Grateful Nation

Abstract

In today's volunteer military many recruits enlist for the educational benefits, yet a significant number of veterans struggle in the classroom, and many drop out. The difficulties faced by student veterans have been attributed to various factors: poor academic preparation, PTSD and other postwar ailments, and allegedly antimilitary sentiments on college campuses. In Grateful Nation Ellen Moore challenges these narratives by tracing the experiences of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans at two California college campuses. Drawing on interviews with dozens of veterans, classroom observations, and assessments of the work of veteran support organizations, Moore finds that veterans' academic struggles result from their military training and combat experience, which complicate their ability to function in civilian schools. While there is little evidence of antimilitary bias on college campuses, Moore demonstrates the ways in which college programs that conflate support for veterans with support for the institutional military lead to suppression of campus debate about the wars, discourage antiwar activism, and encourage a growing militarization.

The Challenges of Military Veterans in Their Transition to the Workplace: A Call for Integrating Basic and Applied Psychological Science

“…1 Although no research has examined the effects of having a key component of one's compensatory control system abruptly and permanently removed, there is good reason to believe that this sudden upheaval-that is, this shift from very high structure to little or no structure-could be problematic. Consistent with this, military personnel often experience culture shock and disorientation when exiting the military, and some veterans continue to behave according to military cultural norms when transitioning to civilian life (Coll et al, 2011;Cooper et al, 2018;McGarry et al, 2015;E. Moore, 2017;Rausch, 2014).…”

“…Struggles with transitioning and acclimating to civilian life are common (Borus, 1975;Cooper et al, 2018;Keeling et al, 2018). These struggles can affect relationships (Ahern et al, 2015;Karney & Crown, 2007;MacLean & Elder, 2007;E. Moore, 2017), employment (Rausch, 2014;Stone & Stone, 2015), mental health (Coll, Weiss, & Yarvis, 2011), and a person's identity and worldview (Rausch, 2014; T. R. Smith & True, 2014;Walker, 2012).…”

“…The military is a "total institution," requiring the solider to fully embrace "the values, norms, and practices" of the military (McGarry et al, 2015, p. 361;E. Moore, 2017).…”

“…These values, norms, and practices tend to be very high in situational strength-that is, they include strict and explicit constraints on behavior (Darr, 2011). Most notably, the military is exceptionally hierarchical, with precise guidelines and norms regarding interpersonal conduct, discipline, and obedience (Borus, 1975;Coll et al, 2011;E. Moore, 2017;Rausch, 2014).…”

“…Being a veteran is likely to affect basic processes of everyday social functioning that are central to veterans' attempts to succeed in and adjust to careers outside the military. The military is a "total institution" that requires the solider to fully embrace "the values, norms, and practices" of the military and to put aside the norms and values of civilian society (McGarry, Walklate, & Mythen, 2015;E. Moore, 2017).…”