Student service members/veterans on campus: Challenges for reintegration.

Abstract

Many returning OIF/OEF/OND Veterans are seeking higher education in an effort to develop a meaningful career and financial stability. Evidence suggests that student service members/Veterans (SSM/Vs) are experiencing less academic success than other students. The purpose of this review is to identify the unique challenges of SSM/Vs and evaluate current campus efforts to facilitate their retention and academic performance. With a focus on SSM/Vs attending colleges and universities, we obtained 57 peer-reviewed and 73 grey literature records published between 2001 and 2015. The current SSM/V literature contains an abundance of grey literature, and the empirical research tends to be limited by cross-sectional design and small sample sizes. SSM/Vs encounter significant personal and environmental challenges when transitioning from the military to college campuses. A variety of services have been developed to address the needs of the SSM/V population, but the efficacy of these services remains largely unknown. In conclusion, there is a clear need to provide education to faculty, students and staff regarding the experiences of SSM/Vs. Efforts to enhance screening for, availability of, and SSM/V engagement in mental health services would also be beneficial, as would improved availability of and SSM/V access to academic support. All future programs designed to address the unique challenges of SSM/Vs in the academic environment should also be systematically implemented and evaluated.

Understanding the Education-Related Needs of Contemporary Male Veterans

“…Unfortunately, veterans may already view themselves as outsiders among their peers due to feelings of being misunderstood by traditional college students. According to Borsari et al (), veterans perceive themselves to be at a very different stage of life than traditional college students. The participants in our study reported similar feelings about their relationships with their peers.…”

Student Veteran Career Transition Readiness, Career Adaptability, and Academic and Life Satisfaction

“…Specifically, Hayden et al (2014) recommended developing and implementing psychoeducation groups with student veterans that focus on their identifying their interests, skills, and values. Colleges and universities can also support academic services such as student veteran–specific orientation courses (Borsari et al, 2017). Career counselors can be invited to these orientations to discuss student veterans’ career needs.…”

The Effects of Mattering and Combat Deployment on Student Service Members/Veterans’ College Adjustment: A Psychosociocultural Approach

“…For example, Cole (2013) suggested that academic advisors get to know SSM/V holistically to gain a sense of how their approaches and expectations within the academic setting have been shaped by their military experiences. Further, the increasing need for advisors and counselors to gain additional training to work with students who are experiencing PTSD, service-related disabilities, or other life-altering circumstances is suggested (Borsari et al, 2017;Cole, 2013;Spencer, 2016). For example, Schonfeld et al (2015), found that almost 30% of SSM/V identified difficulties in adjusting to college, and were more likely to report a history of mental health concerns during and after their military experiences.…”