More Programs Needed for Later Challenges
Dawne S. Vogt, PhD, Research Scientist in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at the Boston VAMC
BOSTON — Each year, more than 200,000 servicemembers leave the U.S. military—a transition that can prove difficult.
“There are risks with military service, but there are also resources—readily available healthcare, a built-in social network and employment that, for many, brings a strong sense of purpose. Losing some of those benefits can be challenging,” pointed out Dawne S. Vogt, PhD, a research scientist in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at the Boston VAMC and lead author of a new study that examines some of those challenges.
While scholars have theorized that the initial period after military discharge might be particularly difficult for veterans, the new study suggests that the hardest time for new veterans may actually come later on. The first to examine how the health and broader well-being of the U.S. veteran population changes in the first years after they leave military service, the study surveyed a population-based sample of 3,733 newly separated veterans in the fall 2016, followed by five additional surveys at six-month intervals concerning their health, vocational and social well-being. Weighted multilevel logistic regressions were conducted to examine changes in the proportion of veterans reporting good health and broader well-being over time. 1
“Most aspects of veterans’ health and broader well-being worsened over time, with a noteworthy increase in reporting of mental health conditions and a decline in veterans’ community involvement,” the authors wrote. “Declines in the proportion of veterans reporting good health and well-being were most notable for women, with smaller differences observed for other subgroups.” Specifically, the study found:
- The proportion of veterans reporting poor health and broader well-being significantly increased on nearly all measures, as reflected by increases in the endorsement of health conditions, along with declines in the endorsement of higher levels of functioning and satisfaction over time.
- The largest changes were observed for health functioning, intimate relationship satisfaction and community involvement.
- There was a significant increase in the probability of endorsing a mental health condition (suggesting declining health), with the proportion of individuals endorsing depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) all increasing over time.
- The proportion of veterans endorsing both a mental and physical health condition also increased slightly but significantly over time.
- The only significant improvement in well-being was in the proportion of veterans who reported involvement in paid work.
Late last year, Staff Sgt. Christopher Boucher of the 193rd Infantry Brigade spoke to representatives from Palmetto State Armory at Fort Jackson, SC, about employment opportunities during the Education and Career Fair. Boucher will be leaving active-duty within a year and attended the fair to explore his education and employment options to help him create a plan for his transition to civilian life. Photo by Alexandra Shea.
The study doesn’t explain why well-being would worsen over time, but Vogt has a theory. “I think it is possible there is a little bit of a honeymoon period. They leave the military service optimistic that their skills will translate, that people will recognize the value of their military experience,” she said. “It may be over time that some of the struggles start to emerge.”
The study found significant differences between female and male veterans on a number of health, vocational and social outcomes. Declines in the proportion of veterans reporting good health and well-being were most notable for women, which Vogt believes could be related to a generally less positive reception for female veterans in the community and women’s greater risk for stress in general.
Increased Support
While a number of good programs exist to help active military personnel make the transition to civilian life, they largely focus on the period just prior to and immediately after discharge, Vogt said. For example, the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) —designed to provide servicemembers with the resources, tools, services and skill-building training needed to meet information and training to help them meet their post-military career goals—is offered to active military personnel shortly before discharge. And Solid Start, a collaboration of the VA and Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, proactively contacts all newly separated servicemembers at least three times during their first year of transition from the military. VA representatives address issues or challenges identified by the veteran during the calls and assist with accessing benefits and services, such as disability compensation, mental health care, education and employment support, to meet their specific needs.
Vogt said the study’s findings suggest the need for bolstering programs for all former military members beyond the first year after discharge and the need for programs that focus on the needs of female veterans such as a peer support program that matches women with others going through the transition.
She said the next step in the group’s research is to better understand the transition process beyond the first three years. Also, since there is some evidence the U.S. population as a whole has experienced a slight downward trend in overall happiness in recent decades, she wants to better understand how much the declines shown in her studies are specific to the military.
- Vogt D, Borowski SC, Godier-McBard LR, Fossey MJ, Copeland LA, Perkins DF, Finley EP. Changes in the health and broader well-being of U.S. veterans in the first three years after leaving military service: Overall trends and group differences. Social Science & Medicine. February 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SOCSCIMED.2022.114702
