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Women are expanding their numbers and roles in the United States military. This new generation of military women is exposed to unique factors related to their gender that contribute to challenges for psychosocial well-being and optimal performance. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), researchers have identified unique factors for military women, including increased combat exposure, continued military sexual trauma and harassment, and conflicting dual roles. These factors may create obstacles that inhibit help-seeking behaviors and support for military women, and remain an under-researched topic of study. Gender-specific research on military women is limited; current research has primarily focused on discharged veterans and has been remiss in addressing women-specific issues for those currently serving in an active duty status. This study sought to address this under-researched phenomenon by exploring the military experiences of women on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. The purpose was to learn more about military women’s experiences and perceptions of stressors, coping behaviors, and sources of social support within this context. This study used a feminist phenomenological methodology to better understand military women’s experiences and specific stressors that influence their coping behaviors. A phenomenological data analysis procedure revealed five core themes and sub-themes that were synthesized into the essence. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are included to enhance women Marines’ psychosocial well-being and optimal performance while they serve on active duty.

Potential risk factors for development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are still unclear. One potential risk factor for the development of PTSD is an individual’s cardiovascular reactivity and recovery in response to stressor tasks. The current study was conducted with 763 Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers. Participants completed a stressful induction along with self-report measures prior to deployment. Post-deployment, self-report measures were completed to assess PTSD symptomatology and experiences related to deployment and combat. Multiple regression was used to determine the ability of blood pressure response to stress to predict PTSD symptoms immediately and one-year after return from deployment. Results indicated that soldiers who had a less reactive systolic blood pressure response to and recovery from stressor tasks reported more PTSD symptomatology immediately after and one year after return from deployment. These results suggest that soldiers who develop PTSD after deployment have less pre-deployment emotion regulation ability.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Jeff Zacharakis / Serving in the military today is a very specialized and intense experience, with the use of technology requiring dedicated training and education. The military provides much of this specialized training, but also recognizes the value of higher education for its personnel. Our military personnel are supporting our country daily and their increased time away from their home station diminishes time for their personal pursuits which, for many of them, is off-duty education. This exploratory study sought to understand the perceived barriers and goals influencing participation in postsecondary education by active duty Air Force personnel, in particular those that have served in austere, remote locations. This study used a modified version of Finks’ survey design to develop a questionnaire. The survey was administered to airmen, non-commissioned officers, and officers who were stationed at McConnell Air Force Base. Data examining motivational factors and barriers to participation in postsecondary education were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistical tests. Comparative analyses were conducted based on data from the demographic portion of the survey. Goals for postsecondary participation included preparing for when they leave the military, securing professional advancement, giving them higher status in their jobs, and increasing competence in their jobs. Time was identified as a barrier, including not having time to study, taking time away from family or giving up leisure time. Some respondents indicated that the available courses did not seem interesting or that they did not enjoy studying. Other commonly reported barriers included not being able to attend class regularly or because the course was offered at an inconvenient time or location. A number of respondents also indicated that courses not being offered at remote locations was a barrier to their participation in postsecondary education. Although this was an exploratory study, the results can inform future empirical research as well as contribute to the literature focusing on personnel management. The findings from this study can be used as a first step that will allow the Air Force, postsecondary institutions and other stakeholders to enhance educational opportunities for this group and inform organizational effectiveness.

Doctor of Philosophy / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Jared R. Anderson / Using a representative sample of married, active duty Air Force service members (N= 29,254), a theoretical model of community functioning was tested to examine the association between community functioning and three family outcomes (i.e., parent-child relationship satisfaction, family coping, and marital satisfaction). Tests of indirect relationships included measures of psychological resilience, depression, and PTSD, while rank and gender were examined as potential moderators. Results using structural equation modeling indicated that there was a direct, positive relationship between community functioning and all three family outcome variables and an indirect relationship through both psychological resilience and depression. In addition, there was a direct, negative relationship between community functioning and depression, as well as an indirect relationship through psychological resilience. Moderation was supported for rank only. These results demonstrate the importance of community functioning and resilience as they relate to service member’s mental health and family relationships. They suggest a potential framework in which community functioning and resilience may lead to reductions in individual and family risk factors.

The military has long-standing partnerships with institutions of higher education (Leporte, 2013; Parks, 2015 & Massie, 2016). These partnerships have been significant over time because the United States Army has incentivized civilian education via the Army enlisted ranks and promotional structure (Wilson, Smith, Lee & Stevenson, 2013). Researchers are beginning to recognize service members as adult students who need specific supports in an educational setting (Wilson et al., 2013; Leporte, 2013; Parks, 2015; Massie, 2016). Enlisted soldiers arrive on college campuses with identities ascribed and molded by the military. Thus, their primary identity is soldier not student (Nagel & Kleykamp, 2007; Wilson et al., 2013& Massie, 2016). Community colleges specialize in providing educational opportunities to all facets of the community (Kane & Rouse, 1999). The current cultural diversity discourse does not include military personnel and the degree in which institutions of higher education seek to integrate via policy and practice with the military. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of the ten enlisted soldiers who participated in a semi-structured interview and completed a demographic questionnaire. I used the Collective Affiliation model (Davidson, 2011) to analyze the data generated from the soldier-students interviews regarding their educational experiences at Hopkinsville Community College Fort Campbell Campus. The research participants discussed family support and expectations, preparation for life after the Army, reenlistment incentive programs, and civilian education embedded into promotional points as aspirations for college attendance. Lastly, the soldiers described their educational experiences as navigating military, family and academic bureaucracies to encompass; balancing multiple roles as adult students, discovering the opportunities and challenges of military educational benefits, enrollment experiences as community college students, and faculty interactions and support in the classroom. From this research study, I created the Dual System for Enlisted Soldier-Student Academic Persistence (DSAP) conceptual model to illustrate the lived experiences of enlisted soldiers as students specifically. The findings of this research add to the body of knowledge of the educational experiences of enlisted soldier-students attending community college.

The work deals with the theme of motivation to serve in the Czech armed forces among the professional soldiers after the experiences with the transformation of the rescue battalions. The author talks about the influences which may change the motivation of extended active duty with the Czech armed forces. The work reacts to problems of the armed forces with the adequate human resources necessary for its operation and development which becomes very wide in these days. Besides the recruiting of new professionals, author sees the main point in the retention and condition of the stuff and its better use. Studying the genesis of the problems, author uses analyzes of the reformation process of armed forces its professionalization and practical experiences from the transformation of the rescue battalions from the year 2008. From the sources mentioned above and theoretical knowledge about motivation author presents and search the main motivation factors which influence leaving or extending the career of the professional soldiers in the Czech army. Author studies the literature, experiences and other sources. This work tries to offer concrete provisions, which may help to increase this motivation and which are useful with the tools of public and social politics.

Thesis (Master of Military Studies)-Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008. / Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Dec 29, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Master of Military Studies)-Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008. / Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Feb 9, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.