Corps: “A good assumption is ‘the chaplain is always there.’ There should always be a chaplain in every forward deployed unit, no matter what size. A good chaplain will boost morale and aid in lowering mental health problems. People assume we’re just spiritual folks, we’re just there to pray and we provide nothing else for the unit. Obviously, that’s not true. When a chaplain walks into a room, it brings a spiritual consciousness and a sense of the presence of the divine. It gets people thinking, and back to a reality that’s more than just a ‘warrior ethos’. We bring a sense of humanity back into the soldier. We’re there to keep the balance so they don’t lose sight of who they are as people. It’s a very good thing.” Chaplains continue to play a vital role in our military today. Whether performing religious services, mentoring Service members, or being advocates for Service members and their families’ wellbeing, it is safe to assume that chaplains are dedicated to improving our Service member and their families lives, and therefore the military, every day. To learn more about chaplain services or how to find a chaplain at your installation, check out Military OneSource guide, “The unit chaplain: Roles and responsibilities”. RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code Besterman-Dahan, K., Gibbons, S. W., Barnett, S. D., & Hickling, E. J. (2012). The role of military chaplains in mental health care of the deployed service member. Military Medicine, 177(9), 1028–1033. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-12-00071 Evans, C. (2021). Confidentiality, chaplains, and the military. Military Health System. https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Psychological-Health-Center-of-Excellence/Clinicians-Corner-Blog/Confidentiality-Chaplains-and-the-Military Howard, M. D., & Cox, R. P. (2008, April). Collaborative intervention: A model for coordinated treatment of mental health issues within a ground combat unit. Military Medicine, 173(4), 339–348. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED.173.4.339 Morgan, J. K., Hourani, L., Lane, M. E., & Tueller, S. (2016). Help-seeking behaviors among active-duty military personnel: Utilization of chaplains and other mental health service providers. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 22(3), 102–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2016.1171598 Otis, P. (2009). An overview of the U.S. military chaplaincy: A ministry of presence and practice. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 7(4), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2009.9523410 U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. (2015, January 28). The Army Historical Foundation. https://armyhistory.org/u-s-army-chaplain-corps/ MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: 02/23/2022 2017 - 2022 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan
PRIORITIZING VETERANS' VOICES AS A UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN
Most public universities identify as “veteran friendly” campuses, and frequently provide outreach events and programs for veterans to help build a sense of community and support system for these students. While the intentions of the universities are good, as a student veteran, I often found myself not wanting to participate in these events, as they often felt insincere and unattuned with military culture, customs, and norms. Anecdotally, these events felt infantilizing to me personally, (use of military terminology like “Basic Training”, “Bootcamp”), or too boilerplate (overuse of red, white, and blue, bunting, and being overtly patriotic. In this piece, I will share about my role as a faculty librarian, the lens through which I develop and design veteran programs, and my call to action for those who design and facilitate programs for veterans. From Student Veteran to Faculty Librarian As a university librarian, I interface with student veterans regularly. I have begun to branch out and begin various programming and outreach efforts at my institution, and my goal is to prioritize veteran voices in authentic and respectful ways. Specific departments at universities often develop and implement programming or events for veterans, including advising offices, veteran centers, and libraries. Outreach and programming are considered an implicit part of librarians’ duties. Part of my role involves developing events, book displays, instruction opportunities and outreach efforts for a variety of student populations, including student veterans. Sometimes this outreach looks like “roving reference” within the veteran center where I visit our campus veteran center and sit down with my laptop, making myself physically available for any questions or reference help in a veteran centric space. Other times this outreach can look like curating a specific book display for resources related to veteran issues, or it can involve creating independent study opportunities for student veterans interested in research. Veteran Critical Theory and Program Development Veteran Critical Theory (VCT) is one lens that I apply to my work, and it has been instrumental when designing and implementing programming. VCT stems from the burgeoning field of Veteran Studies, which investigates the multifaceted experiences of veterans and military families. These investigations include the various intersections of power structures, identities, and individual experiences that both veterans and military families can experience and encounter. Considering that Veteran Studies is a relatively new field of study, VCT has been one of the most critical and inclusive theories that attempts to center veteran voices in Veteran Studies discourse. I utilize VCT as a framework within my own work because of how much it centers veteran voices and the intersections of different identities. Proposed by Phillips and Lincoln, VCT attempts to view the structures and systems that affect veterans through a critical lens. VCT is heavily influenced through other critical theories like feminist theory, critical race theory, deficit-thinking, border theory, and intersectionality among others. VCT consists of 11 tenets that I will briefly explain below: Structures, policies, and processes privileges civilians over veterans In direct relation to higher education, Phillips writes that “today’s colleges, universities, and trade schools are most often led by civilians, taught by civilians, and paradigmatically run with a traditional-aged civilian student in mind” (pg. 600, 2017). This conception of what a “student” is can lead to veterans and other military affiliated students being inadvertently disadvantaged. Consider any aspects that may be making it difficult for veterans to engage with your program. For example, student veterans often have responsibilities outside of just school (jobs, spouses, children, caregiving) – are you offering your program or event during a time when people with families or school-aged children would be able to attend? Additionally, try to validate military experiences and skills. For example, if you are hosting an event about hiring student employees, don’t just emphasize internships as work experience – be explicit that your department accepts military work experience. Acknowledge that it can often be difficult for veterans to translate their military work experience to civilian jobs and encourage any employers to consider all applicable experience when applying. Veterans experience various forms of oppression and marginalization including microaggressions. A common microaggression veterans experience is denial of privacy. Many civilians often approach conversations with veterans expecting a veteran to tell their story. Acknowledge that often veterans want to be perceived from a holistic perspective and they are not the sum of their military experience. Veterans are victims of deficit thinking in higher education. Phillips writes “in the case of student veterans, deficits or more often perceived deficits are blamed on the student veteran when they are more likely a fault of the civilian-oriented and civilian-privileging structures of higher education institutions. Programs that focus on student veteran retention and academic success may be using civilian measures that do not accurately gauge student veteran success.” (pg. 661, 2017). When applied to veterans, deficit-thinking places the burden of reform and correction onto veterans. Assess any outreach efforts from a critical perspective – are you unintentionally promoting deficit-thinking instead of valuing the strengths and unique perspectives that veterans and military affiliated individuals may bring to the table? This can be as simple as reframing any questions or statements to a more positive or affirming light or moving away from the idea that veterans need to conform to a “civilian” mindset after they leave from the military. What ways can you assist a veteran in the transition from military to civilian? Are there ways you can provide direct support? Veterans occupy a third space (country) on the border of multiple conflicting and interacting power structures, languages, and systems. Recognize that veterans experience multiple cultures and identities, including that of being a civilian and being in the military. This often requires intentional shifts in things like behavior and language to assimilate to the “dominate” culture. VCT values narratives and counternarratives of veterans. Veterans are not a monolith, and their experiences are as unique as their service! One size fits all programming won’t work for everyone. What are the ways you can incorporate other perspectives and frameworks into your programming? Within my own work, I try to seek out diverse perspectives from veterans, and this usually looks like refraining from assuming all veterans are men, all veterans were “soldiers” or that all veterans were in combat. Even the experience of being a veteran can be contested among veterans – some veterans don’t feel that their military experience is core to their personal identity, while others place a lot of value and stock in their veteran identity. Structuring your outreach or programming to only serve the latter is doing a disservice to other veterans with counter narratives to what the popular depiction of a veteran is. Veterans experience multiple identities at once. While veteran status is considered a “protected” class, the identity of being a veteran is unique. Other identities (racial, ethnic, gender, sexuality) have intersecting and compounding effects on the veteran experience. Queer veterans, women veterans, or veterans of color may not be inclined to participate in programming targeted towards the broader “veteran” population. Is your programming or event only serving or appealing to one type of veteran? Veterans are constructed (written) by civilians, often as deviant characters. Aligned with deficit-thinking, the characterization of veterans as “deviant” characters run deep, and our assumptions of how veterans think, and act impact the services we provide. While it’s true that many veterans experience complex traumas, it is unfair to assume that all veterans have experienced the same things or react the same way. Overuse of generalized stereotypes (having PTSD, struggling with violence and aggression) not only further marginalizes the veterans who do experience these conditions, but also delegitimize veterans who do not. Veterans are more appropriately positioned to inform policy and practices regarding veterans. Ask the veterans around you for input on your programming! All too often veterans are excluded from the planning and design of programming meant for them. What ways can you imbed yourself within your local veteran community? Some services advertised to serve veterans are ultimately serving civilian interests. Showing interest and care in the community beyond your own programming efforts can go a long way in establishing trust and respect between your institution and the veteran community. Veterans cannot be essentialized. We cannot distill down veteran identity into a list of traits, and our programming should strive to be adaptable and reflective of whatever veteran community we are serving. Veteran culture is built on a culture of respect, honor, and trust. Recognize the uniqueness of military culture and work towards applying some of these values into your programming and framing many of the skills veterans have as a positive instead of focusing on any perceived deficits. The Impact of Applying Veteran Critical Theory to Veteran Programming VCT strives to uplift veteran voices while deconstructing negative stereotypes and paradigms about who veterans are, and the best ways to better serve them. By reviewing outreach efforts through a more critical lens, we open the door to more authentic and genuine connections. One of my biggest accomplishments this past year was securing funding for a library research assistant. This paid opportunity was made specifically for a veteran or military affiliated student and serves as an additional avenue for our campus veterans to have a voice in the research and outreach happening within their community. The goal of this position was to allow a student veteran to be directly involved in my research which seeks to understand how veterans on our campus interact with programming. The more veteran voices I can include within my work, both in my own faculty research and library outreach programming, the more I can help dismantle the monolithic understanding of what it means to be a veteran. My hope is that this research can serve as an opportunity for the diverse opinions of our veteran students to be heard and respected. A Call to Action Support for veterans can look wildly different depending on a variety of factors, but I encourage all folks to consider the tenets of VCT and the ways in which these tenets can be applied in real life; whether that looks like an employer encouraging military work experience or an educator providing classroom support to a veteran while affirming their experiences rather than expecting them to conform to civilian norms. My passion is leveraging diverse veteran voices through outreach and programming, and I believe the framework of VCT is one tool which can help us be more reflective and intentional about how we serve, perceive, and develop programs for our veterans.
Theory Series: Social Organization Theory of Action and Change
Theory Series: Social Organization Theory of Action and Change By: Emily Hanson This month, Military REACH continues the Theory Series, by diving into the social organization theory of action and change (Mancini & Bowen, 2013). We will provide an overview of the model and provide context for how military families and communities can benefit from its implementation. Overview: Social Organization Theory of Action and Change The social organization theory of action and change (Mancini & Bowen, 2009, 2013; Mancini et al., 2018) is a framework used to identify the processes (i.e., creating shared responsibility and trust to support communities) and antecedents (i.e., networks and resources that are available and currently established in the community) required to promote community capacity. Community capacity is the extent to which community resources are leveraged to solve problems, maintain well-being, and foster resilience, and is composed of two essential elements: collective competence and shared responsibility. When a community is collectively competent, it demonstrates the ability to mobilize resources and embrace opportunities to address families’ needs. Likewise, communities must also exhibit a shared responsibility; that is, a genuine care for one another and willingness to offer help. To achieve collective competence and shared responsibility, certain structures must be in place to facilitate social connection and achieve resilience. Social Organization and Change Model (Mancini & Bowen, 2009) Community conditions and characteristics, or the physical and social infrastructure are important antecedents to adequately address community needs. It is not simply the existence of these structures, though, that build community capacity; ideally, these structures are created intentionally with the community in mind. The physical infrastructure (e.g., safe roads for travel, places to gather) should serve to facilitate social processes which, in turn, create support networks (e.g., relationships with friends, social service programs) for individuals and families. Implications for Military Families and Communities Approximately 70% of military families live in civilian communities (Sonethavilay, 2019) and move, on average, every 2-3 years (Office of People Analytics, 2023). This transitional nature can disrupt social connection (O’Neal et al., 2016; O’Neal et al., 2020); however, when families can establish a sense of community in both a military and civilian context, there are greater opportunities for support. Communities can best support military families when they are collectively competent; that is, communities have infrastructure and resources that are sensitive to military family needs. This means creating partnerships and programs with military families in mind. Communities: Building culturally sensitive resources Establish multidisciplinary partnerships. Military families can benefit from connections with both the military and civilian community (Akin et al., 2020). Multidisciplinary and collaborative partnerships are beneficial to community capacity because they combine respective strengths to achieve a shared vision. For example, • The Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership connects military spouses with corporate and non-profit organizations that have committed to hire, promote, and retain military spouses. • The 4-H Military Partnership is a collaboration between the military and land grant universities to provide military families with learning opportunities, mentorship, and other activities. Incorporate military cultural competence into service delivery. While not all families are the same, military families do have common shared experiences such as deployment, spouse unemployment, and school transitions after relocation. Helping professionals may not know they are serving military families, so it is important to identify them in order to provide tailored solutions and in turn, develop more trust and participation. For example, • The Star Behavioral Health Providers program connects military families with therapists who have completed training on military culture. • The Military Child Education Coalition provides a two-day professional development course for individuals working with military-connected children (e.g., guidance counselors, school nurses, social workers). This course teaches participants how to best support military-connected children and bolster resilience in response to military-specific stressors. Military Families: Achieving a sense of community Take advantage of community resources to cultivate social support, connection, and integration. Military families should feel like they can turn to civilian social networks, programs, and organizations for support. When these resources are made with military families in mind, social connections are more easily developed and can help bolster families’ resilience. By building a sense of community, Service members and their families can achieve not only a sense of meaning and purpose (Jetten et al., 2017), but also long-term psychological well-being (O’Neal et al., 2016). • Seek out events that connect military families to one another as well as the larger community. Help new families navigate community resources once you’re settled. When military families can fully participate in their community, they develop a sense of community and shared responsibility, which can lead to a reciprocal relationship in which they help to further these support networks and help future families. Although it is important to integrate into the civilian community, the shared culture among military families is powerful and can help protect against stressors and challenges (Conforte et al., 2017). • Apply to be a sponsor for incoming families to help them adjust to the community. The social organization theory of action and change serves as a useful guide to identifying community strengths as well as gaps in services. Communities can use this framework to create or enhance partnerships that address military families’ needs and establish opportunities for social connection. When opportunities for connection exist, families can take advantage of them, feel a sense of belonging within the community, and reciprocate this benefit to others. References Conforte, A. M., Bakalar, J. L., Shank, L. M., Quinlan, J., Stephens, M. B., Sbrocco, T., & Tanofsky-Kraff, M. (2017). Assessing military community support: Relations among perceived military community support, child psychosocial adjustment, and parent psychosocial adjustment. Military Medicine, 182(9–10), 1871–1878. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-17-00016 Jetten, J., Haslam, S. A., Cruwys, T., Greenaway, K. H., Haslam, C., & Steffens, N. K. (2017). Advancing the social identity approach to health and well-being: Progressing the social cure research agenda. European Journal of Social Psychology, 47(7), 789–802. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2333 Mancini, J. A. & Bowen, G. L. (2009). Community resilience: A social organization theory of action and change. In J. A. Mancini & K. A. Roberto (Eds.), Pathways of human development: Explorations of change (pp. 245–265). Lexington Books. Mancini, J. A., & Bowen, G. L. (2013). Families and communities: A social organization theory of action and change. In G. W. Peterson & K. R. Bush (Eds.), Handbook of marriage and the family (pp. 781–813). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3987-5_32 Mancini, J. A., O’Neal, C. W., Martin, J. A., & Bowen, G. L. (2018). Community social organization and military families: Theoretical perspectives on transitions, contexts, and resilience. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 10(3), 550–565. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12271 Office of People Analytics. (2023). Results from the 2021 Active Duty Spouse Survey (ADSS). Department of Defense. https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Presentations/2021-active-duty-spouse-overview-briefing.pdf O’Neal, C. W., Mancini, J. A., & DeGraff, A. (2016). Contextualizing the psychosocial well-being of military members and their partners: The importance of community and relationship provisions. American Journal of Community Psychology, 58(3–4), 477–487. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12097 O’Neal, C. W., Richardson, E. W., & Mancini, J. A. (2020). Community, context, and coping: How social connections influence coping and well-being for military members and their spouses. Family Process, 59(1), 158–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12395 Sonethavilay, H., Akin, J. L., Strong, J. D., Maury, R. V., Linsner Uveges, R., Hunt, K., Preston Page, A., & Pierce, L. (2019). Blue Star Families 2019 military family lifestyle survey: Comprehensive report. Blue Star Families. https://bluestarfam.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/BSF-2019-Survey-Comprehensive-Report-Digital-rev200305.pdf
Moral Injury: What Is It and How Can Professionals Assist?
Moral Injury: What Is It and How Can Professionals Assist? Lily Annino, Undergraduate Research Assistant Imagine you’re a Service member. Your commanding officer has reason to believe that certain civilians are making bombs at home and will use them against the public. Your unit is tasked with breaking in and finding the bombs. Entering the home is necessary to the mission – but you’ve been told your entire life that breaking into a person’s home is wrong and a violation of their privacy (not to mention against the law). However, you have a mission to fulfill. So, you break in, regardless of your inhibitions. The above scenario is one example of an event that could lead to moral injury. Moral injury is any act, whether perpetrated or witnessed, that may conflict with personal morals or beliefs (Douglas, 2022). While we often think of this conflict in the context of war, other examples of potential moral injury include abuse, rape, and violence (Moral Injury Project, n.d.). And although moral injury may have lasting effects on someone’s life (Litz et al., 2009), it’s still a concept of which many people aren’t fully aware. This article will explain moral injury and discuss some ways that mental health professionals can help Service members and Veterans work through issues related to it. Moral injury is more common than we realize among Service members and Veterans, and it can lead to negative outcomes, such as co-occurring PTSD (Maguen et al., 2022). In one study, 41.8% of veterans reported experiencing at least one form of moral injury; the majority had been betrayed by others or suffered a transgression (Wisco et al., 2017). Dealing with extreme levels of guilt and regret without understanding what you’re going through can be confusing. At the same time, being able to talk to your provider about what you’re dealing with and learning that it’s not abnormal are helpful for Service members (Douglas, 2022). Professionals familiar with the concept of moral injury and with therapeutic approaches that focus on acceptance and self-forgiveness can be beneficial for people working through the effects of moral injury (Maguen & Norman, 2022). Find the best therapist for you. Finding a therapist is like test-driving a car – it’s okay to take your time finding the best fit. It’s important for you to express your experiences freely without having to constantly explain details (e.g., defining acronyms, describing job-specific duties) that are well-known to those in the service (Douglas, 2022). Seek out a therapist who understands military culture and your unique experience as a Service member or Veteran. Connect with your chaplain. Therapists and counselors are trained to help Service members work through moral injury. In addition, military chaplains (i.e., U.S. military’s educated, religious leaders who provide services to Service members and their families) will talk with you regardless of your faith or beliefs. Chaplains combine their knowledge of military culture with their own resource awareness to help those in need. Connecting with a chaplain could benefit you during your healing process. Surround yourself with your support system. According to Chesnut and colleagues, moral injury can lead to the potential impairment of social well-being, social support, and social relationships (Chesnut et al., 2020). Re-engaging with your communities, friends, and family, and increasing your social support may help you in your struggle with moral injury. Moral injury is difficult to deal with due to its negative psychological effects. Nonetheless, there are ways to work through the challenges – such as receiving mental health services – and continue moving forward. If you feel you may be struggling with decisions your service requires of you, surround yourself with your support system and know that there are trained professionals who can help you work through these emotions. To continue learning about moral injury, check out the Military REACH library and access current research summaries, reports, and other educational resources, released monthly. References Chesnut, R. P., Richardson, C. B., Morgan, N. R., Bleser, J. A., Perkins, D. F., Vogt, D., …. Finley, E. (2020). Moral injury and social well-being: A growth curve analysis. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 33(4), 587-597. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22567 Douglas, C. V. (2022). A phenological study and investigation of moral Injury with veterans. [Doctoral dissertation, Liberty University]. Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3722 Litz, B. T., Stein, N., Delaney, E., Lebowitz, L., Nash, W. P., Silva, C., & Maguen, S. (2009). Moral injury and moral repair in war veterans: A preliminary model and intervention strategy. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(8), 695–706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.07.003 Maguen, S., Griffin, B., Copeland, L., Perkins, D., Richardson, C., Finley, E., & Vogt, D. (2022). Trajectories of functioning in a population-based sample of veterans: Contributions of moral injury, PTSD, and depression. Psychological Medicine, 52(12), 2332-2341. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720004249 Maguen, S., & Norman, S. B. (2022). Moral Injury. National Center for PTSD. 33(1), 1-9. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/rq_docs/V33N1.pdf The Moral Injury Project. (n.d.). What is moral injury? Syracuse University. https://moralinjuryproject.syr.edu/about-moral-injury/the-moral-injury-project/ Wisco, B. E., Marx, B. P., May, C. L., Martini, B., Krystal, J. H., Southwick, S. M., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2017). Moral injury in U.S. combat veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Depression and Anxiety, 34, 340–347. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22614
Financial Stress and Relationship Satisfaction
Drs O'Neal, Lucier-Greer, and colleagues recently published a study that explores how financial anxiety among Service members (*N*=1,480) can impact their romantic relationships—and how couples can work together to ease that stress and build a stronger connection. Stay tuned for the upcoming research summary. The University of Georgia featured their research in a recent issue of UGA Today: “When finances feel overwhelming and/or the relationship feels overwhelming, it’s so important to have shared financial decision making or an agreement on spending,” O’Neal said. “You can’t solve all of the big problems, but you can focus on making sure that your partner and yourself are both engaged in financial decisions, that you both have a voice, and that you’re hearing each other and accounting for what the other one values.”
Melissa Garnes Receives Prestigious Student Excellence Award
During Melissa Garnes' time as a student, she served as an undergraduate research assistant with Military REACH where she made significant contributions to our team, she completed a research fellowship, leading to a publication (starting on page 76), and she interned for the Rural Health Initiative to connect rural Alabamians to health care. She was an exceptional student and her dedication and accomplishments were recognized with the College of Human Sciences' prestigious Student Excellence Award. Learn more about Melissa, her achievements, and the exciting plans she has for the future.
Auburn University Research Symposium
This month, Auburn University hosted its annual research symposium. The goal is for students to have the opportunity to present their research and scholarly discoveries to their peers and colleagues. Among the presenters were two members of the Military REACH team, Emily Hanson and Melike Coskun, PhD students. Read about their presentations below. What matters and for whom? Risk and protective factors associated with food insecurity severity among military-connected families Presenter: Emily Hanson, PhD Student and REACH Research Associate Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that Service members experience food insecurity at nearly twice the rate of civilians. Indicators of financial instability tend to explain many antecedents to food insecurity among civilians, yet risk factors of food insecurity may be different for military-connected families (active duty and Veteran). Active-duty families have access to a regular income and other resources positioned to promote economic stability. However, for these currently serving families, the military lifestyle can also be highly mobile, introducing unique barriers to stability (e.g., spouse unemployment). For formerly serving (i.e., Veteran) families, differences in the civilian job market and community systems at play may impact employment and access to resources, all possible risk factors of food security and resource utilization. There are also unique facilitators that can bolster well-being among this population, such as shared culture and social support. The primary objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among 1,304 military-connected families – both active duty and Veteran – who participate in Blue Star Families, a nonprofit with the mission of strengthening military families by creating communities of support. Multinomial logistic regression models identified risk (e.g., unemployment, number of children) and protective factors (e.g., nonprofit support) associated with the severity of food insecurity. These models were fit separately based on military status, specifically, active-duty Service members, active-duty spouses, Veterans, and Veteran spouses. Findings are positioned to advance the conversation on the prevalence of food security, assist in the screening and identification of families at risk of food insecurity, and enhance understanding of how nonprofits can support at-risk families. Exploring prenatal predictors of childhood obesity in a comprehensive literature review Presenter: Melike Coskun, PhD Student and REACH Graduate Research Assistant Abstract: Childhood obesity is a significant health issue in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), data from 2017 to 2020 show that almost 1 in 5 children and adolescents were obese. In Alabama, the CDC reported that in 2023, nearly 2 in 5 people (39.2%) had obesity, ranking Alabama as the fifth highest state for obesity. Childhood obesity is linked to a wide range of health problems, including stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma, depression, anxiety, chronic diseases, and increased morbidity later in life (Ayine et al., 2020). In 2019, the medical cost of obesity among children was $1.3 billion US dollars. Therefore, identifying the early life risk factors for childhood obesity is essential to implementing effective prevention. Most research has focused largely on identifying the risk factors for childhood obesity during early and late childhood, including high birth weight, excessive weight gain, shorter breastfeeding duration, problematic eating patterns, poor nutritional diet, lack of physical activity, poor sleep, and sociodemographic factors. However, emerging evidence highlights the importance of identifying the risk factors as early as prenatal periods. The primary aim of this literature review is to explore the perinatal risk factors for childhood obesity, with a specific focus on the mother’s gestational weight gain or prior obesity, tobacco use, poor maternal nutrition and diet, sleep problems, lack of physical activity, and maternal psychological problems during pregnancy (Baidal et al., 2016; Córdoba-Rodríguez et al., 2022; Sacco et al., 2013; Qureshi et al., 2018). The literature review will be guided by the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework, which suggests that environmental factors during early life can permanently affect the onset of health problems by increasing the risk of diseases in later life (Lacagnina, 2019).
Military REACH at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
While abroad this month on official duty, Drs. Lucier-Greer and O'Neal visited Spangdahlem Air Base. They connected with Military Family Readiness consultants to brief them about how Military REACH can be a tool for creating a research-informed culture of service provision at their Military and Family Readiness Center. If your team or organization would like a brief, virtual briefing on the mission of Military REACH and the products that our team produces, contact us at MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu.
Military REACH presents at the Military & Family Readiness Foundational Course
This month, Military REACH presented at the Military and Family Readiness Foundational Course for the Department of the Air Force at Maxwell Air Force Base. We connected with Military Family Readiness consultants from around the world to share how Military REACH can be a tool for creating a research-informed culture of service provision at their local Military and Family Readiness Centers. If your team or organization would like a brief, virtual briefing on the mission of Military REACH and the products that our team produces, please contact us as MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu.
DR. DAVINA QUICHOCHO DEFENDS HER DISSERTATION
Dr. Davina Quichocho (pronounced Key-chu-chu) has served as a Military REACH Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) since fall 2019. She’s been a vital member of our team, and her experiences as a military child allowed her to bring a unique perspective to our meetings, discussions, and products. The primary tasks she worked on for Military REACH were Translating Research Into Action (TRIP) Reports, Research Reports, and Research In Action articles. During her time with our team, she was also a core member of the TRIP Efficacy Study team and a mentor to our other students. Dr. Quichocho recently defended her dissertation titled, “Translating and Applying Recent Research on Military Family Life: A Preliminary Examination of the Efficacy of Mobile-Application-Based Professional Development for Military Human and Family Service Professionals,” and she accepted a faculty position at Purdue University in their Human Development and Family Studies Department. We connected with her to reflect on her time as a GRA with Military REACH and to learn more about her experiences: 1. What advice can you share with future students when selecting a major professor? Find a good research match for yourself, because a Ph.D. degree almost always involves participation in research. It is important to look at a professor’s academic resume and to make sure they are studying something that interests you because you will likely have to write a dissertation on the subject. Learn about their mentorship style. There are some people who go into a Ph.D. program who know how to manage their time well and like creating their own goals, so they may only need to meet with their professor once a month to stay on track. I do much better meeting more regularly. Dr. Greer and I have a standing appointment every week, and at the end of every meeting, we create actionable next steps. In between those meetings, I can send her an email regarding my progress, and she always responds quickly. Learn where your potential professor is in their career. Will they be going on a sabbatical in the next few years? Will that throw off your plans if they do that? Finances are also something to consider. If the professor you want to work with does not have the funding to support you in the program, it is crucial to know whether that is a deal-breaker for you or not. 2. What skills were you able to hone during your assistantship? There are many skills I have been able to hone… I learned how to work on a multidisciplinary team where everyone has different knowledge and skillsets. I have always been interested in studying military families, but some of the other Graduate Research Assistants are researching related topics that I do not know much about, so I learned to work well with others despite differences we may have in varying areas. I learned to give constructive feedback in a supportive way because the last thing you want to do is demoralize your teammates. I learned how to critique research intelligently. When you first start critiquing research it is easy to only look for what is being done wrong, but when you work with someone like Dr. Greer who regularly conducts research, she is good at looking for the effort to get to the key takeaways of the study. There is no such thing as perfect research, so being able to pull the implications from the findings is key. I have made great improvements in taking findings and translating those into implications for both families and professionals. 3. How did your role as a Graduate Research Assistant with Military REACH change over time? I followed Dr. Greer from Florida State University to Auburn University, and the Military REACH grant was something Dr. Greer achieved in the first couple of weeks of being here. She is incredible. In the beginning stages of my assistantship, much of my role was dreaming big with her about Military REACH, from the design of the TRIP Report to how we wanted the website to look and function. Website development is not my area of expertise, but one thing I love about this team is that everyone gets invited to do things they are good at, but they also get invited to challenge themselves and create a space to grow. Once we had the foundation for the website, I started to help Dr. Greer come up with our report card to score military family research articles. That was a very iterative process because research is such a mixture of science and art. Then, I began to write TRIP Reports, which is basically taking an article and summarizing the important details into two pages of information. I also helped with larger research reports by browsing the literature for pieces that could be useful in writing these reports. Later in my graduate years, I helped with the work of the TRIP Efficacy Study to test the effectiveness of our products on the Military REACH website. The study was geared toward helping professionals, and we sent them various TRIP Reports, they viewed them in an app and then completed different surveys throughout the duration of the study. Finally, I moved from writing TRIP reports to helping review them for accuracy and conciseness. I enjoyed that because I read the great work from the students and went in to polish it up. I brought fresh eyes to the report, and I brought my experience and skills because I have written about 50 TRIP reports! 4. What’s been your favorite project to assist on with Military REACH? I really enjoyed the TRIP Efficacy Study. It was so well organized and executed by our research team. I got to see first-hand how our research question turned into a study and then finally saw the answers to our question. I am fortunate to have gotten to see the project through from start to finish because some studies take decades to complete like Army STARRS; it was a very rewarding experience. 5. When you first started researching military families did anything surprise you, especially since you grew up in a military family? Looking at the research done for military families helped me reflect on my previous experiences. Something that has come up several different times is that the mental health of the civilian spouse in a military family is so important for the well-being of the whole family. Reading into this made me grow a deeper appreciation for my mom, she was my civilian parent. She was coping well with the stressors of military life which enabled our family to build resiliency. This was not surprising to read, but it gave me a wider perspective and greater appreciation for my mom. 6. Congratulations on your new faculty role at Purdue University! What will this role entail? I will be a Clinical Professor in the Human Development and Family Studies program at Purdue University with a heavy focus on teaching. Being able to teach is what I am most excited about because the courses will be focused on application. I really enjoy thinking about implications and how you apply knowledge, so teaching in that realm will enable me to further build that skill. For instance, I will be teaching a course there that is called “Skills for Helping Professionals” where students will be learning things like making empathetic statements, validating clients, and identifying needs. All those things relate directly to writing implications for TRIP reports. The goal of mentoring students is to provide them with the skills and tools so they can excel in their future careers. Dr. Quichocho has been an asset to our team, and we will miss her positive energy around the lab, but we are proud of her accomplishments, and her future students are in the best of hands!
DR. NICK FRYE-COX ACCEPTS FACULTY POSITION
Dr. Nick Frye-Cox has worked with Military REACH as a Post-Doctoral Fellow since August 2019. During his time with Military REACH, Dr. Frye-Cox has been an incredible asset. His primary roles have been reviewing Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) Reports and leading efforts on research reports requested by the Department of Defense. He has also mentored countless students and staff members, making them more knowledgeable about research and how to convey it accurately and concisely. The goal of a Post-Doctoral Fellow in a university setting is to become equipped with the tools and skills that will allow them to launch into an academic career. That’s exactly what Dr. Frye-Cox has done! He recently accepted a faculty position in the Department of Human Sciences and Design at Baylor University in Waco, Texas where he will serve as a professor with many roles to fulfill (e.g., teaching, conducting research). Our team connected with Dr. Frye-Cox to reflect on his time with the project and to learn more about his new career. Continue reading to learn more about his role on our project and what his experience has been. 1. What skills did you bring to the table to fulfill your role with Military REACH, and what skills did you hone during your experience? Before starting my fellowship, I was good at doing basic research that was not applied to people. Research is usually only read by other researchers – and that’s important, but I wanted to use the gifts God has blessed me with to conduct research so it can be applied and help others. REACH has helped me hone my ability to translate research in a way that everyone can understand the key findings and implications. I knew how to do the statistics and measurements, but there is also a mentoring component to research; can I teach graduate and even undergraduate students how to conduct research in a way that they will understand it? It takes a different skill set to teach students at varying levels of academia, and, during my time working with REACH, I have had many opportunities to practice my teaching skills. Reviewing TRIP reports lent me a platform to learn how to give feedback in an encouraging way. 2. What does it mean to be a Post-Doctoral Fellow for Military REACH? What are your different tasks? Since I first got here, I always told Dr. Lucier-Greer, REACH Project Director, and Dr. O’Neal, REACH Co-Investigator, that my job is to make their lives easier. I have gotten to work on a lot of different projects during my time here: I have reviewed TRIP reports, led the efforts on research reports (e.g., delegating tasks, ensuring deadlines were met), worked with graduate and undergraduate students in a mentorship capacity, and so much more. 3. You’ve led several research reports and have reviewed hundreds of TRIP reports. What topics have interested you the most and why? Topics about couples, mental health, and emotion regulation always stand out to me. It is interesting to look at how a person chooses to identify, process, and express their emotions and how it affects their relationships. I have always been interested in studying relationships and the different factors that affect their quality. It is one of my main focuses in research. 4. Regarding military family science, what topics do you think need more research to improve/strengthen the knowledge base? Often when I examine studies on the military, researchers do not have a detailed explanation as to why they are conducting their study when a similar research topic has been conducted among civilians. For example, “Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are more common in veterans, and that is why we are going to do more research on this population.” That is not a very detailed reason why ACEs are more common in veterans. We also need to look at military families through more of a strength-based lens. Military families do face stressors that are unique to them, but they also have many protective and resilience factors that can help them navigate these obstacles. Also, I think that we should research military families to get a better picture of how military life affects the family as a unit, and how each stressor impacts every member differently. 5. What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a Post-Doctoral Fellow in family science? 1) Find a topic you are interested in and look for programs that are related to that topic. If you are interested in military family research, it is important to remember that military families are families first, but they also experience unique stressors. If you have an interest in those unique stressors, then studying military families might be a good idea. 2) You must be comfortable with the people you will be working with, so go where you feel supported and where your team won’t let you fail. I found that support at Auburn. I am also getting that at Baylor. Being a faculty member can be a lot of work, but I know that I have the support from the faculty at Baylor, and they will help me in any way that they can. It is a great feeling knowing that the people surrounding you have your back. 3) Collaboration is key in research. The best ideas come from collaboration and a good working environment. Dr. Lucier-Greer has taught me the importance of forming good relationships. The work being done is the most important thing, but if people want to work with you, things will come a lot easier. In the REACH lab, we are all so comfortable with each other that it makes doing projects together so much better. 6. You accepted a faculty member at Baylor University. Can you share what this role will entail, and what are you most excited about? I am going to be an Assistant Professor focusing heavily on research, and I will be teaching a few classes as well. I am excited to move to a bigger city and start something new. I will get to take all the knowledge that Dr. Lucier-Greer and Dr. O’Neal have given me and use it to start my own projects and pay their hard work forward. I want to continue working on research projects to support military families, but it will just be in a different place. Dr. Frye-Cox has been a dedicated member of the Military REACH team, and we have always known he was going to excel and do incredible things – both while serving REACH and after his time with us. We are over-the-moon excited for him and his family, but we must say that Baylor’s gain is certainly our loss!
2021 EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH ON MILITARY AND VETERAN FAMILIES AWARD
This month, the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) presented the awards for the 2021 Barbara Thompson Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. The meeting included the presentation of the award and a panel discussion from experts in the field. A recording the event will be available at a later date and 1.5 continuing education credits (CEUs) will be available. And without further ado, the 2021 winner and finalists of the Barbara Thompson Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families award are… 2021 AWARD WINNER THE PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION OF EMOTION DURING SOCIAL INTERACTIONS: VAGAL FLEXIBILITY MODERATES THE EFFECTS OF A MILITARY PARENTING INTERVENTION ON FATHER INVOLVEMENT IN A RANDOMIZED TRIAL Zhang, N., Hoch, J., & Gewirtz, A. H. (2020). The physiological regulation of emotion during social interactions: Vagal flexibility moderates the effects of a military parenting intervention on father involvement in a randomized trial. Prevention Science, 21, 691-701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01122-6 2021 AWARD FINALIST PARENTAL WARTIME DEPLOYMENT AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF MILITARY PARENTS’ PERCEIVED THREAT DURING DEPLOYMENT Hajal, N. J., Aralis, H. J., Kiff, C. J., Wasserman, M. M., Paley, B., Milburn, N. G., ... & Lester, P. (2020). Parental wartime deployment and socioemotional adjustment in early childhood: The critical role of military parents’ perceived threat during deployment. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 33(3), 307-317. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22475 2021 AWARD FINALIST A DYADIC EXAMINATION OF DRINKING BEHAVIORS WITHIN MILITARY-CONNECTED COUPLES Lee, J. D., O’Neill, A. S., Denning, E. C., Mohr, C. D., & Hammer, L. B. (2020). A dyadic examination of drinking behaviors within military-connected couples. Military Behavioral Health, 8(4), 396–409. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2020.1825241 2021 AWARD FINALIST PERCEIVED PARTNER RESPONSIVENESS, PAIN, AND SLEEP: A DYADIC STUDY OF MILITARY-CONNECTED COUPLES O’Neill, A. S., Mohr, C. D., Bodner, T. E., & Hammer, L. B. (2020). Perceived partner responsiveness, pain, and sleep: A dyadic study of military-connected couples. Health Psychology, 39(12), 1089-1099. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/hea0001035 Since 2015, MFRI at Purdue University has worked to recognize military family and Veteran research through the Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. In 2019, the Excellence in Research on Military and Family Veteran Award was renamed after Barbara Thompson due to her extensive military and Veteran families’ service. The primary goals of the award are to: Bring awareness to the new research available on military and Veteran families across disciplines, and to the issues faced by military and Veteran families Celebrate rigorous scientific research and advocate for evidence-informed policies and practices for our military and Veteran families Build and strengthen relationships between researchers and practitioners who are focused on military and Veteran families There is a rigorous process implemented to select the winning paper. No nominations or applications are accepted, and authors do not know their work is being considered. Instead, a large panel of accomplished scholars examines relevant articles published during the eligible year identified by the Military REACH team. Then, through multiple rounds of reviews that include standardized quantitative assessments, they arrive at their final selection.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER’S STUDY PUBLISHED IN AUJUS AND PRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE
We want to celebrate Kristyn Waldron, a previous Military REACH Undergraduate Researcher, on the research fellowship she completed this semester. During her research fellowship, she conducted a study titled “ROTC cadets’ help-seeking attitudes: Examining the role of leadership style” that will be published in the Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship (AUJUS) and presented this month at the national conference, Partnerships for Veteran & Military Health Conference: Inspiring a Community of Care and Connection. The current study sought to answer two research questions: What is the factor structure of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help (Fisher & Farina, 1995) measure among ROTC cadets? How is leadership style associated with help-seeking? This study found that leaders who had a relationship-oriented leadership style (i.e., value relationships, show concern for others, and help group members get along) were more open to seeking help. Additionally, leaders who were able to have socio-cultural conversations (e.g., conversations about social issues, religion, politics) with peers were also more open to seeking treatment. Implications from these findings include promoting relationship-oriented leadership and emphasizing the importance of having socio-cultural conversations across multiple disciplines including businesses, health care settings, military units, and university settings which, in turn, may promote positive mental health within leaders and the individuals they lead. Congratulations, Kristyn! It is an incredible accomplishment to have your work published in a journal and to present the findings at a national conference prior to graduating!
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY ACTION AND CHANGE?
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY ACTION AND CHANGE? Kate Abbate This month’s Mission: Alabama, Who’s responsible for community action and change, is focused on ways the community can build engagement with our Veterans and their families, along with how strengthened engagement is a vital component to a Veteran’s success after transitioning from the service. Dr. Mallory Lucier-Greer and Dr. David Albright provide evidence-based findings on ways the community can build strengthened support and engagement, but they also connected with Alabama Veterans and their families to hear their thoughts on the topic. Read the full article to see what suggestions Veterans and their families have for building support and engagement and to learn more on the impact engagement has on a Veteran’s successful transition after the service. Check out AL.com each month to read their new monthly column. To read previous Mission: Alabama stories, check out the Military REACH website or AL.com. Dr. Mallory Lucier-Greer, associate professor at Auburn University, and Dr. David L. Albright, professor at the University of Alabama, partnered with AL.com to write a monthly column, Mission: Alabama. The monthly column has four primary goals, including… bringing awareness to the well-being of Service members, Veterans (SM/Vs), and their families globally and in Alabama, dispelling myths that surround military service, highlighting resources that are available across our state to serve SM/Vs and their families, and advocating for the needs of SM/Vs and their families.
2020 EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH ON MILITARY AND VETERAN FAMILIES AWARD
This week, the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) presented the winner of the 2020 Barbara Thompson Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. The meeting included the presentation of the award and a panel discussion from experts in the field. Since 2015, MFRI at Purdue University has worked to recognize military family and Veteran research through the Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. In 2019, the Excellence in Research on Military and Family Veteran Award was renamed after Barbara Thompson due to her extensive military and Veteran families’ service. The primary goals of the award are to: - Bring awareness to the new research available on military and Veteran families across disciplines, and to the issues faced by military and Veteran families - Celebrate rigorous scientific research and advocate for evidence-informed policies and practices for our military and Veteran families - Build and strengthen relationships between researchers and practitioners who are focused on military and Veteran families There is a rigorous process implemented to select the winning paper. No nominations or applications are accepted, and authors do not know their work is being considered. Instead, a large panel of accomplished scholars examines relevant articles published during the eligible year identified by the Military REACH team. Then, through multiple rounds of reviews that include standardized quantitative assessments, they arrive at their final selection. 2020 RESEARCH AWARD WINNER EVERYTHING HERE IS FINE: PROTECTIVE BUFFERING BY MILITARY SPOUSES DURING A DEPLOYMENT Sarah P. Carter, Keith D. Renshaw, Elizabeth S. Allen, Howard J. Markman, & Scott M. Stanley Link to research summary: https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Carter19TRIP Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12457 Open access of the publisher’s website for two months. Interactive arrow that shows/hides study takeaways text (˃/˅ - like the library page) ˅ STUDY TAKEAWAYS o It is common for civilian partners to struggle with how much information to share with their Service members during deployment given that such conversations might distract the Service members during high-risk situations, putting them or others in danger. Thus, some civilian partners report using protective buffering during deployments where they do not readily share concerns from the home front and/or conceal problems or information to shield their Service member. o This study (N=54 military couples) examined associations between the civilian partner’s use of protective buffering, the Service member’s family-related distraction (i.e., thinking about family members or family situations while performing job duties), and both partners’ marital satisfaction and psychological distress across the deployment cycle (i.e., predeployment, during deployment, and postdeployment). o Although almost all civilian partners reported using protective buffering during deployment, this strategy was not associated with the Service members’ being less distracted by family-related concerns while deployed. Instead, protective buffering was associated with higher psychological distress and lower levels of marital satisfaction for both the civilian partner and the Service member. 2020 RESEARCH AWARD FINALISTS TRAIT MINDFULNESS AND ANGER IN THE FAMILY: A DYADIC ANALYSIS OF MALE SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FEMALE PARTNERS Na Zhang, Timothy F. Piehler , Abigail H. Gewirtz, Osnat Zamir, & J. Snyder Link to research summary: https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-ZhangEtAlTRIP Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12384 Open access of the publisher’s website for two months. Interactive arrow that shows/hides study takeaways text (˃/˅ - like the library page) STUDY TAKEAWAYS o Service members who have been previously deployed sometimes demonstrate anger symptoms that can negatively impact themselves and their families. Trait mindfulness, the tendency to be non-judgmentally present in the moment, may help reduce anger and the relational impacts of anger. o Using data from 155 heterosexual military couples, this study examined how three different facets of trait mindfulness: (1) acting with awareness (i.e., being aware of one’s thoughts and emotions), (2) non-judging (i.e., not judging one’s thoughts and emotions), and (3) non-reactivity (i.e., not impulsively acting on one’s thoughts and emotions) were associated with anger that was observed during a conflict resolution task. o For both mothers and fathers, non-reactivity was associated with less observed anger. Mothers’ non-reactivity was also associated with less observed anger of fathers. Neither acting with awareness nor non-judging were related to anger. STICKING IT OUT IN TRAUMA-FOCUSED TREATMENT FOR PTSD: IT TAKES A VILLAGE Laura A. Meis, Siamak Noorbaloochi, Emily M. Hagel Campbell, Christopher R. Erbes, Melissa A. Polusny, Tina L. Velasquez, Ann Bangerter, Andrea Cutting, Afsoon Eftekhari, Craig S. Rosen, Peter W. Tuerk, Lori B. Burmeister, & Michele R. Spoont Link to research summary: https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Meis2019 Link to source: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000386 Open access of the publisher’s website for two months. Interactive arrow that shows/hides study takeaways text (˃/˅ - like the library page) STUDY TAKEAWAYS o Trauma-focused treatment is known to help those who struggle with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience fewer symptoms, but the number of Veterans who drop out before completing PTSD treatment is concerning. o This study examined how social control (i.e., explicit support efforts by a loved one to get their Veteran to complete PTSD treatment and face any difficult emotions along the way) and PTSD symptom accommodation (i.e., a loved one changing his/her behaviors to lessen or avoid the stress that their Veteran may experience during PTSD treatment) were related to Veterans’ treatment completion. Additionally, this study also explored whether these associations varied by the Veteran’s perceived relationship strain (i.e., feeling like a loved one is critical of them or stress in the relationship). o Veterans who received encouragement from their partner to face the difficult phases of treatment (i.e., experienced social control) were more likely to complete treatment. Social control was not related to lower likelihood of treatment dropout for Veterans with high-strain relationships. That is, when Veterans felt supported and encouraged by their partner, they were likely to remain in treatment regardless of relationship strain. SEXUAL ASSAULT EXPERIENCES VARY FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY WOMEN DEPENDING ON THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE PERPETRATOR Dina Eliezer, Aubrey J. Hilbert, Lisa H. Davis, Kimberly Hylton, William Xav Klauberg, Maia M. Hurley, Zachary J. Gitlin, Karmon D. Dyches, & Nathan W. Galbreth Link to research summary: https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Eliezer2020 Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00085-9 Open access of the publisher’s website for two months. Interactive arrow that shows/hides study takeaways text (˃/˅ - like the library page) STUDY TAKEAWAYS o Prevention of sexual assault is an ongoing topic of discussion among military policy makers and clinicians, yet little research has focused on these experiences specifically among active-duty Service members. o Using a sample of active-duty women (N = 1,230) who had experienced sexual assault in the past 12 months, this study explored differences in sexual assault experiences (e.g., type of sexual assault, location, support after reporting) based on the women’s relationship to the perpetrator (i.e., intimate partner, friend/acquaintance, stranger, not specified). o Most women were assaulted by someone they knew. Further, women assaulted by an intimate partner were also more likely to report sexual harassment before and after the assault; these women also had greater difficulty garnering support from military leadership and victim advocates after reporting compared to those who were assaulted by non-intimate partners (e.g., strangers, acquaintance). MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND THE REINTEGRATION DIFFICULTY OF MILITARY COUPLES FOLLOWING DEPLOYMENT: A LONGITUDINAL APPLICATION OF THE RELATIONAL TURBULENCE MODEL Leanne K. Knobloch, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, & Jeremy B. Yorgason Link to research summary: http://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Knobloch19TRIP Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22734 Open access of the publisher’s website for two months. Interactive arrow that shows/hides study takeaways text (˃/˅ - like the library page) STUDY TAKEAWAYS o The transition from deployment to reintegration is a difficult time for Service members and their at-home partners. Drawing on suppositions of relationship turbulence theory, this study examined the extent to which relationship uncertainty and partner interference (i.e., disruption in daily routines) may link mental health concerns to reintegration difficulty. Furthermore, this study also explored when Service members and their at-home partners tend to experience reintegration difficulty. o Data were collected from 555 military couples over eight consecutive months. On average, military couples began their participation in the study approximately 4 days after returning from deployment. o The results highlight the complex role relationship uncertainty and partner interference play in explaining the link between mental health and reintegration difficulty. Examination of Service members and at-home spouses’ reports of reintegration difficulties across time showed that military couples tend to experience the greatest amount of reintegration difficulty approximately 4- 5 weeks after the Service member returns from deployment. Congratulations to the winner and finalists of the 2020 Barbara Thompson Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award! Research helps to pave the way for more effective policies and practice to better serve military and Veteran families. To stay up-to-date on the most current research on military and Veteran families, register to receive the Military REACH monthly newsletter. Our newsletter provides monthly updates on the happenings of the team and connects readers to the latest products that are available on www.MilitaryREACH.org.
OPERATION IRON RUCK: JOINING FORCES TO COMBAT VETERAN SUICIDE HELP
This month’s Mission: Alabama topic, Operation Iron Ruck: Joining Forces to combat Veteran Suicide, centers around Veterans and their need for community support when returning home. The article discusses the different faces of our Veterans, the impact isolation has on their physical and mental health, and Operation Iron Ruck, a local program whose purpose is to raise awareness about suicide among Veterans and foster connections between Veterans and their communities. The overall goal of this topic was to bring awareness to the needs of Veterans. In short, Veterans need their community’s support when transitioning back to civilian life. You can support our Veterans by participating in programs like, Operation Iron Ruck, donating to local Veterans’ organizations, such as Three Hots and a Cot, or by continuing to enhance your military cultural competence. Check out AL.com each month to read their new monthly column. To read previous Mission: Alabama stories, check out the Military REACH website or AL.com. Dr. Mallory Lucier-Greer, associate professor at Auburn University, and Dr. David L. Albright, professor at the University of Alabama, partnered with AL.com to write a monthly column, Mission: Alabama. The monthly column has four primary goals, including… 1. bringing awareness to the well-being of Service members, Veterans (SM/Vs), and their families globally and in Alabama, 2. dispelling myths that surround military service, 3. highlighting resources that are available across our state to serve SM/Vs and their families, and 4. advocating for the needs of SM/Vs and their families. ________________________________________ Dr. Mallory Lucier-Greer is the Project Director for Military REACH at Auburn University and an associate professor for Human Development and Family Science in Auburn’s College of Human Sciences. Dr. David L. Albright is the Director for the Office for Military Families and Veterans and Vital Principal Investigator at the University of Alabama.