This study assessed the effectiveness of employment programs components, which resulted in the identification of content and process components that increase employability. Employment program use was studied among 1172 United States of America military veterans to determine which content (i.e., interviewing skills) and process (i.e., working with…

Urban and metropolitan colleges and universities can play an important role in innovative, equitable community revitalization. This is especially true for universities that also function as anchor institutions; there is both a challenge and an opportunity for such urban anchors to conduct their work in a manner that engages the community proximate…

Veteran student populations are on the rise across the U.S. due to benefits from the revised Post 9/11 Government Issue (G.I.) Bill that guarantees financial assistance for housing and education for exiting service members. Institutions seeking integration practices for this student population may fail to acknowledge the multiple identities that…

As part of a larger research program examining the impacts of nature-based experiences on veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, this study focused on changes in their depression and meaning in life after participating in a four-day river rafting experience. Results showed that there were statistically significant improvements over time for…

The Artopia: Creative Healing with Veterans program was a collaboration between the University of Texas Arlington's Art + Art History Department, Department of Psychology, and Veterans Assistance Center along with our community partner The Art Station. The objective of this pilot study was to examine how art therapy could benefit veterans' mood…

The Post-9/11 GI Bill allows service members to transfer generous education benefits to a dependent. We run a large-scale experiment that encourages service members to consider the transfer option among a population that includes individuals for whom the transfer benefits are clear and individuals for whom the net-benefits are significantly more…

Objective: To examine how veterans resource centers (VRCs) and corresponding services influence student veteran transitions by applying the Schlossberg Transition Model. Participants: 12 student support staff and 6 junior/senior undergraduate student veterans at a four-year public university in California. Methods: In-depth semi-structured,…

The veteran military-to-civilian transition (MCT) process continues to be complex and unwielding. Higher education has an opportunity to ease this transition, but, unfortunately many institutions still miss the mark. One mechanism higher education institutes can incorporate to help with the transition is the use of prior learning assessments or…

Effective veteran-student programs that include advising help to bridge military culture with campus culture. These programs assist with military-to-campus transitions and achieving veteran-student academic success. Persistent outreach is an advising strategy that includes proactive and intentional engagement that anticipates student concerns. The…

Over 2,000,000 servicemen and servicewomen returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will take advantage of the educational benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and will enroll in community colleges. Despite over 70 years of education benefits for U.S. veterans, there has been little research into the availability and effectiveness of…

Purpose: This study examined how participation in the Service Platoon program of The Mission Continues (TMC) impacts self-reported purpose in life (PIL), interpersonal support (IS), and civic engagement (CE) among military veterans. Methods: An online survey was given to military veterans upon initial registration with TMC and again 12 months…

This review explores the expanding role of federal aid policy considered from a contemporary and social justice perspective. It highlights recent trends in aid policy as well as difficulties that arise from the current system. Next, the review takes up an analysis of current aid policy that carefully considers equity and efficiency as primary…

Background: Skepticism of therapy and stigma are significant barriers for veterans with mental health issues. Therapeutic adventure shows promise in addressing veterans' mental health needs while circumventing the stigma many veterans face in initiating treatment. Purpose: Given the small group model of therapeutic adventure programs, such…

This study provides a deeper understanding of the experiences of student veterans with disabilities through examination of type and severity of service-connected disability and impacts on transition to higher education. Through quantitative survey research (n=328 respondents) at a medium sized regional research university in the West, we…

The role of vision impairment (blindness and low vision) related to the risk of falling has been well documented. Reduced visual acuity, as well as poor contrast sensitivity, field restriction, and loss of depth perception are established contributors to falls (Lamoureux et al., 2010). People with vision impairments fall as much as two to three…