College Veterans: Academic and Social Group Supports

Research indicates that many United States veterans are enrolled in postsecondary education. Veterans are challenged when transitioning to civilian life after their deployment (Parham & Gordon, 2016). These difficulties are intensified by the addition of transitioning to the role of student (Sargent, 2009). In a sample of Vietnam veterans enrolled in college, 60% reported experiencing difficulties re-adjusting to civilian life (Campbell & Riggs, 2015). Many factors affect this adjustment, including a deteriorating mental health status and a high level of dissonance between the values that characterize civilian life and the values that characterize military life (Parham & Gordon, 2016). There is a high level of socialization that occurs in the military which promotes strong identification with each member’s unit (Sargent, 2009). In contrast, student veterans tend to feel isolated from their peers on campus (Pellegrino & Hoggan, 2015). Due to the high level of need, along with veteran’s firm group-oriented mentality, we hypothesize that student veterans could benefit from social and educational support groups. However, research demonstrates a lack of engagement in support-oriented groups by veterans. This can be for a multitude of reasons, from social stigma, to the inability to connect with peers, to difficulty in self-expression (Olsen, T., Badger, K., & McCuddy ,M.D., 2014; Wesley, M. Jr, 2009)