Special Issue Introduction: Research on the Well-being of Service Members, Veterans, Dependents, and Survivors by Service Members, Veterans, Dependents, and Survivors

Abstract

This special edition of the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship (JCES) is the result of a 2-year effort to identify, compile, and publish scholarly research about military-to-civilian transitions conducted by service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF). It gives these SMVF voices center stage by representing a lived experience that speaks a truth to the scientific literature that bears careful and thoughtful consideration. This special edition was inspired by the awareness that many of the programs, policies and processes intended to facilitate social readjustment, transition, and mental health intervention for the SMVF community are largely based upon clinical research. Yet this research has historically limited the participation of individuals with lived experience in SMVF social worlds. As a result, scholarly representations have left out the full nature and diversity of the veteran community and the voices of the oft forgotten military family. As the project continued, we came to understand another compelling reason to publish this work. Scholarship reflecting the experiences of military veterans and their families (as a largely marginalized population) also holds valuable lessons for a society that struggles broadly with issues of identity, values, and belonging, including the balance between unity and diversity.