Despite generous financial aid, military veterans have high rates of undermatch and generally poor postsecondary outcomes. We conducted a large-scale, multi-arm field experiment with the U.S. Army to investigate whether personalized information about postsecondary options and access to advising affects service members' postsecondary choices and…

Veterans' educational assistance programs provide benefits or services to eligible service members and veterans and their family members, as applicable, to help such individuals pursue education or training. The GI Bills provide financial assistance while recipients are enrolled in approved education or training programs. Eligibility is based on a…

The transition from the Air Force to civilian life can be a challenging process for enlisted members because of inconsistent and limited information provided by transition counselors at Air Force Base Airmen and Family Readiness Centers. The Department of Defense mandates the establishment of these centers down to the base level; however,…

The mediation effect of posttraumatic perception between self-esteem and PTSD severity among college student veterans (N = 64) were investigated. The results of the investigation indicated a significant relationship between self-esteem and PTSD severity. The total effect between self-esteem and PTSD severity showed a statistically significant…

Background: Existing outdoor programs which market to veterans are likely to help veterans to get outdoors and to connect with one another. However, these programs appear to market to mostly White, male populations even though many veterans are female and racially diverse. Purpose: In order to consider barriers to outdoor program engagement for…

This qualitative phenomenological study employs a phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experiences of veterans returning to higher education. It aims to explore and understand the experiences and difficulties faced by veterans as they reintegrate into college education. Thematic analysis is used to analyze qualitative data,…

The transitional experience from the military into higher education can pose unique challenges to student veterans, especially for those who seek to obtain professional licensure in nursing. This action research study sought to identify and understand these challenges. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 were student veterans entering…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how ten student veterans persist after entering private, 4-year institutions of higher education during or following their military service. The study's conceptual framework, drawing from Vacchi's Model of Student Veteran Support (2011, 2013), employs a narrative approach to spotlight the…

Military experience alone is no longer enough to replace a college degree for many civilian jobs, leaving nearly 15% of transitioning veterans at a disadvantage without higher education credentials. This study explored how active-duty Marines decide whether to pursue postsecondary education and assessed the role of the voluntary education (VolED)…

This dissertation study uses Schlossberg's Transition Theory to understand the experiences of student veterans enrolled at a Louisiana higher education institution. By recognizing the distinct needs of student veterans and the services offered, higher education administrators can play a pivotal role in informing them of their needs and creating a…

Student veterans have long been a population needing specialized assistance, however due to their unique intersectional identities higher education professionals in many cases are unsure of what to do when meeting with them. This Grounded Theory-Action Research focused study has sought to identify the career needs of student veterans as well as…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how post 9/11 military veterans described their transitions from military service to postsecondary education in the southwestern United States. The problem statement was: It is not known how post 9/11 military veterans describe their transitions from military service to postsecondary…

The position of a school certifying official at higher education institutions across the nation may be found within various departments and may hold a variety of responsibilities. The guidelines handed down by the Department of Veteran Affairs often require school certifying officials to spread across departmental boundaries to ensure they can…

Student veterans are a unique population on college/university campuses who may face numerous obstacles associated with transitioning from service member to student. One of the most daunting challenges these student veterans face occurs when they earn a grade for Failure for Nonattendance (FA). The GI Bill ®/Post 9/11 benefits that student…

This study examined how veteran social engagement predicted post-secondary school attainment. Nearly 10,000 post-9/11 veterans, who separated from military service in 2016, were surveyed on the programs/services they used over 4 years following separation. More than half of veterans had obtained a degree within 4 years of separation. A higher…