Veteran Evolution: Re-Classifying the Military and Veterans as Independent Cultures

American Veterans currently represent a poorly understood, underrepresented segment of the population. While cultural competence is critical to the practices of psychotherapy and clinical research (Cameron, 2023), numerous divergent strategies for defining Veteran investigational cohorts can be found, at times including participants that are still actively serving or their dependents (Delgado et al., 2021). Simultaneously, our Veterans have been shown to be at a greater risk for a range of biopsychosocial challenges than normed civilians (Grossbard et al., 2013). This study sought to identify the culturally preferred strategy of self-identification of US Veterans. It has been hypothesized that the preferred self-identification of Veterans is "Veteran" while the Service Members identify with the branch of service. 325 participants were selected at random from an archival dataset of 655 respondents who were asked their preferred method of self-identification. The study population was inclusive of 94 Service Members and 231 Veterans. The responses indicate that membership in both Service Member and Veteran groups is exclusive, with 100% of Veterans preferring to identify as a Veteran and 100% of Service Members identifying with the branch of service.

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Veteran Evolution: What Makes a Veteran

Ginzburg

2023

“…The Veteran Administration estimates that about 30 percent of all military members who have spent time in designated combat zones will experience PTSD at some point during their careers. Veterans represent a culture of their own within the United States, yet few health service organizations identify Veterans or Military Service Members as representing a culture of its own (Cameron, 2023). Previous research has identified that community-based providers significantly lack cultural understanding and need to possess the capacity to deliver culturally competent mental health to Veterans and their families.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Defining Elemental Components of Veteran Cultural Competency for Mental Health Professionals

Cameron¹

2023

Self Cite

Veterans and Military Service Members are separate and independent cultures. As a principle element, clinicians seek to become culturally competent to develop therapeutic rapport and improve treatment outcomes. Previous research has identified that mental health providers must be culturally competent to treat the Veteran population effectively. There are vital elements that need to be assessed: culturally specific contextual knowledge, professional competence, and confidence in working within the population. This research sought to identify the elemental components of cultural competence by evaluating a Veteran-specific cultural training program called "Healing Our Heroes". The results concluded that direct military experience was not a significant factor in the ability to work within the population; however, possessing Veteran specific contextual knowledge was critical in obtaining cultural competence.

“…Unexamined cultural values in research can directly affect therapeutic interactions. Since colonial America, military service members and Veterans have been a part of the United States (Cameron, 2023b;Gentile et al, 2020). They have evolved along with society and are based on the political needs of the nation (Gentile et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They have evolved along with society and are based on the political needs of the nation (Gentile et al, 2020). Today's Military and Veteran cultures are diverse, with varying genders, races, ethnicities, religious ideologies, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses (Davis et al, 2020;Cameron, 2023b). Adequate and appropriate modeling is a cornerstone of psychological research (Oswald, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Veteran Evolution Therapy

Cameron

2023

Self Cite

Veterans are an independent culture, and the lack of contextual and culturally normed therapeutic modalities and interventions may explain the disparities in mental health treatment for Veterans and the staggering suicide rate (Cameron, 2023a). Mental health providers are ethically responsible for not implementing clinical interventions without cultural adaption or norming (Perera et al., 2020). Cultural competence impacts the development of therapeutic rapport and treatment outcomes. Utilizing a true experimental design, this research examines Veteran Evolution Therapy as it quickly develops as an evidence-based, culturally informed treatment intervention for Veterans and Military Service Members. Veteran Evolution Therapy is a revolutionary and culturally informed treatment with promising implications that outperform traditional Veterans Administration CBT programs by addressing primary presenting problems nearly 80% faster in some clinical applications.