The Sandbox and Other Short Stories is a part of an anthology reflecting on conflicting military cultures, tribal identities, and transition struggles within an enduring war and postmodernism society.

The Space in Between: An Exploration of the Transition From Military Service to Life as a Homeless Female Veteran Abstract By Dana M. Howard University of the Pacific 2023 There are 18.2 million U.S. military veterans (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2021) and approximately 200,000 active-duty, reserve, and National Guard service members will become veterans each year (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.). Before becoming veterans, these military members were performing duties in service to their country (Duty Periods Defined, n.d.). Due to a planned or unplanned event, military personnel must transition from uniformed members to civilian citizens. This transition process can be characterized as disorienting, complex, or difficult for service members as they leave the service (Anderson & Goodman, 2014; Hachey et al., 2016; Keeling, 2018; Zogas, 2017). The congressionally mandated transition assistance program (TAP) was designed to help service members transition back to civilian life (Department of Labor, 2018). Despite support from the TAP, an estimated 33,129 veterans were unhoused in January of 2022, and of this number approximately 10.4% were females (de Sousa et al., 2022). Though the overall estimate for homeless veterans decreased by 11% from the 2020 count, the estimated number of unhoused female veterans increased by 10% (de Sousa et al., 2022). Some research has been conducted about homeless female veterans (Conard et al., 2021; Kenny & Yoder, 2019; Spinola et al., 2020), but not much is known about the space in between military service and becoming unstably housed. This study shares portraits and findings from interviews with nine female veterans and offers recommendations for improvements in support programs that might help a future generation of female veterans as they leave the military.

A task force commissioned by President Obama overhauled the U.S. Military Transitioning Program (MTP) in 2012-2013. U.S. veterans have continued to struggle with military transitions following the MTP restructuring. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to explore the critical success factors of the MTP after the redesign based on perceptions of 20 military officers intending to transition to the civilian sector in the National Capital Region. The problem studied was that there was no indication that the redesigned MTP was effective in helping officers transition to the civilian workforce. The study included 3 research questions and semistructured interviews were the primary means to collect data. Schlossberg's 4S transition theory, identity theory, and work-role transition theory comprised the conceptual framework. Data analysis included content analysis and the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method. The findings in this study emphasized the importance of several critical success factors of the redesigned MTP: its focus on transition preparedness, its practical applications, individual counseling, and the knowledge and education obtained while attending the MTP. Senior leaders responsible for the MTP can benefit from this study by understanding the challenges the participants encountered while attending the MTP. Implications for social change include informing U.S. government leaders of the MTP of the need for continued improvements to MTP processes, services, and programs to aid transitioning veterans seeking civilian employment.

A task force commissioned by President Obama overhauled the U.S. Military Transitioning Program (MTP) in 2012-2013. U.S. veterans have continued to struggle with military transitions following the MTP restructuring. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to explore the critical success factors of the MTP after the redesign based on perceptions of 20 military officers intending to transition to the civilian sector in the National Capital Region. The problem studied was that there was no indication that the redesigned MTP was effective in helping officers transition to the civilian workforce. The study included 3 research questions and semistructured interviews were the primary means to collect data. Schlossberg's 4S transition theory, identity theory, and work-role transition theory comprised the conceptual framework. Data analysis included content analysis and the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method. The findings in this study emphasized the importance of several critical success factors of the redesigned MTP: its focus on transition preparedness, its practical applications, individual counseling, and the knowledge and education obtained while attending the MTP. Senior leaders responsible for the MTP can benefit from this study by understanding the challenges the participants encountered while attending the MTP. Implications for social change include informing U.S. government leaders of the MTP of the need for continued improvements to MTP processes, services, and programs to aid transitioning veterans seeking civilian employment.

軍人退伍後工作一直是國家政策與研究關注的議題。既有研究多從「經濟-工作」角度來觀察軍人退伍生涯的議題與困境，容易忽略軍人退伍轉銜歷程與生活各面向連結的複雜性。因此，本研究的目的在於從生命歷程和老化的政治經濟觀點，理解男性選擇進入和離開軍人職業，以及此種進入、離開軍人職業和再工作歷程的關係，期能對軍人退伍轉銜歷程有動態性的理解。 據此，以制度性分析與傳記式的生命歷程取徑為方法。前者，透過國軍檔案與相關文獻進行檢視；後者，透過生命故事訪談(13位男性，出生於1957-1964年，平均年齡57歲)。 在制度分析的研究發現：國軍退輔制度演進可區分三個時期：歷史時期一「人口治理思維下的集中化管理與安置(1949-1969)」；歷史時期二「解嚴及民主浪潮下的間接安置(1970-1999)」；歷史時期三「軍事專業化後的『退輔制度變革-積極性與規範性的就業整合措施』(2000-迄今)」。其次，歷史時期(退伍時所處的歷史時期)和個人時期(個人生命階段何時退伍)深受個人所經歷的退輔制度之影響，進而決定個人在退伍時所擁有的經濟資源與生活條件。 在傳記式的生命歷程研究發現：「從軍」是故事主角在歷史、經濟、家庭等多重關係擠壓下的一個決定。從軍讓個人經濟上得以溫飽，可以繼續接受教育，個人與原生家庭的分立，形成另一個空間的情感連結與歸屬，而軍隊環境讓個人有身分認同感，使他們漂泊的生命暫時靠岸。軍隊服務期間，個人在工作環境的洞察與選擇，涉及「歸屬」與「自主」兩個議題。至於退伍後，軍職工作與退伍後第一個工作的過渡、連結、轉換，是具高度複雜性與重要性。「工作選擇」背後所指涉的是個人在不同文化場域的穿越，並隨著個人在退伍前的早期家庭經驗與軍隊環境，至退伍後面臨社會經濟環境、部落文化、工作環境、家庭環境以及個人生命發展等因素變化，個人在面臨不同情境，從服役時的「我們」狀態變成不同層次「我」的樣貌。此外，隨著生命歷程發展，個人工作選擇有不同的核心議題，工作對他們的意義也隨之改變，其中經濟資源、健康與社會支持扮演關鍵角色。據此，研究針對上述發現進一步提出「階級化退伍轉銜歷程」理論模式，亦即，軍人退伍轉銜呈現「持續向上型」、「後續穩定型」、「中途停滯型」等三類，而資源在其中因不同時機而產生不同程度的強化、替代與風險作用。 最後，針對軍隊社會工作制度與退輔制度，回應個人在退伍轉銜與生命歷程所面臨家庭、軍隊、社會文化與制度面向的議題，提供政策與實務上建議。 / Transitioning from military to civilian life has been a topical subject for national policy and studies. Existing researches mostly observe the issue and conundrums from the economy-career perspective, which tend to overlook the complexity of the linkage among military transition and all aspects of their lives. Therefore, this study aims to probe why male soldiers choose to enter and exit the military, and the correlation among the entrance, exit and reemployment, hoping to obtain a dynamic understanding of military career transition. Accordingly, the approaches used here are institutional analysis and biographic life course theory. The former is done through military records, files and pertinent literature while the latter is through interviews with 13 males (born 1957-1964 with an average age of 57). The institutional analysis found that the evolution of the ROC’s Institution of Veteran Service can be divided into: Phase I, the centralized management and placement under the ideology of demographic-management (1949-1969), Phase II, the indirect placement under the backdrop of abolishment of martial law and democratization (1970-1999), and Phase III , a reform in the institution of veteran service after military professionalization—a proactive and normative employment integration (2000-preesent). Also, the historical period (the period when one retires) and individual period (the life stage when one retires) are profoundly influenced by the institution of veteran service that one faces which determines the financial resources and living conditions one obtains when one retires and thus affects one’s aging and life adaptation. Furthermore, intertwined with the institution of veteran service are education and military ranks, which interact and are relevant to the career path after one’s retirement. The biographic life course theory found that “enlistment” is a decision made under multiple pressures from history, personal economic situation and family. Joining the army would bring financial support and continued education. The separation of individuals from their families of origin forms an emotional bond and attachment. The military gives them a sense of identity and a place for their drifting lives. During their service, their perception and choices interrelate with attachment and autonomy. The relations between what kind of military job they did and the transition, connection and transformation of their first employment after they retire are highly complicated and critical. Behind employment choices are different cultural backgrounds, which vary with experiences of their original family and the military as well as factors such as social-economic environment, community, work places, family and individual development. Facing different situations, the “We” during the military life became different levels of “Me”. In addition, along with the development of one’s life course, there are varied core issues about their employment choices and the meaning of jobs to them also changes while economic resources, health and social support play important roles. As a result, this study further proposes a “hierarchical military transition” model. They are: continuous improvement, later stabilization, and midway stagnation. And several resources generate varying degree of reinforcement, substitution, and risks effects in different times.

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