Exploring the deployment and reintegration experiences of active duty military families with young children

Active duty military families are experiencing increased stress as service members deploy to and return from lengthy and repeated deployments to multiple war zones. These deployments have a cumulative impact on the behavioral health and well-being of not only the service member, but also the family, particularly in families with very young children (Lester et al., 2016). Emergent research concerning families with young suggests that greater attention to the military spouse is needed to ensure effective, supportive service provision for these families. The purpose of the present study is threefold: (1) to identify the challenges faced by families with young children during and after deployment, (2) to understand resource utilization by these families, and (3) to explore the strengths and strategies used during these experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 active duty Marine Corps family members with young children (under 5 years old) and 10 key program providers on or near a large military base in the southeast region of the United States. Findings reveal significant social isolation, which is consistent with the literature, the need for formal and informal social supports as well as self-care for the at-home parent, challenges in co-parenting and utilizing known resources, and a range of strategies used to manage deployment and reintegration. Implications for practice are discussed.     

An intersectional approach to military sexual violence

Despite over 15 years of targeted prevention efforts in the U.S. military, incidence and prevalence rates of sexual violence have remained consistently high. While there has been an abundance of research on military sexual abuse, most studies have explored the issue through reporting isolated demographic variables that correlate with sexual violence vulnerability. However, intersecting oppressions based on race, gender, immigration status, class, sexuality, and other social locations produce diverse risks, experiences, and responses to sexual abuse. In the military context, factors such as branch, rank, unit, deployment status, and combat experience also shape experiences with and responses to sexual harassment and assault. This article argues for an intersectional approach to understand military sexual violence to better unpack the immensely varied sexual abuse experiences that service members may have. Additionally, prior research on the relationship between the military, masculinity, and sexual violence has often ignored the fluidity of masculinity and the myriad of ways in which gender, violence, and victimization are related. In advocating for an intersectional approach to research on military sexual violence, this article also challenges assumptions of a static military masculinity. Finally, an intersectional perspective can reveal the inadequacy of policies, practices, and research that assume a uniform victim experience.     

The role of military culture in military organizations' responses to woman abuse in military families1

This paper reports on a study of the Canadian Forces' (CF's) response to woman abuse in military families which was conducted using institutional ethnography feminist methodology. A 20‐person multidisciplinary team conducted 126 semi‐structured interviews in four Canadian provinces with: (1) present and former civilian female partners of CF members, who were survivors of abuse [64]; (2) regional civilian and CF social service providers, and CF supervisory personnel [52]; and (3) National Defence Headquarters program administrators and generals in Ottawa [10]. Analyzing these interviews enabled us to identify and elaborate on some of the military social relations in which the experiences of military spouses who are woman abuse survivors are embedded. This paper discusses the difficulties created for military spouses by geographical transfers and military housing neighbourhoods, and establishes the crucial role played by the chain of command in military organizations' responses to spouses who have been abused. The paper then shows how military leaders, especially those who supervise combat units, respond to woman abuse in ways that reflect their participation in the hypervigilance and unit cohesion features of military culture. The paper concludes by reflecting on Western militaries' responses to woman abuse in military families in light of their responses to the events of September 11, 2001.     

Alice in Wonderland: Exploring the Experiences of Female Service Members With a Pregnancy Resulting From Rape

Currently, no clinical research has ever been conducted to examine what, if any, traumatic effects take place when pregnancy results from a sexual assault during military service. The present study investigated the emotional experience and impact of rape and pregnancy on women serving in the military. A qualitative, grounded theory research methodology analyzed single-session interview data with seven self-selected participants. Five major themes emerged from the data. The authors discuss the implications of pregnancy from a sexual assault in military service and suggest future research regarding how social workers can begin to address the traumatic impact of this silent epidemic of pregnancy resulting from rape.     

Quality of life of older people in Israel: a comparison between older people living at home who are members of a ‘supportive community’ and nursing home residents

The supportive community is a program that was developed in Israel for older people who live at home. The program provides its members with a service package that includes medical and social services, emergency call-button, cultural activities, and a ‘community parent’ who is responsible for the members. Using quantitative method, this study compared the level of quality of life between 55 older people living in their homes who are members of a supportive community (average age = 74.7) and 60 elderly people living in nursing homes (average age = 75.8). As expected, results indicate that quality of life among the older people living at their homes who are members of a supportive community was higher than among the older people living in a nursing home. In addition, the quality of life of married, educated, functionally independent older people in good health and with a good economic situation was higher. Predictor variables of quality of life were: the place of residence, health status, and age. In light of increased life expectancy and the growing need to care for the older population, the practical application of the study focused on a recommendation for the social services to continue the support community development program.     

Entrance and Exit from the Military

Abstract

The literature that addresses the reasons for entering military service is limited and generally does not report on the experiences of ethnic minority populations. This article reports on findings from a qualitative research study that examined health utilization and health status for a sample of 86 American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. The study generated data that provide interesting insights about the reasons for entering military service and experiences post discharge for this population. The data indicate that cultural material plays a significant role in the decision to enter the military and in the reentry experience of the veterans who participated in this research study. The analysis supports the proposition that despite the diversity that characterizes the American Indian and Alaska Native experience, there are overarching values and belief systems that are held in common across tribal communities which influence the social construction of life and the interpretation of life events.     

The effects of Project SUCCESS on student academic performance: a quasi-experimental study

Project SUCCESS (PS) is a substance use prevention program that targets indicated high school students. We used archival data to explore the program's effects on students' academic achievement and disciplinary problems. It is essential to demonstrate such effects, if prevention curricula are to survive in schools that face multiple competing demands for class time. Using a quasi-experimental design that compared students exposed to the program to those not exposed in five schools, we examined the effects of PS on grades, absenteeism, and disciplinary problems. Using longitudinal analyses that linked individual students' program exposure data to their academic performance, we found that PS had a positive impact on both grades and absenteeism for two years following exposure. We note that these findings are particularly fortuitous, as PS was not designed to affect these outcomes. We recommend that future evaluations of school-based prevention curricula routinely include academic performance.     

Military EAPs:

A review of recent developments and future trends in military family services is of interest since the military is the largest single employer in the United States, providing health, mental health, recreational and social services to an estimated 13.2 million persons or over 5% of the national population. Rapid program development is taking place in the military, focused on services to the total family for the purpose of supporting the well-being of active duty personnel. This paper examines several issues related to the growing opportunities for social workers in military family services, including potential values conflicts, needs assessments, relations between military and civilian service providers, and avoiding culture shock.     

“Welcome! Oh,wait…” Transgender Military Service in a Time of Uncertainty

In 2014, the Department of Defense began a broad review of transgender military service. Following this review, in 2016, the Obama Administration announced a policy of transgender inclusion in the military. However, in 2017, before enactment of that policy, President Trump announced the reinstatement of a ban on transgender military service. Although, in the last five years, these events have garnered much media attention, sociologists have generally left them unexplored. In this article, I begin the process of incorporating transgender military experience into sociological discussions by examining how transgender service members navigate their uncertain status vis-à-vis military service. In so doing, I explore how transgender personnel might be “doing transgender” (Connell, Gender & Society24(1):31) in the context of shifting norms about who can and cannot officially exist within the ranks of the military as well as possibilities for future research examining transgender military experience more broadly.     

Using a logic model to evaluate the Kids Together early education inclusion program for children with disabilities and additional needs

Despite clear evidence that learning and social opportunities for children with disabilities and special needs are more effective in inclusive not segregated settings, there are few known effective inclusion programs available to children with disabilities, their families or teachers in the early years within Australia. The Kids Together program was developed to support children with disabilities/additional needs aged 0–8 years attending mainstream early learning environments. Using a key worker transdisciplinary team model, the program aligns with the individualised package approach of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).AimThis paper reports on the use of a logic model to underpin the process, outcomes and impact evaluation of the Kids Together program.MethodsThe research team worked across 15 Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centres and in home and community settings. A realist evaluation using mixed methods was undertaken to understand what works, for whom and in what contexts. The development of a logic model provided a structured way to explore how the program was implemented and achieved short, medium and long term outcomes within a complex community setting.Discussion and conclusionKids Together was shown to be a highly effective and innovative model for supporting the inclusion of children with disabilities/additional needs in a range of environments central for early childhood learning and development. The use of a logic model provided a visual representation of the Kids Together model and its component parts and enabled a theory of change to be inferred, showing how a coordinated and collaborative approached can work across multiple environments.     

Occupational stress,relaxation therapies,exercise and biofeedback

Occupational stress is a widespread occurrence in the United States. It is a contributing factor to absenteeism, disease, injury and lowered productivity. In general stress management programs in the work place that include relaxation therapies, exercise, and biofeedback have been shown to reduce the physiological symptoms such as hypertension, and increase job satisfaction and job performance. Strategies to implement a successful stress management program include incorporating the coping activities into one's daily schedule, monitoring one's symptoms and stressors, and being realistic in setting up a schedule that is relevant and attainable. A short form of meditation, daily exercise program and the use of heart rate or thermal biofeedback can be helpful to a worker experiencing occupational stress.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Faith-Based Programs

Abstract

The policy debate over faidibased initiatives has prompted calls for comparative effectiveness research. Drawing examples from an evaluation of California's Community and Faith-based Initiative (CFBI), we illustrate a research strategy that takes local networks as the primary unit of analysis. This approach focuses on understanding the roles different organizations play within local service delivery networks, and on analyzing how local actors coordinate services to affect participant, organization, and system outcomes. The network perspective casts new light on policy options, and suggests that caution is necessary when using administrative data to interpret program effectiveness.     

Social Workers’ Observations of the Needs of the Total Military Community

Researchers surveyed licensed social workers from 5 Mid-Atlantic states to explore their perspectives on the current state of mental health and service delivery for military service workers, families, and contractors. Social workers identified needs in the following areas: mental health, physical health and wellness, social and environmental, interpersonal and family, and military-specific needs. The majority of needs were most critical during the postdeployment stage. Education related to the observed needs was reported; social workers were most interested in learning about military culture and how to coordinate resources within the community to support the total military community. Suggestions for social work education and future research are discussed.     

Attitudes Towards Gays and Lesbians Serving in the Military

The purpose of the resent study was to identify correlates of attitudes towards permitting gays and lesbians to serve in the military. Two studies were conducted, one with 210 adults enrolled in classes at a university and one with 31 high school students, most of whom were enrolled in ROTC classes. Although the high school students were more conservative, both samples revealed the high school students were more conservative, both samples revealed the same general pattern of findings. Support for having gays and lesbians serve in the military was closely related to endorsement of arguments in favor of their service, and both samples revealed the same general pattern of findings. Support for having gays and lesbians serve in the military was closely related to endorsement of arguments in favor of their service, and both variables were related to a complex of other conservative values as well as to personal acquaintance with gays and lesbians and to factual knowledge about homosexuality. People with less conservative views on a number of issues, who knew more gay and lesbian individuals, who knew more about homosexuality, who did not belong to a traditional religion, who did not own guns, and who were female were more likely to agree that gays and guns, ands who were female were more likely to agree that gays and lesbian should be permitted to service in the military. The results imply that increasing knowledge and personal familiarity might lead to greater acceptance of military service for gay and lesbians. Ways in which social service providers can use these findings to improve service to gay and lesbian client are discussed.     

Implementation of an ergonomics program for the welding department inside a car assembly company

The premise for this project is to implement an ergonomics program for the welding department of a car assembly company, considering that this area represents the highest occupational risk in relation to musculoskeletal injuries. The project also allows the demonstration of the different implementation processes of an ergonomics program; it also permits the determination of individual risks faced by workers of the welding department, and finally gives a chance of improving common injuries using the sentinel system. The main challenge is to reduce musculoskeletal injuries and absenteeism among welders through actions implemented by the ergonomics program.     

The development and evaluation of a spouse abuse treatment program in a military setting

The development and evaluation of a spouse abuse treatment program in a military setting are described. Preliminary studies on the correlates of interspousal violence found that measures of locus of control, marital adjustment, and stressful life events differentiated abusive from non-abusive service members. A treatment program for abusive couples was developed based on the preliminary findings. Program evaluation data involving pre- and post-program administrations found significant positive change on The Dyadic Adjustment Subscales, Consensus and Cohesion, and on the Norwicki Strickland Locus of Control Scale. The implications of these findings for family advocacy programing are discussed.     

Service Learning in a Small Groups Course

This paper describes a service learning program used in a Sociology of Small Groups course. Service learning programs attempt to apply knowledge learned in the classroom in a setting of community service. This paper advocates the use of service learning as a tool for applying social knowledge even in courses that are not traditionally linked with service learning. The usefulness of a service learning program in a group processes course is identified. Details on the content of the program, the methods of evaluation and the relevance to the course material are provided. Numerous examples of how service learning can lead to classroom enhancement activities are described.     

Communicative Experiences of Military Youth During a Parent’s Return Home from Deployment

The return home of a service member from tour of duty can be stressful for military families (Bowling & Sherman, 2008), but surprisingly little is known about how military youth communicatively experience a parent’s homecoming (MacDermid Wadsworth, 2010). This study draws on the emotional cycle of deployment model (Pincus, House, Christenson, & Adler, 2001) to examine the reunion period in military youth’s own words. Individual interviews were conducted with 31 military youth (age range = 10 to 13 years old). Participants identified four changes to family life (RQ1), including spending time together, experiencing emotional tranquility, returning to patterns in place before deployment, and having difficulty reintegrating the service member into everyday routines. Some military youth reported that the reunion matched their expectations (RQ2), but others noted that the reunion fell short of their expectations or that they did not expect the returning service member to be so tired or so irritable. Participants also described four issues of uncertainty (RQ3), including questions about the service member’s activities during deployment, reasons for joining and deploying, family life, and the possibility of future deployments. The article concludes by examining the theoretical and pragmatic implications of the findings.     

Continuity of Mental Health Care Across Military Transitions

Multiple deployments, a prominent characteristic of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn, have been linked to increased risk for various mental health conditions. It is also well known that military transitions, such as a change of duty station or discharge, are an inevitable part of military life. While military transitions can be stressful for any service member or veteran, those with mental health conditions face additional challenges. Transition stress can exacerbate a mental health condition that in turn hinders ability to manage the transition, resulting in a cycle of stress. As a result, those receiving mental health care while transitioning often experience difficulty continuing treatment post-transition. This article describes a unique and innovative transition coaching program designed to address this emerging issue.     

Avoiding type III error in program evaluation : Results from a field experiment

A common, yet questionable assumption underlying many evaluations of service intervention programs is that program clients uniformly receive the services purportedly available. The authors draw upon the experience of a randomized field experiment to point out the hazards of that assumption. They found marked differences among clients in the amount of actual service received during participation in the program evaluated. Moreover, the data suggest that program outcomes varied as a function of the amount of service received. These findings are offered as a cautionary note to other evaluators; the amount of service actually received by clients should be accurately recorded and incorporated into the analyses of program outcomes.