Student Veterans Research Articles

Supporting Student Veterans’ Physical Activity in Their Transition to University

ABSTRACT Identifying physical activity promoting opportunities within the university setting offers a promising avenue to enhance student veterans’ transition to a healthy civilian lifestyle. Using an asset-based, mixed-method approach that included surveys and focus groups with students and interviews with university stakeholders, we characterize the experiences and preferences of student veterans on our campus and highlight opportunities to support their physical activity and well-being, with an emphasis on centering student veteran voices in future planning.

Patterns of Borrowing for Student Veterans

Patterns of Borrowing for Student Veterans

Examining the Experiences of Veterans in Higher Education Through the Lens of Veteran Critical Theory

Colleges and universities invest in various initiatives and efforts to support veterans who enroll in higher education. One such support initiative, the focus of this paper, is a specifically designed academic 1-credit hour course for veterans, intended to support their transition to college. Through the theoretical lens of veteran critical theory (VCT) and self-directed learning (SDL), we conducted a qualitative case study and explored the experiences of veteran students who enrolled in this course specifically to learn more about the opportunities it creates to support them as they transition to college and a civilian career. Additionally, we examined the processes and experiences of the designers and instructors of the course to learn more about the administrative elements of the course and about the ways in which they perceive the course as being useful for supporting veterans and their transition to higher education as a stepping-stone for gaining meaningful employment. We collected data through semi-structured interviews, a survey, and document analysis for which we employed a thematic and content analysis. In this paper, we present the participants’ insights into the unique challenges and opportunities veterans face and outline their thoughts on the significance, relevance, and applicability of various components of the course. We ground the discussion with VCT and SDL and highlight the perceived impact of the course and recommendations for future enhancements.

A Pilot Study of Factors Affecting Student Veterans’ College Choice

A Pilot Study of Factors Affecting Student Veterans’ College Choice

Weaving the threads of identity: mapping the veteran experience across the student life cycle

ABSTRACT Research shows that higher education can help veterans build a new sense of identity, purpose and belonging after leaving the military. There are critical gaps, however, in our understanding of student veterans in the Australian context. This article aims to map the experiences of Australian veterans across the student life cycle to improve our understanding of this unique group. We systematically address the higher education stages of pre-access, access, participation, and attainment. Fourteen autobiographical interviews were conducted to obtain detailed and nuanced personal reflections. Findings demonstrate that veterans often make exemplary students who are motivated to pursue altruistic careers. However, transitions between the military and higher education can be difficult to navigate. We argue the need for a structured pathway between the military and higher education and increased support for veterans across the student life cycle. We recommend a range of initiatives to prepare veterans to thrive in higher education.

Student veterans’ transition and reintegration into education: a transnational scoping review

ABSTRACT This scoping review focuses on student veterans’ transition and reintegration into education and presents key themes in international student veteran research. Grounded in a literature search in ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science, our scoping review includes 137 articles across research disciplines. It covers publications from the last 15 years, with a transnational focus. Analysis of these articles resulted in two key themes: (1) Transition challenges of student veterans, including differences in military and academic learning, mental health challenges in class and on campus, and social interaction with non-veteran students and faculty. (2) Support efforts for student veterans, including becoming a veteran-friendly campus, academic support, mental health support, and social support. In addition to discussing these key themes across articles, we map prevalent conceptual frameworks, and discuss commonly used definitions of student veterans, veteran demographics, as well as descriptions of military education culture and academic education culture that we found in the literature. The subsequent discussion highlights that the academic success of student veterans often focuses on metrics, which highlights the qualification function of education, while disregarding the socialisation of veterans in education and their development of relative autonomy.

College Student, Veteran Writers’ Interest in Discussing COVID-19 Pandemic Stressors and Related Political Topics

This exploratory case study investigated college student veterans’ pre-pandemic versus pandemic types and levels of stress linked to their individual/family and communal, health and social-relational contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this orientation impacted their potential interest in communicating about the pandemic and related political, controversial topics in classrooms with a substantial discussion- and writing-assignment course design. The study focused on student veterans, who were compared with their nonveteran peers. From a U.S. university with a socioeconomically depressed, rural population, 78 college students, 39 veterans and 39 nonveterans, participated. The authors applied a mixed-methods design approach and convergent-parallel strategy reliant on data collection and analysis by utilizing Likert scale and short-answer survey questions, NVivo coding, and SPSS statistical software. As findings, during the pandemic, both the veterans and nonveterans reported high and often similar stress levels of up to 41% for five factors connected to their individual/family and communal, health and social-relational contexts, which negatively impacted their college educational paths. During the pandemic, veterans showed the highest stress rates for three factors: anxiety about 1) a community/national political issue(s) connected to their communal, health and social-relational contexts and, tied for second place, 2) an injury/illness of a family member(s) affecting veterans’ individual/family health and 3) a community/national issue(s) related to the COVID-19 pandemic as again linked to veterans’ communal, health and social-relational statuses. Meanwhile, the nonveterans’ top stressor concerned a personal socializing issue associated with their individual/family, social-relational background.

GI Bill students at 2‐year colleges: Enrollment retention, and support trends

AbstractThis article presents a national snapshot of GI Bill student enrollment through examination of a repository of data on veterans’ education benefits usage, institutional practices to support veterans, and consumer advocacy information (e.g., complaints and caution flags). Through examination of records from 2217 two‐year institutions enrolling 172,453 GI Bill students, our analyses can support decision‐making regarding the extent of support services to consider offering for student veterans on community college campuses. Additionally, we provide insights into consumer advocacy for student veterans, trends in education benefits usage, and offer evidence‐based best practices for supporting student veterans.

A mixed methods study of student veterans’ academic and service transitions before, during, and after attending community college(s)

AbstractThis mixed‐methods study examined characteristics and learning experiences of student veterans who transitioned from community college(s) into a 4‐year public university. The study descriptively compared veteran versus non‐veteran transfer students, using a survey and follow‐up interviews. Results illustrated that student veterans attended larger numbers of community colleges prior to their transfer compared with non‐veterans. They tended to be older, more ethnically diverse, and more likely to be men than non‐veterans. Transfer student veterans valued (a) differences among high school, military, community college, and 4‐year learning experiences; (b) connections between coursework and career work; (c) being informed about the cultural practices and norms of college, particularly for first‐generation student veterans; and (d) persistence in navigating multiple community colleges toward achieving successful 4‐year degree completion. For student veterans, the military became a way to enact and pay for their postsecondary aspirations. Interconnected community colleges meaningfully transported them to 4‐year postsecondary achievements.

Practices, policies, and support for student veterans in community colleges

Practices, policies, and support for student veterans in community colleges

Veterans starting their higher education at community colleges

AbstractThis manuscript focuses on student veterans’ best option to start their post‐high‐school education: attending community colleges. It illustrates this point using the story of the author, a US Army combat veteran who began his career at a community college, and other veterans who also began their college careers at the community college. Using qualitative methods, the author uses perspectives of former student‐veterans to provide first‐person accounts of transition into and through college—beginning at community colleges. Four themes emerge from this analysis: acceptance, transition, liminality, and comradery.

Is the GI Bill Enough? An Exploratory Analysis of Student Veteran Borrowing in College

In the United States, many student veterans use their GI Bill benefits to help fund their postsecondary education; however, when the GI Bill is not enough, student veterans may turn to grants and loans to subsidize their financial needs. This study examines the degree and extent to which Pell Grants and student loans are being used by student veterans using data pulled from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Baccalaureate and Beyond dataset. We found that Pell Grant awards were higher for student veterans with disabilities as well as Blacks and that a student’s age contributed to the overall amount of federal student loans borrowed. Implications, future directions, and a discussion of the results are provided.

Do childhood experiences influence associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and positive autobiographical memories among military veteran students? An exploratory study

ABSTRACT Background Evidence links posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and features of positive autobiographical memories (accessibility, vividness, coherence, sharing, emotional intensity, distancing). There is a knowledge gap on how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) may influence these relationships. Objectives The current study explored whether the number ACEs or BCEs moderated associations between PTSD symptom severity and features of positive autobiographical memories. Design and Methods The sample included 124 student military veterans who had experienced a trauma (M age = 33.90; 77.4% male; 75.0% White). Results Path analyses showed more PTSD symptom severity was significantly associated with less positive autobiographical memory vividness (β = −0.26, p = .019, R2 = 0.06). Further, the number of ACEs moderated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and positive autobiographical memory accessibility (β = −0.25, p = .023, R2 = 0.10) and vividness (β = −0.20, p = .024, R2 = 0.10). Among individuals with more ACEs (1 SD above the mean) compared to those with fewer ACEs (1 SD below the mean), less accessibility and vividness of positive autobiographical memories was associated with greater PTSD symptom severity. The number of BCEs was not a significant moderator. Conclusions Positive memory-based interventions may be particularly useful to address PTSD symptoms among military veterans with a history of childhood adversity.

Supporting animals and veterans through enrichment: An exploratory study on a brief canine socializing intervention

Abstract Veterans pursuing post-secondary education may experience reintegration challenges and academic-related stress. To support student well-being, colleges and universities have begun to offer animal-assisted interventions (AAI); however, the influence of AAI programs on student veteran populations remains underexplored. Furthermore, the welfare impact of AAI programs on incorporating animals has begun to be assessed. As shelter dogs can benefit from human interaction, a mixed-methods design was used to assess if dogs and student veterans could benefit from participating in a brief 30-min unstructured interaction. We aimed to identify whether: the interaction influenced veteran reported mood state, the dog and the interaction activities completed influenced veteran experience, and the interaction influenced shelter dog behavior. Thirty veterans ( M age = 34, SD = 9.2; 24 males, 4 females) enrolled in a southern United States mid-size public university participated along with screened shelter dogs ( N = 30, M age = 2, SD = 0.9; 17 males, 13 females). Veterans were instructed to engage in the activities of their choosing (i.e., petting, playing, talking, providing treats, brushing) with a shelter dog. To assess changes in veteran mood, a pictorial self-report scale (assessing arousal (activated, deactivated), and valence (pleasant, unpleasant)) was completed pre- and post-interaction. Dog behavior was measured in shelter before the interaction and during the beginning, middle, and end of the interaction. Results reveal veterans reported pleasant post-interaction mood states, an overall positive experience and activity enjoyment. Qualitative results indicated that veterans perceived the dog behavior to be the most memorable aspect of participation, positively influencing their overall interaction experience. Dogs entered the interaction with more behavioral displays of fear (e.g., reduced posture), general activity (e.g., jumping), and soliciting contact behaviors (e.g., soliciting play), with all behavioral activity reducing halfway into the interaction, potentially suggesting increased relaxation over the course of the interaction. Observed decreases in dog fear behavior and veteran reported activity enjoyment suggests benefits for shelter dogs and student veterans.

The Association between PTSD, Gratitude, Academic Adjustment, and Dropout Decisions in Veteran Students with Disabilities: Brief Report

The Association between PTSD, Gratitude, Academic Adjustment, and Dropout Decisions in Veteran Students with Disabilities: Brief Report

FIT, FAITH, AND FAMILY: COUNTERSPACES FOR BLACK MALE VETERANS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

In response to calls to study the intersecting identities of race, gender, engineering, and veteran status, we examined the experiences of Black male student veterans in undergraduate engineering (BMSVEs). Black male veterans bring technical skills and worldviews shaped by their military and cultural experiences, which can strengthen the engineering profession. Therefore, we addressed the following question: What support systems do BMSVEs use to navigate engineering education at predominantly White institutions? In this study, we used narrative inquiry through seven interviews with BMSVEs and an identity exercise to share the participants' stories. We employed a counterspaces framework informed by veteran critical theory to learn about the counterspaces used by BMSVEs to find fit and succeed in engineering education. The results indicated that religion and family provide counterspaces for BMSVEs who report being marginalized and minoritized because of their race and veteran identity, respectively. While Black-focused counterspaces are important for traditional-age students developing their identities, they were not similarly important to many older BMSVEs with more developed identities. Although Student Veteran Association chapters served as counterspaces for some BMSVEs, this was not the case for all of our participants-perhaps because they perceived them to be White spaces. Our research showed that BMSVEs found fit in their engineering programs by engaging in one or more counterspaces that supported them on their educational journey. A loving family, a faith community, and ethnic- or veteran-focused organizations can serve in this role. The BMSVEs who found counterspaces were well equipped to thrive in engineering education.

A Pilot Study of Factors Affecting Student Veterans’ College Choice

A Pilot Study of Factors Affecting Student Veterans’ College Choice

Facilitating Library Support for Student Veterans: The Libraries and Veterans Toolkit

Facilitating Library Support for Student Veterans: The Libraries and Veterans Toolkit

Well-Being as a predictor of academic success in student veterans and factor validation of the PERMA + 4 well-being measurement scale

Objective: The study sought to test whether well-being predicts academic performance for student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs) and to assess the factor structure of the PERMA + 4 measurement scale for use in this student population. Participants: Post-9/11 SSM/Vs (N = 199) from seven colleges and universities in the U.S. completed an online survey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was used to assess PERMA + 4 and academic success. The PERMA + 4 framework and the measurement scale were examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and logistic regressions to determine if PERMA + 4 predicted academic performance in SSM/Vs. Results: Findings indicate that PERMA + 4 is a predictor of SSM/Vs academic performance, and CFA confirmed the factor structure of PERMA + 4 for use with SSM/Vs. Conclusions: The findings suggest that screening for the building blocks of well-being in SSM/Vs with a validated and comprehensive multidimensional instrument could be useful for mitigating transition challenges into college life and informing appropriate supports.

Diet quality is associated with nutrition knowledge and physical activity in the US military veterans enrolled in university programmes

IntroductionMilitary veterans are at greater risk for chronic medical conditions, many of which are associated with greater body mass index (BMI). Detrimental changes to diet and physical activity (PA) levels...