Transitioning Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities Seeking Employment: A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Strategies

Research Article

Austin J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2023; 9(2): 1095.

Transitioning Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities Seeking Employment: A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Strategies

Al-Abdulmunem M1*; Carpenter-Song E2; Bond GR1; Drake RE1,3; Ressler DR1

¹Social Policy and Economics Research, Westat, Wheeler Professional Park, 1 USA

²Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA

³Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, USA

*Corresponding author: Al-Abdulmunem M Social Policy and Economics Research, Westat, Wheeler Professional Park, 1 Oak Ridge Road, Building 3, Suite 2 West, West Lebanon, NH, USA Tel: (603) 287-4720 Email: MonirahAl-Abdulmunem@westat.com

Received: September 28, 2023 Accepted: October 23, 2023 Published: October 30, 2023

Abstract

Finding meaningful employment is one of the greatest challenges when transitioning from the military and reintegrating into civilian life. The purpose of this study was to assess the challenges and facilitators that transitioning post-9/11 veterans with service-connected disabilities experienced when seeking civilian employment. We interviewed 34 young formerly enlisted men and women who had recently transitioned from the military and were receiving vocational support about their experiences looking for a civilian job during their reintegration. Using thematic analysis, we identified key themes related to barriers and facilitators of civilian employment. Veterans spoke about challenges related to both their disabilities along with other challenges experienced by the general veteran population. Some barriers included inadequate job-seeking skills, disconnects between military and civilian job experience, and culture clashes. Mental and physical health conditions associated with service-connected disabilities compelled many to rethink new career trajectories. Facilitators included planning ahead of the transition, pursuing educational opportunities, receiving practical and emotional support, and encountering employers who valued military experience. As opposed to being disincentives to work, veterans used disability benefits to obtain better job matches. Veterans with service-connected disabilities are motivated to work despite considerable challenges. They need time and support to adjust to civilian life and find suitable employment. Employment programs and interventions should account for the variability in experiences and conditions among veterans by tailoring aspects of their program, such as the timing of these supports, job matching, the intensity of services, and the use of benefits to the specific needs of veterans.

Keywords: Civilian employment; Employment barriers; Employment facilitators; Military veterans; Post-military transition

Introduction

Approximately 200,000 US military personnel transition to civilian life annually [44] (GAO), with 27% of veterans transitioning to civilian life facing difficulties during this process. This percentage increases to 44% accounting only for post-9/11 veterans [31]. Unlike commissioned officers, who may have an easier time with reintegrating into civilian life [31], post-9/11 enlisted service members have consistently reported that one of the greatest challenges to community reintegration is finding permanent, meaningful employment [1,12,22,35,36,46]. In addition to universal challenges, such as losing healthcare and housing allowance [13], post-9/11 veterans are more likely than previous cohorts to have survived trauma during their service and to leave the military with service-connected disabilities [45,49].

Service-connected disabilities involve injuries or diseases incurred or worsened due to military service, which also cover combat injuries and military occupational hazards [3]. In 2022, around 41% of post-9/11 veterans reported a service-connected disability [42]]. Having an emotionally distressing experience or suffering a severe injury significantly reduces the chances of an easy reintegration into civilian life [31]. While veterans with service-connected disabilities are transitioning to the civilian workforce, these veterans report a higher rate of unemployment than their counterparts who did not report a disability [42].

Previous studies have examined barriers to employment in the general veteran population but not specifically among recently transitioning veterans with service-connected disabilities [14,15,23-25]. Among those employed, post-9/11 veterans say that while their military experience helped in obtaining a job, the civilian job they obtained was not a great fit [34]. For those with service-connected disabilities, the challenges are even greater due to physical and mental health conditions, especially as the severity of these conditions increases over time [47,48]. Furthermore, service-connected disability benefits are commonly believed to be disincentives to employment [40].

Various supports are available for transitioning veterans, such as the Veterans Affairs vocational and education services [38]. However, many of these programs do not offer the specific services veterans value, including assistance with obtaining benefits and increasing veterans’ motivation to change (Morgan et al., 2020). Studies identifying helpful strategies and support for veterans with service-connected disabilities seeking civilian employment are uncommon [2,15]. While the Veterans Administration (VA) has overemphasized PTSD as the primary mental health outcome of military service, there is a need to better understand and distinguish the challenges veterans face in their reintegration, especially the stresses related to the transition, to develop more suitable interventions and services [29].

As part of a randomized controlled trial, we sought to evaluate a specific model of vocational support with several elements for this population. This qualitative sub-study identified the civilian job search experiences of post-9/11 veterans who recently transitioned out of the military and received or sought service-connected disability benefits. Through this lens, we distinguish the effect of service-connected disabilities and other challenges they experienced while searching for a job and the strategies that helped them obtain civilian employment.

Methods

Sampling Procedures

Participants were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial evaluating employment programs for veterans and followed for three years. We included participants from both study conditions in the randomized trial. Inclusion criteria for the parent study were: aged 45 years or younger; enlisted members who completed 6 months of active military service with an honorable or general discharge, discharged within the previous 12 months or were about to be discharged within the next 6 months, was an unemployed veteran or was not about to start a civilian job for those yet to be discharged, and receiving or applying for a service-connected disability rating from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).

For this qualitative sub-study, we obtained a volunteer sample who had completed at least one year of follow-up in the parent study. We invited participation in the qualitative interview after completing regularly scheduled follow-up interviews for the parent study. Recruitment continued until we reached saturation [19]. The final sample consisted of 34 participants.

Participant Characteristics

The final sample consisted of enlisted veterans honorably or generally discharged from the military between 2018 and 2019. Participants were dispersed across the US and, on average, completed the interview 2.82 years (SD=0.82) after their discharge from the military. Table 1 shows the participant background characteristics of the qualitative sample: 73% were male, age ranged from 22 to 44 years (M=33.5, SD=6.71), 56% were White, 24% were of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and 63% were married or cohabiting with a partner. Less than half (41%) of the participants had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and most (77%) had worked a civilian job before joining the military. Over half (56%) had served in the army, and over half (59%) had also served in a combat zone. Thirty-Three participants reported a disability rating (M=72, SD=25.4). It is important to note that we did not ask for the specific conditions that contributed to the disability ratings. However, of the 33 participants, 32 (97%) reported receiving a rating for physical conditions and 20 (61%) for mental conditions.

Citation: Al-Abdulmunem M, Carpenter-Song E, Bond GR, Drake RE, Ressler DR. Transitioning Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities Seeking Employment: A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Strategies. Austin J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2023; 9(2): 1095.