Should classical theories about counterinsurgency remain in the past or be considered in relation to future insurgencies? Scholars have discussed the relevance of classical counterinsurgency theories earlier in this century and disagreed about how relevant the classics are. The aim with this bachelor thesis was to study if Robert Thompson's Basic Operational Concept could explain the progress U.S. troops made in the insurgency that took place in Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the early years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. troops had problems controlling the insurgency but other scholars asserted that progress was made after 2006 when classical theories about counterinsurgency were applied to the emergency. This thesis has a case study design and the author used qualitative text analysis of secondary sources, including interviews and research material from RAND Corporation. The theory used was based on Thompson's Basic Operational Concept. The majority of the concept was found to have been rigorously applied after 2006 and therefore, based on the result from this thesis, should be considered as a possible rationale for the progress U.S. troops made in the emergency.

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Elucidating factors associated with adherence to treatment for physical and mental health conditions is important, given well-documented associations between non-adherence and poor treatment outcomes. Researchers have worked to identify such factors; however, most studies focus on adherence to medical, rather than, psychological treatments. Clarifying variables that predict adherence to psychotherapy is particularly important for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for whom treatment, which typically involves exposure to trauma-related stimuli and imagery, can be aversive. It may consequently be associated with high nonadherence rates, even though studies indicate that greater adherence to PTSD treatment relates to better treatment outcomes. Research needs to identify factors that increase or decrease the likelihood that affected individuals will enter and complete therapy. Although several studies to date have examined adherence to treatment for PTSD, this literature is limited on several fronts. First, studies on psychotherapy adherence have identified few consistent predictors of treatment adherence. Second, adherence to psychotherapy is rarely a central focus of treatment-related research; more typically, researchers treat adherence as secondary in importance to treatment outcomes. Third, little research on psychotherapy adherence has been theoretically driven. Fourth, little adherence research has focused on combat veterans with PTSD, who tend to have particularly poor treatment outcomes. Especially lacking is knowledge about predictors of adherence in veterans who have recently returned from combat; most research focuses on veterans of the Vietnam War, many of whom were initially traumatized decades earlier. The study tested the hypothesis that elevated reports of a specific type of PTSD symptom--avoidance/emotional numbing-- predicted poorer adherence to treatment in 160 veterans who received psychotherapy. No significant associations between avoidance and emotional numbing symptoms and adherence were found. However, emotional numbing was negatively related to psychotherapy adherence. Other variables typically related to PTSD and treatment outcomes were found to be important predictors of psychotherapy adherence and completion/noncompletion of therapy.

Combat veterans often return from war with psychological as well as physical injuries. Armed service members who are bodily injured routinely go to hospitals for treatment, first at military hospitals and later in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. But those with psychological injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often go years, if not a lifetime, without treatment, in large part because the VA denies their claims with dubious justification. Veterans’ service organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the American Legion, and others, as well as state and county governments, have knowledgeable service officers whose job is to help guide veterans through the VA system and through the many appeals that are often needed to get treatment and an adequate disability rating that could result in monetary payments. This report tells the story of one VFW post in Burnet, Texas, its veterans, their families, and how their success in getting treatment for PTSD has positively affected their lives. It has also enabled them, as they recover, to help other veterans seek treatment and win compensatory disability ratings too. The report focuses on one Vietnam veteran, who four decades after his discharge from the Army came to be treated for PTSD. / text

abstract: As many as one-third of OEF/OIF soldiers and combat veterans may be struggling with less visible psychological injuries. Military/veteran students may face heightened difficulties as they are not only adjusting to civilian life but also transitioning to college life. University administrators and staff have been charged to address their transitional needs and to promote their academic success. Despite significant influx in enrollment with the passing of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, research on OEF/OIF service members and veterans in higher education remains limited. Utilizing self-report measures, the current study examined the psychosocial functioning of 323 military/veteran students enrolled at Arizona State University who served at least one combat deployment as part of OEF/OIF. The study further investigated whether enlisting for educational benefits and utilizing campus programs/services were associated with more positive academic persistence decisions. Participants were also asked to rate ASU's programming for military/veteran students as well as suggest campus programs/services to promote their academic success. More PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and anger/aggression were found to be associated with less cultural congruity and lower perceived social support. Cultural congruity and social support were significant predictors of academic persistence decisions. Participants who reported utilizing more campus programs/services also tended to endorse more positive persistence decisions. No significant differences in persistence decisions were found between participants who enlisted in the military for education benefits and those who enlisted for non-educational reasons. Approximately two-thirds reported utilizing academic advising services and Veteran Benefits and Certifications. Library services, financial aid services, and ASU sporting events were the next most frequently utilized. More than 91% rated ASU's programming satisfactory or better. Over 71% of participants indicated that increasing recognition of their military experience would facilitate their academic success. Nearly 40% recommended a military/veteran student lounge and improvements to VA education benefits counseling. Another 30% recommended that ASU provide professional development for faculty/staff on military/veteran readjustment issues, improve the re-enrollment process following deployment/training, offer a veteran-specific orientation, and establish a department or center for military/veteran programming. Findings are discussed in light of Tinto's interactionist model of college student attrition, and implications for university mental health providers are presented. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Counseling Psychology 2012

Adaptive sports programs (ASPs) are important for enhancing the physical, psychological, and social aspects of life for amputee combat veterans while reducing the risk of depression and anger. Although the role of ASPs in improving quality of life (QoL) has been researched in relation to amputee combat veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, there has been limited examination of the role of ASPs in improving QoL among veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation Noble Eagle (OND). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of ASPs on the QoL of amputee veterans of OEF, OIF, and OND using logistic regression as well as 3 surveys assessing QoL and life satisfaction in combat veterans who suffered traumatic amputations between 2003 and 2013. The dependent and independent variables included psychosocial and behavioral factors for those amputees who participated in an ASP versus those amputees who did not. There was a statistically significant association (ï?£2(4) = 13.44, p < 0.003) between gender and perception of overall health. Likewise, there was a statistically significant association (ï?£2(2) = 15.63, p < 0.000) between enjoying life and having a meaningful life and participation in an ASP. The findings indicate that participation in ASPs may help improve QoL and overall health for amputee veterans. Public health programs and policies aimed at improving the overall health and wellbeing of amputee veterans should consider ASPs as essential therapeutic interventions for promoting health in amputee veteran populations.

The fact that military logistics should be studied more is mentioned by many, but the problem still seems to persist year after year. To be able to study war from a logistical perspective, theories and theoretical frameworks need to be developed. The systems and terms for operational logistics are not as clear as the terms used for the strategic and tactical level. Moshe Kress has developed properties to explain the operational logistics. This thesis examines if the properties can explain the operational logistics, through a theory-testing comparative case study of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The results shows that Kress's properties can explain the operational logistics during the operations. The analysis of Operation Enduring Freedom shows that all four properties was fulfilled. Operation Iraqi Freedom, which had clear logistical shortcomings during the operation, however, only shows fulfillment of one property, partial fulfillment of two properties and that one property was not fulfilled at all.

Modern conflicts once again move towards interstate wars that requires extensive logistical capabilities that enables offensive military operations with conventional forces. As force composition and technical systems becomes more complex, logistical flexibility becomes an attribute necessary to supply high tempo campaigns. The study conducts a comparative case study that investigates the logistical flexibility’s effect on logistical vacuum in past operations. The result display that logistical flexibility is an important factor for successfully supplying offensive military operations at the operational level and the mitigation of the logistic vacuum. The study combines and evaluates logistical factors on the macro and micro level to measure the logistical vacuum present and how it occurs in some cases and is avoided in others. The work contributes to the knowledge of logistical flexibility and how it could affect future force structure and appearance of logistics.

ASSESSING DEPLOYMENT RISK AND RESILIENCY FACTORS AND THE ADJUSTMENT OUTCOMES OF POLICE OFFICERS SERVING IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM By Paula Barrows Davenport, MS A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Director: Dr. Janet R. Hutchinson Professor and Chair of the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies The goal of this exploratory study was to evaluate risk and resiliency factors from the Deployment Risk and Resiliency Inventory (DRRI) in predicting post-deployment adjustment outcomes among police officers who served in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) as part of the National Guard/Reserve (NGR). A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 44 police officers who were OEF/OIF veterans assessing risk and resiliency factors as well as current levels of anxiety, aggression, alcohol use, and PTSD symptoms. Regression analyses revealed concerns over family personal relationships and career matters during deployment along with more exposure to critical incidents involving family members predicted higher levels of alcohol use. Conversely, exposure to critical incidents involving personal safety predicted lower levels of alcohol use while exposure to hostile combat missions predicted lower levels of aggression. Post-deployment social support and military support during deployment predicted lower levels of alcohol usage, anxiety and PTSD/depression while unit peer social support predicted higher levels of alcohol usage. This study highlighted the mistrust among police veteran police officers of mental health professionals. Mistrust of mental health personnel predicted a higher level of aggression and the fear of stigma for receiving mental health assistance predicted higher alcohol usage. This document was created in Microsoft Word 2003.

Objectives: This study sought to determine the relationship between combat experience and mental health outcomes. The study sought to determine whether age was a significant factor in poor mental health outcomes. Methods: Multiple logistic regression (n = 195,048) and multiple linear regression (n = 264,154) were performed on the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Veteran status and a host of demographic and health status questions were analyzed in relation to diagnosis of anxiety or depressive disorder (multiple logistic regression) and to number of days poor mental health (multiple linear regression). Results: Diagnosis of anxiety or depression was not found to be associated with veteran status. Among both veterans and non-veterans, diagnosis was associated with age Conclusions: Contrary to expectations, veteran status was found to be a protective factor for poor mental health outcomes in this analysis. Younger age was found to be associated with poor mental health outcomes, but was an equal association in both veterans and non-veterans, suggesting that mental health outcomes have not been worsened by recent changes in combat characteristics. Denial of mental health status, stoicism within the military community, and limitations of the survey are proposed to explain the unexpected outcome of this analysis.