Family Focus on Military Families Newsletter

1. National Council on Family Relations
Family Focus on . . .
Military Families
In focus // Issue FF52
Reflections on
intergenerational relations page F3
Working with the military
by Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, Associate Dean, College of Health and Human Sci-
Who gets custody of ences; Director, Center for Families; Director, Military Family Research Institute; profes-
sor, Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, shelley@purdue.edu
Grandma after the divorce? page F5
The many faces of parental
Since 2000, it has been my honor to lead the military programs for
estrangement page F8 Military Family Research Institute at Pur- lacking sufficiently
due University. This was an experience rigorous evaluation
Intergenerational cultural I never expected to have, but I have found protocols. In at least
In focus // at
bonds: A look it to be among the most meaningful and some of these cases,
Ukranian-American families page F11 intellectually engaging of my career. Today, there were good
Buddy-to-Buddy: an innovative the institute is actually misnamed because reasons that evalua-
substitute for family support
Building intergenerational we now carry out not just research but also tion activities were
among at-risk, returning veterans outreach with and for military families, limited, such as legal
relationships via an Elder
of Iraq and Afghanistan page F2 working closely with military and com- restrictions on Shelley MacDermid
Service Partner program page F13 munity organizations. We often receive appropriate use of Wadsworth
Advice to the therapists working calls from colleagues who are eager to learn funds. You should always assume that
with military families in
Family stress and risk page F4 about working with the military, and so in your predecessors were smart, thoughtful
grandparent-headed this article I share some suggestions. Some people who wanted to do a good job. If
Military Families Internship: of these were presented at a recent meeting you can find out about the constraints they
households
Strengthening families page F14
of the Society for Social Work Research. faced, you will have a much better chance
and communities page F6 of improving on their effort.
Go Back to the Books
World War II in There is a good chance that many of the Never Forget that It’s Not About You
people’s lives page F9 research questions or intervention ideas you or Your Program
are thinking of have already been thought of Military folks have an important mis-
Military service and the life by others. Because research about military sion to carry out for the country. They are
course: An assessment of families tends to wane between conflicts, completely funded by taxpayer dollars
what we know page F11 the most recent research relevant to your and they expect accountability. They work
question may have been published soon with academics to find better ways to
Military families: what we know after the most recent large-scale conflict (the fulfill their mission, not because they are
and what we don’t know page F13 first Gulf War in the 1990s). Considerable trying to help us publish articles, conduct
research on military families is published in randomized trials of a new intervention, or
Returning home: What we
technical reports rather than peer-reviewed train students. If they learn of a resource
know about the reintegration
literature (because it is funded by military that they think will help them fulfill their
of deployed service members contracts), and thus you must search the mission better, cheaper, or faster, they need
into their families and “gray” literature as well as the traditional to pursue that option even if it means with-
communities page F16 scientific literature (the Defense Techni- drawing support from existing projects.
cal Information Center is a very important
Teaching about military families: Every day, military members are in harm’s
source). Before you conclude that your idea
Lessons from the field page F18 way around the world. Even in European
really is new, make sure you scan the envi-
cities on “regular” deployments, service
ronment very carefully.
The theme for the next issue of members have been targets of lethal vio-
NCFR Report is “Teaching Family Remember the Old Adage that “Fools lence. Combat deployments are decreas-
Science.” Deadline for submission is Rush in Where Angels Fear to Tread” ing as troops leave Iraq and Afghanistan,
It can be easy to find flaws in prior research but deployments for peacekeeping, natural
March 21, 2012. Questions? Write the
or intervention efforts. For example, many disasters, training, and many other purpos-
editor at nancygonzalez@ncfr.org
reports have recently criticized existing es continue. Thus, the children, partners,
working with the military continued on page F2

2. Family Focus on... Military Families
Buddy-to-Buddy: An innovative substitute
for family support among at-risk, returning
veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan
by Christopher Jarman, MSW, Michigan State University, christja@med.umich.edu; Adrian Blow, Ph.D., Michigan State University;
Marcia Valenstein, M.D., M.S., The University of Michigan
Soldiers at war anticipate few events so much experiences upon
as returning home to family, friends, and a returning home,
sense of peace. Yet for many returning vet- however, are at best
erans, peace eludes them as they begin new only loosely similar
battles with combat sequelae such as post- to those of their full-
traumatic stress, depression, substance abuse, time counterparts.
anxiety, traumatic brain injuries, and social
Active-duty soldiers
isolation, all of which can have devastating
typically return to
effects on close relationships. For one group
large military com-
of recent veterans members of the Army Christopher Jarman Adrian Blow Marcia Valenstein
munities replete with
National Guard these experiences appear to ticularly for NG soldiers. However, these
specialized support services for reintegration
occur at still higher rates and with greater family members are at times not able to
(e.g., military hospitals, outpatient clinics,
severity than the rest of the military. be ideal supporters. Frequently, service
family support groups and programs, ad-
Army National Guard (NG) soldiers comprise diction treatment, and military chaplains, members may choose not to speak with
nearly a third of the nation’s 1.12 million to name but a few). Crucially, active-duty family members about their struggles out
soldiers. Working part time (one weekend a soldiers return to communities where they of concern for burdening these individu-
month and a two-week annual training), these are surrounded both by military peers with als. In addition, service members may find
citizen soldiers lead more traditional lives similar experiences as well as the structure it very difficult to talk to family members
when not in uniform. During the 10 years of and close monitoring of their chain of com- about disturbing or traumatizing deployment
the Global War on Terror, however, NG units mand; in short, they are relatively ensconced events. Family members themselves may
across the nation have repeatedly been called by their “military family,” a significant have their own difficulties and as a result
to full-time duty, serving year-long tours far source of social support above and beyond they may not be receptive to the difficulties
from home and family. NG veterans’ reintegration services. of the service member. NG family members
live in a civilian world and may not be as
Guard soldiers, by contrast, return to largely understanding about the perils of war as the
working with the military civilian hometowns where they must quickly service member needs. In other cases, fam-
continued from page F1 decompress from war while reintegrating ily may be absent from the lives of service
into their civilian jobs and communities. So- members by virtue of distance or strained
parents, and other people who love military cial interactions with members of their units relationships, leaving the service member
members will continue to watch, wait, and often decrease precipitously, and many NG with limited support. Whatever the reason,
worry. Over the past decade, we have added veterans report a sense of isolation and disil- it is increasingly apparent that in some cases
millions of men and women to the veteran lusionment with the more mundane, day- service members are more easily able to
population, and the costs of caring for the to-day experiences of civilian living. Poten- talk to their fellow service members about
service-connected illnesses and injuries tially contributing to the challenge, many struggles with deployment and reintegration,
of these individuals will not peak for sev- young soldiers are unmarried or unpartnered and in cases where family is not ideal as a
eral decades. As educators, scholars, and and no longer live with their families. These support, the military family takes on a much
practitioners, we are obligated to pay atten- veterans are at potentially even greater risk larger significance.
tion to this new demographic group. of negative outcomes by virtue of social iso-
I am proud to be among many wonderful In response to growing awareness of the
lation and lack of close family support. For
colleagues around the world who are doing struggles facing National Guard veterans,
soldiers struggling with the traumatic effects
this work and we at MFRI are eager to col- our team of researchers, clinicians, and
of war, their “military family” may become
laborate with students and faculty who share military leaders in Michigan felt compelled
as important as their family of origin.
our interest in gathering and analyzing data, to respond. After several years of close col-
strengthening programs, and educating new Often, family members (spouses, parents, laboration we developed what is known as
colleagues.  and extended family) are the first lines of Buddy-to-Buddy, an innovative peer support
support for soldiers when they return, par- buddy-to-buddy continued on page F3
F2 family focus // spring 2012

3. Family Focus on... Military Families
buddy-to-buddy continued from page F2
program carefully tailored to meet the chal- soon received grant funding from the Robert tions with soldiers, available resources, and
lenges and needs of our National Guard R. McCormick Foundation’s Welcome Back limited training regarding symptoms sug-
veterans. By enhancing the effectiveness gestive of the need for further evaluation.
Veterans initiative and began regularly meet-
of these soldiers’ “military family,” we are ing to set a course for enhanced support forSoldiers are then assigned a panel of four to
hoping to improve outcomes among these returning soldiers in Michigan. 10 soldiers in their units whom they contact
deserving veterans. each month by phone or in person. During
Through an iterative process among group these conversations, B1s rely on a list of
The military has long been aware of the members, the collaboration between MSU, 11 potential problem areas to guide them.
struggles of returning soldiers and provides UM, the VA, and the Michigan National Importantly, these volunteers do not serve
soldiers in the NG and active duty alike with Guard eventually developed a peer-support as mental health counselors or case manag-
considerable support. Despite these resourc- program for units returning from Operation ers and do not diagnose conditions. Instead,
es, fear of stigmatization, a warrior ethos, Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Endur- B1s provide soldiers in need or at risk with
distrust of healthcare professionals, and ing Freedom (OEF). Our intent was not to an opportunity to speak to a trained, trusted
career concerns persist as powerful barriers develop another mental health program, but peer and with substantially reduced concerns
to seeking care, and more than half of those rather a unit-level mechanism for identify- about stigmatization, breeches of confiden-
in need choose not to seek it. ing soldiers with needs and confidentially tiality, or career implications. If B1s have
In response to these alarming realities connecting them with available resources. A concerns about one of their soldiers, they
among returning veterans, various organi-
zations in Michigan began considering a In response to growing awareness of the struggles facing
way to augment existing support programs.
Michigan which has no active-duty military National Guard veterans, our team of researchers, clinicians, and military
installations, but a relatively large National leaders in Michigan felt compelled to respond. After several years
Guard presence was rife with opportunities of close collaboration we developed what is known as Buddy-to-Buddy,
to serve returning veterans. In 2005, faculty
at Michigan State University (MSU) began an innovative peer support program carefully tailored to meet the
developing tailored programs for returning challenges and needs of our National Guard veterans.
veterans and their families through what are
known as Reintegration Weekends. These variety of hurdles including concerns about can contact NG mental health personnel for
NG sponsored events provide soldiers and confidentiality, ambivalence regarding treat- consultations and referrals. Such concerns
their families opportunities to reconnect ment, relational issues between the NG and cover an array of matters, however, and
with their “military family” while simultane- nonmilitary organizations, respect for the may include financial issues, employment
ously receiving briefings and referral infor- NG chain of command, programmatic feasi- concerns, substance abuse problems, marital
mation for common needs. The MSU faculty bility and effectiveness, and “in-unit” versus difficulties, and so on.
sought to enhance these events by providing “out-of-unit” peers required negotiation and The second tier of volunteers consists of vet-
soldiers and families with information and creative solutions. The result of these early erans no longer serving who are selected and
assistance grounded in the latest research. efforts became known as the Buddy-To- supervised by VA and UM staff. These vol-
At many of these events, two of Michigan’s Buddy Veteran Volunteer Program, or B2B. unteers are selected because of their demon-
Vietnam veterans volunteered to provide Designed specifically for service members strated maturity, responsibility, interpersonal
informal, unstructured outreach efforts to returning from OIF and OEF, we developed skills, knowledge of mental health services,
soldiers, typically by giving talks about their B2B to improve outcomes by activating and trainability in more nuanced strategies
own experiences with the challenges and veterans’ “military families.” for motivating soldiers to seek and remain in
pitfalls of reintegration. The veterans’ talks Today, Buddy-to-Buddy is a two-tier peer- care. B2s receive two days of intensive train-
had a powerful effect on soldiers as well as support program run by within-unit soldier ing, including the use of Motivational Inter-
visiting faculty members, who were intrigued volunteers (Buddy Ones, or B1s) and vet- viewing (MI), an empirically validated tech-
by their approach. The two veterans’ status eran volunteers external to units (Buddy nique for effectively responding to ambiva-
as relative outsiders to formal systems en- Twos, or B2s). This tiered design provides a lence. B2s often interact with their assigned
abled them to deliver their message of hope balance between effectiveness and the con- units at training weekends and reintegration
while bypassing the resistance so common cerns mentioned above. Buddy One soldiers events, and soldiers know they can call B2s
among returning veterans. Soon, University are selected because peers view them as directly if they prefer. B2s also receive sol-
of Michigan (UM) and Veteran’s Administra- informal leaders to whom they willingly dier referrals from B1s, military chaplains,
tion (VA) investigators joined the MSU fac- turn for advice or support. These volunteers commanders, family service organizations,
ulty at reintegration briefings, and by 2008, receive roughly four hours of training on and other sources. Each Buddy Two receives
discussions about more deliberate outreach the Buddy-to-Buddy program, their roles as weekly supervision teleconferences with an
programs based largely on the concept of B1 volunteers, open-ended questioning and experienced clinician in the VA.
peer support were ongoing. The collaboration reflections to sustain and enhance conversa- buddy-to-buddy continued on page F4
family focus // spring 2012 F3

4. Family Focus on... Military Families
Advice to the therapists
working with military families
by Angela J. Huebner, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Human Development,
Virginia Tech, ahuebner@vt.edu
The military conflicts in Iraq and Afghani- emotions can shift into feelings of indepen- access to a wide vari-
stan mark the first time in our nation’s dence and control as the deployment wears ety of mental health
history of military service that we have on. Finally, reintegration occurs when the supports. These sup-
attempted to maintain such an involved service member returns to the United States ports can include
forward deployment with an all-volunteer and is reunited with his or her loved ones. counseling through
force. To date, about 1.8 million troops have This period may start as a honeymoon, but behavioral health,
been deployed. This translates into 2.7 mil- end in the reality of renegotiating roles and chaplains, or Military
lion family members who have experienced getting to know each other once again. OneSource. Despite
separation from their service member for Service members ranked deployment length the availability of sup-
extended periods of time. and family separation among their top ports and the docu- Angela Huebner
noncombat-related stressors. Other studies mented impact of the
The experience of deployment can be di-
have documented the impact of deploy- stressors of deploy-
vided into three distinctive phases, each
ment on family members, noting the shifts ment, studies suggest that service members
with its own associated stressors and emo-
and their families are often hesitant to seek
tions. First, predeployment begins when the needed for adjustment. For some children
and youth, parental deployment has been mental health services. Service members
service member receives his or her orders.
associated with depression, anxiety, lower cite concerns about confidentiality, fear of
It typically involves extended training and
appearing weak, and negative repercussions
preparation for the upcoming mission. Fami- grades in school, and increased familial
conflict. Deployment has also been linked to on career advancements (including threats to
lies may become more distancing and argu-
depression, anxiety, isolation, and sadness security clearance) as reasons for not seek-
mentative during this phase of deployment
ing mental health support when needed.
as they vacillate between denial and sadness for some nondeployed spouses. Not surpris-
about the service member’s departure. Sec- ingly, the adjustment of the at-home parent Therapists outside the military community
ond, deployment occurs when the service (the nondeployed spouse) has repeatedly can be a valued support to service members
member begins his or her actual mission in been shown to have the greatest impact on and their families precisely because they are
or in support of the theater of war. Families the overall adjustment of the children. unaffiliated with any military branch. This
typically experience a wide variety of emo- Depending on their geographic location, nonaffiliation can be helpful in assuring
tions during the actual deployment including service members and their families can have confidentiality but it may also be accompa-
relief, sadness, numbing, or anxiety. These nied by a lack of understanding about the
military culture, which can compromise the
buddy-to-buddy continued from page F3 therapeutic alliance.
B2s encourage soldiers to open up about for several thousand veterans, qualitative in- Understanding Military Culture
their problems, seek help when needed, and terviews of soldiers, leaders, and key infor- How can therapists become the “inside”
remain in care if necessary. They also pro- mants in the program, and analysis of health outsiders for service members and their
vide soldiers with confidential information data. Preliminary data is already enabling families? The following suggestions are
about a wide range of resources, all without the Michigan National Guard to improve the designed to familiarize the militarily naïve
involving the chain of command. program’s reach and effectiveness. The data therapist to the military culture and potential
issues of special concern for military service
After the initial development and implemen- are also providing encouraging evidence that
members and their families.
tation of the B2B peer-support program, the the concept of an extended “military fam-
Michigan Army National Guard assumed ily” can help struggling veterans survive and One of the most important things to recog-
control of the program and has assigned even thrive under truly challenging circum- nize when working with military service
an officer and noncommissioned officer to stances. We hope to continue supporting this members or their families is what has been
conduct training and implementation. NG wonderful group well into the future through termed the “warrior ethos.” Service mem-
Bureaus in other states have expressed inter- our close relationship with the National bers and their families pride themselves on
est in the program and efforts to disseminate Guard. While we do not wish to supplant the their strength and ability to successfully
Buddy-to-Buddy are ongoing. We are cur- role of family in providing support, we hope confront challenge. The notion of asking
rently conducting a multistate evaluation of to extend the picture to include the valuable for help or support often carries with it the
the program, including longitudinal surveys support found among close peers.  stigma of weakness. In our studies, service
F4 family focus // spring 2012

5. Family Focus on... Military Families
advice to therapists continued from page F4
advice to therapists continued on page F5 posts. Those in the Navy are called sailors majority have been involved in or witnessed
and their installations are referred to as trauma but may not be willing to share this
members have reported concerns about
bases. Marines are affiliated with the Navy information unless explicitly asked. The
appearing weak in front of their peers or
but are referred to as Marines. Those in the service member and his or her family need
commanders; commanders have reported
Air Force are airmen or airwomen and their to know that you are aware of the reality of
concerns of appearing weak to their subor-
installations are also called bases. Referring combat exposure and that you can handle
dinates. In a culture where respect and team-
to someone in the Army as a sailor or to hearing about it.
work reign, such fears are not unwarranted.
someone in the Navy as a soldier lessens the Depression and Suicide
No one wants to be considered the “weakest
therapist’s credibility and can be interpreted The growing rate of suicide in the military
link” and many believe their families to be
as disrespectful. has received increased attention. Given the
a direct reflection on them. These beliefs,
which help make our military strong, can A service member’s rank can provide infor- warrior ethos, it is not surprising that service
also place service members in a double bind mation about his or her education, income, members would be hesitant to talk about
when they do find themselves in need of and job description. For example, those suicidal ideation even if it were occurring.
support, especially when that support entails in the enlisted ranks usually have no prior Again, be specific in asking about this.
mental health services. It is imperative that college degree. Commissioned officers Survivor Guilt
therapists have an awareness of this tension have either completed a college Reserve Many service members may be experiencing
if they are to successfully work with military Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), a degree survivor guilt. “Why did my comrade step
service members and their families. from a U.S. service academy, or officer on the IED and I didn’t?” “Why did their
training school. Noncommissioned officers convoy get attacked and mine didn’t?” It is
As with any culture, the military has its own
have ascended up the ranks from enlisted to
set of acronyms and terms that flow through-
out their everyday conversations. While
it is not necessary to become completely
Identifying service members by their proper branch is a sign of respect.
fluent in “military-ese,” an understanding For example, those in the Army are called soldiers and their installations
of common terms can go a long way in are referred to as forts or posts. Those in the Navy are called sailors
establishing a therapeutic alliance. Several and their installations are referred to as bases. Marines are affiliated
websites provide excellent primers in this
regard (e.g., http://www.militaryfamily.org/
with the Navy but are referred to as Marines. Those in the Air Force are
get-info/new-to-military/military-culture/). airmen or airwomen and their installations are also called bases. Referring
Some frequently used terms include: OEF to someone in the Army as a sailor or to someone in the Navy as a soldier
(Operation Enduring Freedom); OIF (Op- lessens the therapist’s credibility and can be interpreted as disrespectful.
eration Iraqi Freedom); PCS (Permanent
Change of Station or moving to a new loca- enlisted officer status, but they still remain important to explore this issue and to help
tion); TDY (temporary duty going away for part of the enlisted culture. In establishing the service member make sense of the expe-
a conference, education, or training); MOS a therapeutic relationship, it is important to rience and surrounding feelings.
(Military Occupational Specialty); CONUS acknowledge the rank initially (as a sign of
(located in the continental United States); History of Trauma (Military and Nonmilitary)
respect), then to make it clear to the client As suggested above, ask about trauma ex-
OCONUS (located outside the continental that you view him or her as a person, rather
United States); IA (individual augmentee, posure experienced during deployment. But
than a position. don’t limit the inquiry to this period of time.
a service member who is deployed with a
unit other than the one with whom he or Assessment According to Seifert and colleagues (2011)
she has trained); FRG (Family Readiness Several specialized areas of assessment may 46% of service members report a history of
Group, provides support for spouses and be needed in working with military service childhood physical abuse; 25% report both
families left behind, especially during de- members and their families. Note that these physical and sexual abuse. Those who expe-
ployment); and “in theater” (in the location suggestions are meant to supplement regular rienced both have a higher rate of develop-
of the conflict or battle). assessment of strengths and social supports ing PTSD. Additionally, for female service
as well as issues of depression, ATOD, members, it is important to query about their
Each service branch brings with it its own violence, and the like as appropriate for the experiences of sexual harassment or assault
culture and pride. Each specializes in dif- presenting issue. during deployment. Murdoch and colleagues
ferent contexts of battle (land, sea, sky) and (2003) reported that incidents of sexual ha-
Deployment Experience
each operates different lengths of deploy- rassment were reported by 80% of the mili-
Ask the service member about his or her ex-
ment, ranging on average from 6-15 months. tary women in their study. In other studies,
perience with deployment. Ask specifically
Identifying service members by their proper researchers have suggested that 28%-30% of
about combat exposure and trauma expo-
branch is a sign of respect. For example, female service members have experienced a
sure. Estimates are that between 77%-87%
those in the Army are called soldiers and rape while in military service.
of OEF and OIF veterans had combat expo-
their installations are referred to as forts or
sure (i.e., shot or were shot at). Thus the vast advice to therapists continued on page F6
family focus // spring 2012 F5

6. Family Focus on... Military Families
Military Families Internship:
Strengthening families and communities
by Sally Koblinsky, Ph.D., professor, koblinsk@umd.edu, and Zainab Okolo, M.A.,
undergraduate coordinator, University of Maryland, College Park,
When men and women serve our country, Multiple and longer deployments strain
their families also serve. Supporting and families, especially when the stress of war
strengthening military families is now a affects a service member’s reunification
national priority. Fewer than 1% of Ameri- with family members and readjustment to
cans have served in the armed forces during civilian life. Some post-9/11 veterans have
the last decade, yet they and their families sustained serious physical injuries, including
have borne the burdens of our nation’s lon- amputations and traumatic brain injuries.
gest period of continuous conflict. Among Others have unique behavioral health needs.
our current troops, 55% are married and more According to a RAND study of military
than 40% have children. Although family members who served in Operation Iraqi Sally Koblinsky Zainab Okolo
separations are an intrinsic component of Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Free-
military life, the post-9/11 wars have been dom (OEF), one in five reports symptoms of problems among military children and more
characterized by special challenges, includ- post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. mental health diagnoses among Army wives.
ing the increased number, length, and unpre- Greater cumulative length of deployments While our U.S. military continues to recruit
dictability of deployments. has also been linked to more emotional internship continued on page F7
advice to therapists continued from page F5
person. Unprecedented access to the Internet
Such experiences may be particularly dif- they being physically aggressive with others
and cell phones even in theater makes such
ficult for female service members to make or getting into physical fights?
concerns real. Be ready to assess for Internet
meaning of, given that the assault came Risk-Taking Behavior pornography use and potential addiction.
from those who were supposed to be on Many returning service members report
their side. Financial Difficulties
difficulty adjusting to “normal life.” After
It is not uncommon for families to experi-
PTSD Symptoms having survived at a heightened sense of
ence great changes in their family income
Check for symptoms of PTSD, noting even alertness for such an extended period of
during deployment. Finances can often
subclinical levels and their impact on the time, a service member may be tempted to
become a point of tension. How have money
service member’s behavior and interactions engage in risk-taking behaviors in an effort
issues been handled during the deployment?
with others. Also be mindful of the impact to get the adrenalin rush that was such a part
Are couples able to communicate about their
of vicarious trauma among family members of everyday experience in theater. These
needs and the status of their finances?
of service members. behaviors may be consciously intentional or
not, but can include driving recklessly, not Youth Internalizing and
Drug Use Externalizing Behaviors
wearing a motorcycle helmet, drinking too
Assess the client’s use of licit, illicit, and Explore changes in behaviors and emotions
much, engaging in fights, and taking other
prescription drugs. Remember that admis- among the children in military families. Fall-
chances.
sion of use of illicit drugs can be grounds ing grades, withdrawal, depression, anger,
for discharge, so service members may be Couple Communication
How often were the service member and and sleep issues are all common responses
particularly hesitant to be honest about their to deployment. Some studies suggest that
use. Don’t forget to ask about prescrip- spouse able to communicate during deploy-
ment? How well do they communicate now youth have more difficulty with the re-
tion drug use, both in theater and at home. integration phase of deployment than do
Spouses may also have turned to drug use as that the service member has returned home?
Look for changes from predeployment to parents, in part because they are concerned
a coping response during the deployment. about the potential for redeployment.
reintegration phases.
Sleep Habits Summary
Infidelity (Physical and Emotional)
Check with service members and spouses The need for military-savvy therapists has
During long separations, the threat of infi-
about their sleeping habits. Disrupted sleep never been greater as the stress of repeated
delity is high on both service members’ and
can be sign of PTSD and other issues. deployments takes its toll. Knowing some-
spouses’ minds. Normalizing these concerns
Anger/Rage thing about the culture and specific issues
and assessing for extramarital relationships
Check to see how service members are can go a long way in brokering the relation-
is important. Note that such relationships
ship of mutual respect needed for a success-
managing any issues with anger. Are they can be Internet-based, with emotional at-
ful therapeutic experience. 
verbally lashing out at family members? Are tachments formed at long distances or in
F6 family focus // spring 2012

7. Family Focus on... Military Families
internship continued from page F6
a first-rate, volunteer force and large num- gram leaders, researchers, and family mem- military bases and military-focused agen-
bers of military families exhibit resiliency, it bers together to identify ways to increase the cies had previously accepted our students
is important that family professionals better effectiveness of military family support and as interns, most students’ lack of familiarity
understand the challenges faced by military readiness programs. Our program also com- with military culture and lifestyles created
families and apply this knowledge to im- plements two other internship programs in a steep learning curve that limited their con-
proving their well-being. the USDA/DoD Military Extension Part- tributions to the internship sponsor. he
T
nership that recruit interns from across the current demands on military agencies further
Military Families Internship
nation. Purdue University’s 4-H Military In- restricted the amount of time they could
One of the challenges involved in promoting devote to sifting through student requests to
resiliency among OIF/OEF military person- ternship places student interns in child care
and youth programs on military bases in the intern at their sites.
nel and their families is the short supply of
family science and behavioral health profes- United States and overseas. North Carolina To address these issues, family science
sionals who have been trained to identify State University’s Project Y.E.S! (Youth Ex- faculty initiated contact with nearby military
and meet military family needs. To address tension Service) engages students in a year bases, health centers, and agencies serving
this shortage, the University of Maryland’s of service to provide youth development military families to solicit their interest in
Department of Family Science created a programs for military children nationwide. hosting an intern. We informed potential
Military Families Internship program in
fall of 2011. This internship prepares senior One of the challenges involved in promoting resiliency among
family science students to enhance the readi- OIF/OEF military personnel and their families is the short supply of family
ness, resilience, and well-being of service science and behavioral health professionals who have been trained
members, veterans, and families. Students
receive training to help military families to identify and meet military family needs. To address this shortage, the
deal with deployments and family reunifica- University of Maryland’s Department of Family Science created
tion, gain access to services and benefits, a Military Families Internship program in fall of 2011.
and advocate for their needs. Major goals of
the program are to:
 Increase students’ knowledge about mili- While Maryland’s Military Families Intern- supervisors/mentors that all prospective stu-
tary culture and military family strengths ship shares many of the goals of the national dents would be screened by our internship
and challenges; programs, it recruits students from our uni- directors and matched with bases/agencies
 Familiarize students with the range of pro- versity and puts them to work with military seeking their skills. All of the interns were
grams and services available to military families in the local community. Students required to complete an online, 10-module,
families; gain real-world experience with military Military OneSource course on military cul-
 Develop students’ skills for planning, culture and increase community capacity to ture and military families (at no cost) prior
foster and sustain resilient military families. to beginning their internships. As in our
implementing, and evaluating programs
Maryland’s internship places some students larger internship program, Military Family
that support military families and military
in military child/youth programs, but also Interns must complete a contract with their
children/youth;
prepares students to work with military supervisor/mentor specifying professional
 Improve the capacity of local communi-
families in family readiness and human learning goals, career fit, internship duties,
ties to serve military families;
service and family life education programs a supervision plan, and a schedule for prog-
 Build and enhance university partnerships
that focus on health, financial management, ress reviews.
with state military installations, military
housing, employment, parenting, caregiving,
health centers, health/social service agen- During their placement semester, students
and other family issues. The program is one
cies, and nonprofits addressing military attend bi-weekly seminars taught by fam-
model for land grant and other institutions
family needs; and ily science and other university faculty who
seeking to strengthen community capacity-
 Increase the number of family science are engaged in research and service projects
building in support of military families and
professionals in the workforce who have involving military families. Seminars pro-
develop a local workforce of professionals
the knowledge, skills, and experience to vide an opportunity for students to share
prepared to meet military family needs.
assist military families. their experiences and to learn about timely
Internship Basics military issues, such as effects of the de-
The goals of our internship program ad-
The Military Families Internship was an ployment cycle on families, post-traumatic
dress major priorities of the recent National
outgrowth of our required senior internship stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and
Leadership Summit on Military Families. In
program in family science. After taking pre- evidence-based interventions for building
2009, the University of Maryland partnered
requisite courses in family science and hu- family resiliency. Local experts who direct
with the Department of Defense (DoD) and
man services, students complete a capstone, military youth programs, behavioral health
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
120-hour (minimum) internship where they internship continued on page F8
to bring military family policy makers, pro- apply classroom learning in professional
positions in the community. Although a few
family focus // spring 2012 F7

8. Family Focus on... Military Families
internship continued from page F7
initiatives, and family support activities and organizes warrior visits for distin- Wood Johnson Foundation to coordinate and
present their work at the seminars. A panel guished leaders and visitors. strengthen military and civilian services for
of the university’s veteran students also of- troops, veterans, and their families. The in-
Easter Seals Military Families
fers advice on working with military fami- tern is helping to map community resources
Respite Program
lies. Finally, interns complete a journal and a and create a user-friendly, online navigator
Easter Seals interns work with a respite care
poster project that enable them to reflect system that will enable military families to
program for military families who have
on their work as emerging professionals ad- locate and access needed services.
children with disabilities. They acquaint
dressing military family needs. military parents with the program, recruit Other internships engage students in a va-
We began recruiting students for the Mili- caregivers, provide training on quality child riety of military family activities, including
tary Families Internship in the fall of 2011. care, and make unannounced site visits to organizing family health/wellness work-
Forty-five students applied for the 20 place- evaluate respite caregiver interactions with shops; developing and implementing curri-
ment sites. The authors interviewed all children. cula for Operation Military Kids/4-H pro-
applicants to assess their interest in military grams; working with families on financial
Operation HomeFront
families, familiarity with military life (e.g., management; creating a peer support and
Operation Homefront internships involve
parent or spouse in the armed forces), and advocacy network for women veterans; and
identifying services and sources of emer-
relevant experience. The response of one helping service members reintegrate into
gency financial aid for families of deployed
student was representative of the group: “I civilian and family life.
service members and wounded warriors dur-
realized that these guys are my peer group ing their period of recovery and transition. Conclusion
… and they’ve been through so much. … Interns assess service member and family University of Maryland’s Military Families
I feel like working with wounded warriors needs, acquaint them with community re- Internship program can be replicated by oth-
and their families is a way for me to give sources, organize family events, and monitor er colleges/universities interested in serving
back.” One of the student interns is an Air use of transitional housing. military families in their local communities.
Force veteran and several have relatives in The program educates students about mili-
the military. Many of the students who were Ft. Meade Army Community Service
tary family strengths and challenges, pro-
not selected (generally because they were Interns at Fort Meade work in the cultural
vides opportunities for meaningful service,
not graduating in May 2012) will serve as awareness, employment readiness, mobi-
and prepares family professionals to meet
interns in summer or fall 2012. We also have lization/deployment, or volunteer services
military family needs. Through the work of
plans to increase our military internship sites program. Two students are planning military
student interns, communities increase their
and expand the program to seniors in public family readiness activities, including classes
capacity to improve military families’ well-
health. that introduce families to the culture of
being. Although many institutions may not
Afghanistan and programs for children/youth
Internship Placements have the diverse network of military bases
whose parents will soon deploy. Another stu-
Our Military Family interns are serving in and agencies found in the Maryland-Wash-
dent is developing onsite and online volun-
a variety of military and civilian organiza- ington, D.C., area, most communities have
teer programming for base families, as well
tions, including Walter Reed National Mili- veterans’ groups, behavioral health agen-
as helping to plan and evaluate a volunteer
tary Medical Center, Fort George G. Meade, cies, or youth programs that serve military
services fair. These interns also work with
Andrews Air Force Base, Operation Military families, including the National Guard and
family support groups and connect military
Kids/4-H, Operation Homefront, Operation reserves. A community-based military in-
spouses to programs that address their em-
Second Chance, Easter Seals Military and ternship program can provide students with
ployment, education, and health needs.
Veterans Services, Women Veterans Interac- valuable knowledge, skills, and apprecia-
Serving Together tion for the dedicated service of our nation’s
tive Foundation, Serving Together/Mental
The Serving Together intern participates in military families. 
Health Association of Montgomery County,
a county-wide project funded by the Robert
University of Maryland Office of Veteran
Student Life, and the Maryland Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene. Below are
brief descriptions of selected internships:
Walter Reed Warrior Family
Coordination Cell
The Walter Reed internship involves ad-
dressing the daily needs of wounded war-
riors and their family members in inpatient
and outpatient settings. The intern also plans
and coordinates events for warriors and fam-
ily members, works with nongovernmental
organizations assisting wounded warriors,
F8 family focus // spring 2012

9. Family Focus on... Military Families
World War II in people’s lives
by Ralph LaRossa, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Georgia State University, rlarossa@gsu.edu
Seventy-some-odd years ago, in the wake employer (e.g., in one of its ads, the Ameri- Several years ago I
of the December 1941 attack on Pearl Har- can Thermos Bottle Company, manufacturer embarked on a proj-
bor, the United States of America became of vacuum bottles and lunch boxes, claimed ect to research World
a combatant in World War II. The country that “the man with the lunch kit and the man War II. I wanted to
would remain at war until 1945 when first with the gun are equally vital to America’s better understand
Germany and later Japan surrendered. In war effort”). Children, too, contributed to what the war meant
commemoration of the war, many in the the war effort by being messengers in the for fathers and their
United States and throughout the world will U.S. Citizens Defense Corps and by solicit- families. The project
periodically stop and think about the war’s ing monetary donations as “Victory Volun- began as a sequel of
battles and its overall impact. What we will teers” (“Won’t you buy a war bond, Mister, sorts to a book I had Ralph LaRossa
remember will include (but not be limited so’s my Daddy can come home?”). written on the history of fatherhood during
to): Presidential Executive Order 9102 the Machine Age (1918-1941). Quickly,
In short, the majority of Americans during
(signed into law in March 1942) establishing however, the venture expanded to include
World War II, regardless of whether they
the War Relocation Authority and leading a lot more than this. The conversations I
were in the armed forces, lived with the war
to the imprisonment of more than 110,000 had with my parents about the war did little
on a regular basis. “Military families” thus
resident Japanese men, women, and chil- to prepare me for the heart-wrenching and
included not only those that happened to
dren (many of whom were U.S. citizens); heartwarming stories I came across.
have a son or father or uncle (or daughter or
the congressional debate (in the spring and
mother or aunt) in uniform, but also those in What stood out were both the magnitude
summer of 1943) over whether the six mil-
which a member of the family was engaged of the conflict and the enormity of its reach.
lion fathers who had conceived a child on or
in war-related work. My parents’ war was not a confrontation that
before the date of the Japanese attack should
touched only a fraction of the population
continue to be exempted from the draft Postwar conversations about while the rest of the country remained largely
(eventually it was decided that they should
the war thus could be difficult, not just unscathed. Rather, as its name implies, World
be among the pool of potential recruits);
War II was a full-scale conflagration, the
the Allied invasion of Normandy, otherwise for the men who did not
consequences of which are still being felt.
known as D-Day (in June 1944); the battle want to dwell on the terrible
of Okinawa (April to June 1945); the fall Central to understanding World War II was
of Berlin (in May 1945); and the dropping things they saw and were forced the diversity of people’s experiences. Some
of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Naga- to do, but also for the men who have suggested that the singular impact of
saki (in August 1945), which ushered in the the war on the domestic front was the eco-
could not honestly offer the tales
Nuclear Age and redefined what it meant to nomic boom that it initiated and the speed
destroy something. of bravery that family and friends with which it put Depression-era men back
so much wanted to hear. to work, as if war was only about gross
With the United States currently at war,
national production. Men in the 1940s also
we can appreciate, to some extent, what My father served in World War II (as an Air
have often been characterized in monochro-
Americans were confronted with in the Corps radio man on B-series bombers). So,
matic terms, with the impression given that
1940s. But we must understand, too, that the in a way, did my mother, in that she was
all were (a) drafted or volunteered, (b) sent
breadth and depth of World War II put it in employed for a while in a Brooklyn factory
overseas and into combat, and (c) welcomed
an entirely different realm. Today, approxi- that manufactured gyroscopes for planes
home as heroes when they returned. Such
mately 1.5 million men and women are on and ships. I remember as a child asking my
generalizations, however, ignore the myriad
active duty. During World War II, more than parents about the war and being captivated
ways that the war was felt and perceived and
16 million were. Today, tens of thousands by what they had to say. I remember, too,
the significant differences that existed from
of civilians are engaged in homeland secu- playing war games and simulating combat
one group to the next. The social meaning of
rity (particularly at airports and seaports). with my elementary school buddies in the
World War II varied substantially by (among
During World War II, the number was sig- small field across the street from the house
other things): race, ethnicity, social class,
nificantly higher, especially if we take into where I grew up. My friends and I would
gender, age, geography, religion, whether
account those who worked in munitions “shoot” at each other and, every now and
one had or had not seen combat, and the par-
factories (e.g., “Rosie the Riveter”) and the then, fall down and pretend to be dead, only
ticular relationship one had with the casual-
fact that everyone had to ration and get by to miraculously arise a few seconds later
ties (e.g., as a father or mother or sibling of
with less. In the 1940s, even if a person’s to fight again. Little did we realize how far
a soldier who died or who was injured).
job did not seem to be connected to the war, removed our antics were from the actual
a link nonetheless was often made by an horrors of battle. world war II continued on page F10
family focus // spring 2012 F9

10. Family Focus on... Military Families
world war II continued from page F9
One thus cannot talk about the war’s eco-
nomic effect without acknowledging the
Japanese Americans who, in U.S. govern-
ment-sponsored roundups, were forced to
abandon their homes and leave behind most
of their possessions, and who, upon their
release years later, were unable to return to
the jobs they once had or find new jobs com-
mensurate with their skills. As one Japanese
American woman reported, “My father
kept looking for work [after the war], and
guished themselves on the battlefield. Said a but also for the men who could not honestly
he couldn’t find anything. … He never was
corpsman who was wounded on D-Day, “No offer the tales of bravery that family and
able to get back on his feet. …”
one asked me if I was gay when they called friends so much wanted to hear.
Nor can one speak of the pride that men out ‘Medic!’ and you went out under fire
Geography was a factor, too. Today, Ameri-
gained from being in the military and be- and did what you were expected and trained
cans in large cities are especially prone to
ing given a chance to defend their country to do.” In the immediate postwar years and
feel vulnerable to terrorist attacks. New
without acknowledging the fact that Black especially in the 1950s, thousands of men
Yorkers, many of whom personally wit-
men initially were barred from enlisting, and and women, many of whom were veterans,
nessed the fall of the Twin Towers, are in-
that when they were allowed to participate were fired from their jobs if it was discov- clined to have a heightened sense of alarm.
they were told they would have to serve in ered that they were gay. The freedoms that During World War II, Americans who re-
noncombat roles. Even when African Ameri- many had fought for were not made avail-
sided in cities and towns on the East Coast
cans were eventually permitted to join or be able to all.
or West Coast were more likely to believe
drafted (the United States could ill afford
The social meaning of World War II also they were in immediate danger because of
to continue to exclude them if it was to win
varied by how close a person got to battle. the assumption that the country would be in-
the war) and even though many were in
Of the 16 million Americans who were on vaded from the sea. Their fears were fueled
the thick of battle (the decorated Tuskegee
active duty, only about 10% saw combat. by the buildup of shoreline artillery batteries
Airmen constitute only a small proportion
For these soldiers, the brutality of war was and by the success of German submarines
of the Black soldiers who fought), they
witnessed up close. One infantryman, who in waters around America’s harbors. In early
were not revered when they returned, as
had seen action in the Pacific, wrote in a 1942, U-boats patrolling off the East Coast
White soldiers were, but sometimes were
letter to his father and mother about “mor- sank 216 ships, and it was not uncommon
scorned. To cite but one example, in 1946,
tar shells dropping in on heads and ripping for bodies from the torpedoed vessels to
Isaac Woodward, traveling in uniform, was
bodies” and how “faces [were] blown apart wash up on shore. We can only imagine
on his way home by bus to South Carolina
by flying lead and coral” on the beach. “The what it was like for World War II-era fami-
and, at one point, asked the bus driver, who
Catholic Chaplain,” the son reported, “was lies to stroll on the beach, ever watchful of
was White, if it would be possible to stop
killed as he was blessing each foxhole. An what they might find in the sand.
the vehicle so he could use the bathroom.
“Hell no!” the driver told him. “Dammit,” artillery shell cut him in half at the waist.” More than 400,000 U.S. soldiers were killed
Woodward replied, “you’ve got to talk to me Some soldiers, though near battles, were not in World War II. Kids suffered the loss of
like a man.” Furious that Woodward would in any immediate danger, while others, far their parents and siblings; parents grieved the
challenge him, the driver called ahead to the away from the front lines, never fired their loss of their children. Yet another gruesome
police who at the next stop beat Woodward weapons or were fired upon. Youngsters statistic in the arithmetic of war is the number
so hard as to render him blind. often wanted to know what their fathers did of soldiers missing in action, lost at sea, or
interred as unknowns. (A mother, mourn-
Consider, too, that although the armed forces in the war. In many cases, they yearned to
learn whether their fathers had killed any- ing her child, exclaimed, “If they could just
were (by law) desegregated in 1948, the
one. Not fully appreciating the import of find him so I could bury him I don’t want the
privileges that White veterans enjoyed were
what they were asking, the children hoped in birds picking on his body.”) To this day, the
not offered in equal measure to Black veter-
remains of over 70,000 American G.I.s from
ans. G.I. Bill benefits, which provided educa- their hearts the answer was yes. One young
World War II have never been officially re-
tional and housing opportunities for millions man, finding out that his dad was not in
covered or identified. For the families of these
of White veterans, were frequently denied to combat, said that he “felt cheated.” (“After
everything the rest of us went through so veterans, the war, in some ways, is not over.
Black veterans. New York’s famed suburb,
Levittown, which began construction in 1947 he could go off the war, he never even got Note
and flourished throughout the 1950s, system- shot at.”) Postwar conversations about the This essay draws on the research and refer-
atically excluded African American families. war thus could be difficult, not just for the ences reported in Ralph LaRossa, Of War
men who did not want to dwell on the ter- and Men: World War II in the Lives of Fa-
Gay soldiers also fought in World War II, rible things they saw and were forced to do, thers and Their Families (2011). 
as they had done in wars before, and distin-
F10 family focus // spring 2012

11. Family Focus on... Military Families
Military service and the life course:
An assessment of what we know
by Jay Teachman, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Western Washington University, Jay.Teachman@wwu.edu
Over the last 60 years, at least 1.5 million Crime and Delinquency vein, it is important
military personnel have been on active duty Research on crime and delinquency illus- to note that variation
in each year, affecting 10% to 70% of rel- trates well the importance of time and place and changes in the
evant birth cohorts. The peak participation when considering the impact of military ser- civilian environment
figures are for birth cohorts affected by war vice. The available literature suggests that facing veterans and
and large-scale conscription (World War service during World War II acted to reduce non-veterans may be as
II, Korea, Vietnam), but military service is the likelihood that veterans would engage in important to consider
common even for peacetime birth cohorts. criminal or delinquent behavior (Sampson as variation and change
For example, a recent study estimates that & Laub, 1996). For veterans of the Vietnam in the military environ-
17% of Black men and 14% of White men era, however, this was less true, and there is ment that act upon Jay Teachman
born 1965-1969 have served in the military even some evidence that Vietnam veterans veterans. Thus, alterations in civilian oppor-
(Pettit & Western, 2004). If men experienc- were more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs tunities for educational and economic suc-
ing incarceration are excluded, nearly one than nonveterans (Bouffard & Laub, 2004). cess are likely to be as important as changes
in four Black men of this generation has More recently, veterans of the AVF are more in the nature of selectivity into the military
and the nature of military service. As we
An often-ignored fact is that the military remains the single largest shall see, points two and three are important
employer of young men in the United States. Thus, military service is not considerations for other outcomes of mili-
tary service.
an anomaly or an isolated event in the transition to adulthood, even
during the All-Volunteer Force (AVF) era; it is a common event that occurs Marriage, Divorce, and Cohabitation
An important component of the life course
at ages during which many men (and increasingly women) are involves family transitions. Most research
making decisions about education, careers, and intimate relationships. in the field has tied military service to the
likelihood of divorce, with much less atten-
served in the military. An often-ignored fact likely to experience contact with the legal tion being paid to marriage or cohabitation.
is that the military remains the single largest system than comparable nonveterans (Bouf- Moreover, much of the literature tends to be
employer of young men in the United States. fard, 2005). contradictory. For example, one study found
Thus, military service is not an anomaly or that military service during World War II
As important as it is, the available research raised the risk of divorce (Pavalko & Elder,
an isolated event in the transition to adult-
is limited in several ways. First, the data 1990), while another finds a decreased risk
hood, even during the All-Volunteer Force
sources for earlier cohorts of veterans are of divorce for the same period (Ruger, Wil-
(AVF) era; it is a common event that oc-
restricted to small, specialized samples. son, & Waddoups, 2002). Such variations
curs at ages during which many men (and
The limitations of these samples (lack of in findings are likely due to differences in
increasingly women) are making decisions
geographic, racial, and socioeconomic varia- datasets and analysis procedures and high-
about education, careers, and intimate re-
tion) make it difficult to identify the true light the difficulty in specifying an effect of
lationships. Military service also occurs at
pattern of change across time. Second, these military service on life course behavior.
an age when service members are forming
studies continue to struggle with appropri-
lifelong habits that will affect their health in Research on veterans of the Vietnam era
ate procedures to deal with selectivity into
the future. tends to be more consistent. This literature
the military. This is an especially important
Given the continuing importance of mili- concern for any life course outcome given generally finds that service during the Viet-
tary service in American life, it is important the fact that the military has always screened nam era had little to no effect on risk of
to understand its relationship to important recruits on criteria such as health, education, divorce (Ruger et al., 2002). The literature
components of the life course. In this report mental aptitude, and criminal history. This is also reasonably consistent in finding that
I consider the relationship between military means that military recruits are far from be- combat exposure increases the risk of di-
service and several life course outcomes, ing a random subset of all Americans. Third, vorce among veterans of this era. Evidence
including crime and delinquency; marriage, the mechanisms through which military for the post-Vietnam era indicates that di-
divorce, and cohabitation; socioeconomic service may influence crime and delinquen- vorce rates while serving in the military are
attainment; and health. I also indicate some cy remain poorly specified, both within and generally lower than for comparable civil-
important limitations in our knowledge base. among different cohorts of veterans. In this the life course continued on page F12
family focus // spring 2012 F11

12. Family Focus on... Military Families
the life course continued from page F11
ians, particularly for Black men (Lundquist, (Fredland & Little, 1980). More recent Health
2006; Teachman, 2008). After active-duty research, however, has found little impact A large body of literature has investigated
service, though, there appears to be little dif- of service during World War II on income, the health consequences of military service.
ference between veterans and nonveterans in largely due to increased awareness of the Much of this research focuses on PTSD and
the risk of divorce. need to control for selectivity (Teachman the negative effects of combat. Irrespective
& Tedrow, 2004). That is, veterans would of historical era, combat is positively linked
The literature pertaining to military service,
have earned more than nonveterans even if to PTSD and other negative health effects
marriage, and cohabitation is limited. The
they had not served. An exception occurs for (Dobkin & Shabani, 2007). Other research
available evidence suggests that rates of
Black veterans and veterans with little preser- has linked military service during times of
marriage are particularly high during active-
vice education. Minorities and lesser educat- combat to excess mortality later in life (Be-
duty military service in the AVF era, with
ed Whites appear to gain some benefit from dard & Deschenes, 2006). The link between
Blacks being as likely to marry as Whites,
military service irrespective of selectivity. combat, PTSD, and mortality is not unex-
contrary to the case for civilians. In addi-
pected and its pervasiveness across different
tion, the evidence indicates that men serv- This pattern of findings–little to no positive
cohorts of veterans speaks to the powerful
ing on active duty are much more likely effect of military service on income except
impact that highly stressful military service
than civilian men to choose marriage over for disadvantaged groups–is repeated for
can have on the lives of veterans.
cohabitation, and active-duty military ser- both the Vietnam and AVF eras (Teachman,
vice is strongly linked to the likelihood that 2004; Teachman & Tedrow, 2007). Indeed, A strength of this literature is that it identi-
cohabiting unions will be converted into for both eras, White men saw declines in fies mechanisms through which military
marriages rather than dissolved. Active-duty their civilian incomes as a result of military service negatively affects health. The nega-
military service thus appears to be support- service, even when controlling for selectiv- tive mental health effects of experiencing
ive of marriage. ity. Other research has also found similar combat have been well-identified and ex-
results for education only minority men ist across all cohorts of military veterans.
The literature linking marriage, divorce, and In addition, the excessive use of tobacco
seem to have benefited educationally from
cohabitation is limited in several fashions, among men in the military is a contributor
military service (Teachman, 2005). An ex-
though. First, it is difficult to obtain con- to their excess mortality (Bedard & De-
ception to the pattern for education occurs
sistent data on these important family life schenes, 2006). A variety of research has
for veterans of World War II, however. The
course statuses across different historical clearly shown that military service is related
availability of the G.I. Bill appears to have
eras. Only more recently have event history to abuse of tobacco and alcohol products.
increased the level of education obtained by
data collecting the dates of important transi- Some authors have also tied military service
veterans of this era (Stanley, 2003).
tions for nationally representative samples to risk-taking behaviors that impact mortal-
become available. Second, the mechanisms Even though much has been learned, this ity through accidental deaths (e.g., speeding,
linking military service to these family life body of literature too is limited in many motorcycle riding).
course events remain unclear. While active- ways. First, there remains a lack of data that
duty service appears to spur marriage, at can be used to compare the consequences of Nevertheless, a significant gap in the litera-
least for more recent cohorts, the mecha- military service across different eras. This ture exists, in that there is very little re-
nisms by which this occurs remain opaque makes it difficult to understand why changes search that addresses the health implications
and crudely measured at best. Third, it is not in the consequences of military service may of noncombat military service. While we
known to what extent military service af- have occurred over time. Second, the num- know that veterans who experience combat
fects marriage, divorce, and cohabitation af- ber of socioeconomic outcomes that have have more negative health outcomes than
ter leaving active duty. Fourth, although we been investigated is limited. Income and noncombat veterans, we do not know how
have begun to accumulate information about education are most commonly considered, noncombat veterans compare to the general
a select number of family-related transitions, but outcomes such as occupations, wealth population. On one hand, the screening
other family events such as childbearing, accumulation, and home ownership are process that selects veterans into the ser-
child rearing, and kin relationships remain scarcely discussed. Third, paths of socioeco- vice suggests that they should be healthier
severely under researched. nomic attainment, and the interrelationships than nonveterans. On the other hand, poor
between various components of attainment health habits (use of tobacco and alcohol)
Socioeconomic Attainment learned in the military may operate to negate
over the life course, have largely been ig-
There is a relatively rich history of research any positive selectivity effect. The existing
nored. Only recently have researchers begun
investigating the consequences of military literature also fails to fully consider how
to move beyond static indicators of income
service for subsequent socioeconomic at- variations in military service affect health.
and education. Fourth, research on socioeco-
tainment. Most of this research focuses on For example, are the health-related effects of
nomic attainment continues to struggle with
education and income. The earliest research, military service different for officers versus
appropriate controls for selectivity and pre-
focused on World War II, suggested con- enlisted men, for different military occu-
cise specification of the mechanisms through
siderable benefit to serving in the military. pational specialties, for different terms of
which military service impacts postservice
A number of studies found that veterans of service? In addition, with the exception
accomplishments.
World War II received an income premium the life course continued on page F13
F12 family focus // spring 2012