Australia: Psychs, Suits and Mess Committees on Steroids: The Changing Terrain of Service Transition in Australia

Wadham, Ben; Morris, Deborah

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-30829-2_1

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…These students must redefine their narratives of self in an environment where military culture is often little or misunderstood (Hall, 2011). In Australia in particular, civil society for the most part does not engage with the military (Wadham & Morris, 2019).…”

Section: Student Veteran Experiences In Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Staying the Course: Strategies for Australian Student Veterans in Transition

Wadham

Andrewartha²,

Takarangi³

et al. 2022

Journal of Veterans Studies

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The transition from military to civilian life is often challenging for veterans. International research shows higher education to be an important pathway that can help veterans navigate this change and improve their psycho-social wellbeing and career prospects. In this article, we examine how student veterans are being recognised and supported in the Australian higher education context. Our research finds the range of governmental and institutional support for student veterans to be limited, and in contrast to nations such as the United States. Nevertheless, we find recent examples of veteran-specific pathways and programs, and a growing momentum for change among university staff. Along with clear opportunities for the expansion and coordination of existing support, we highlight the need for a national framework that recognises higher education as an option for all those who have served in defence of the nation. We argue that supporting veterans is not only an equity issue, but also a matter of recognising how the skills and experience gained in the military make veterans valued members of the university community.

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Section: Student Veteran Experiences In Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Staying the Course: Strategies for Australian Student Veterans in Transition

Wadham

Andrewartha²,

Takarangi³

et al. 2022

Journal of Veterans Studies

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“…Military-civilian transition is internationally recognized as a priority for public policy and research [6,7]. Transition can be confusing and isolating for women veterans, particularly because they must navigate a new identity and roles [3,8]; they neither fit in the military due to gendered relations centered on military forms of masculinity, nor civilian life where they are largely misunderstood as "Veterans".…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No Women’s Land: Australian Women Veterans’ Experiences of the Culture of Military Service and Transition

Lawn,

Waddell,

Roberts

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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Women’s experiences of military service and transition occur within a highly dominant masculinized culture. The vast majority of research on military veterans reflects men’s experiences and needs. Women veterans’ experiences, and therefore their transition support needs, are largely invisible. This study sought to understand the role and impact of gender in the context of the dominant masculinized culture on women veterans’ experiences of military service and transition to civilian life. In-depth qualitative interviews with 22 Australian women veterans elicited four themes: (1) Fitting in a managing identity with the military; (2) Gender-based challenges in conforming to a masculinized culture—proving worthiness, assimilation, and survival strategies within that culture; (3) Women are valued less than men—consequences for women veterans, including misogyny, sexual harassment and assault, and system failures to recognize women’s specific health needs and role as mothers; and (4) Separation and transition: being invisible as a woman veteran in the civilian world. Gendered military experiences can have long-term negative impacts on women veterans’ mental and physical health, relationships, and identity due to a pervasive masculinized culture in which they remain largely invisible. This can create significant gender-based barriers to services and support for women veterans during their service, and it can also impede their transition support needs.

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