The State of Research in Veterans Studies: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

New areas of research on veterans are emerging as the field of veterans studies develops and grows. Yet gaps remain in interdisciplinary research efforts on veterans. The research available across disciplines is still too fragmented to coalesce into a full-fledged field of veteran studies, as other categorical, area, and identity fields of study have done so. By surveying research literature of multiple disciplines used in the curricula of higher education-level veteran study programs, this article presents a thematic and integrative review of the state of research contributing to the growing field of veterans studies. Discussion follows about research emerging from within contributing disciplines, the themes across disciplines, and comments on the need for further research as the field of veterans studies continues to mature.

Patriotism as a Construct for Understanding Military Service Among LGBTQ+ Veterans: A Call for Research Grounded in Institutional Oppression

“…Because of the long history of serving in silence and only being able to serve openly within the past decade, and for transgender people since January 2021, LGBTQ+ veterans' experiences are often missing or viewed with a limited scope in research. Usually, the research conducted is with LGBTQ individuals utilizing US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services, focused on risk-factors and identify barriers to care (Lira & Chandrasekar, 2020), but this research excludes talking to veterans about their experiences of discrimination, and the impacts of the bans from service on their lives now, their views of their service, as well as a lack of focus on utilizing resiliency factors as suggested by Colpitts & Gahagan (2016).…”

A Mixed Method Approach: The Influence of Military Identity on Person-Organization Fit and Organizational Commitment, and a Proposed System of Military to Civilian Employment Transition

“…Military organizational research, in general, appears sparse (Gonzalez & Simpson, 2021;Lira & Chandrasekar, 2020). However, some recent studies captured military organizational phenomena (Cunningham et al, 2020;DiRenzo et al, 2017;McAllister et al, 2015;Meyer et al, 2013;Prudential, 2012;Sørlie et al, 2020;Teclaw et al, 2016).…”

“…Lira and Chandrasekar (2020) found only three veteran studies aligning with the field of management studies, while research saturation occurs more frequently related to transition experiences from the military to an academic setting where veterans receive education. Work is needed to further the field of organizational research related to veteran's experiences of transition to civilian workplaces (Gonzalez & Simpson, 2021;Lira & Chandrasekar, 2020). A recent study found veterans experienced "feelings of demotion" upon leaving the military and entering a new organization which impacted their ability to maintain employment (Harrod et al, 2017, p. 261).…”

“…These findings indicate that, not only is post-combat related research important, but so is veteran research over employment related concerns (Elnitsky et al, 2017;Hunt, 2007;Perkins et al, 2020). Lira and Chandrasekar (2020) found only three veteran studies aligning with the field of management studies, while research saturation occurs more frequently related to transition experiences from the military to an academic setting where veterans receive education. Work is needed to further the field of organizational research related to veteran's experiences of transition to civilian workplaces (Gonzalez & Simpson, 2021;Lira & Chandrasekar, 2020).…”