Abstract
Military veterans face several difficulties when leaving their regimented lifestyle in uniform to transition to a chaotic civilian population. Reintegration into society often requires veterans to learn new skills or return to college. Veteran students are nontraditional and at times do not fit the mold traditional student retention programs are designed to address. The author traces the evolution of student retention theory from Spady to the present, with respect to the veteran population as nontraditional students, and examines new ideas based not on what colleges are doing, but rather on what students are considering when making the decision to continue their college education.
TopBackground
Throughout history, our nation has called upon its citizens to join to protect the nation’s interests in times of war. After such sacrifice, before 1940, military service members found that opportunities scarce for those who return. Military service members began their civilian lives under-educated, jobless, and often disabled and unable to compete for work within an able-bodied workforce due to the interruption that wartime service created (Bennett, 1996; Bound & Turner, 2002; Falkey, 2014).
The number of returning military personnel at the end of each conflict presents a reintegration challenge both economically and logistically. Without an education, some veterans become homeless, drug dependent, or become incarcerated due to problems assimilating into a civilian society (Bennett, 1996; U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 2005). “Wars are marvelously effective full-employment programs, but until the end of World War II, no government had devised a postwar replacement for the economic productivity of a fully mobilized people making and using weapons to kill their enemies” (Bennett, 1996, p. 32). Bennett’s point is that war – with its accompanying patriotic fervor – motivates both the soldiers who fight and those for whom they fight. Once the war is over and returning war veterans require jobs when the war effort markets have spun down, they often find scarce opportunities. Patriotism, plentiful in times of war, can become burdensome in times of peace.
Recognizing the negative societal impact such an influx of veterans has on the economy, the government has since provided financial assistance to assist the transition from military to civilian life. Such efforts have achieved various levels of success. The first GI Bill provided both educational benefits and temporary unemployment assistance of $20 per week for 52 weeks until G.I.s could find work. (Bennett, 1996; Falkey, 2014). Today’s Post-9/11 GI Bill provides vastly improved educational benefits capable of funding a four-year degree, but this money does little if veteran students are not completing their degrees.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Veteran Student: Someone who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable” (U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 2014 AU88: The in-text citation "U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 2014" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. , para. 1).
Student Retention: Institution-based programs designed or intended to encourage students to complete their degree programs without transfer or interruption.
Normative Congruence: Having attitudes, interests, and personality dispositions that are basically compatible with the attitudes and influences of the environment ( Spady, 1970 AU86: The citation "Spady, 1970" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. , p. 77).
Student Perception of Curriculum: The value students place on the quality and relevance of the college experience at their enrolled institution ( Tinto, 2017 AU87: The citation "Tinto, 2017" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. ).
Drop Out: The act of abandoning progress toward a degree and officially withdrawing from an institution.
Student Persistence: Goal-oriented motivation sufficient to overcome obstacles to completing a degree that is viewed through the lens of the student.