Doctoral Dissertation Research: Tailoring Post-9/11 Military Credentials for Access to Different Domains of Civilian Life

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

American society is experiencing an influx of "post-9/11" military veterans returning from war. Sociologists understand civilian reentry as the process of leaving the military and integrating into civilian institutions and communities. On the surface, popular rhetoric to support the troops and initiatives like Joining Forces suggest that veterans enjoy strong institutional and public support. Nevertheless, research suggests that many veterans still struggle to connect with employment, housing, and other institutional resources. Although there is little academic research on veterans' social reintegration, reports from national surveys, war memoirs, journalists, and others reveal perceptions of a military-civilian gap. Historically, scholars have struggled to identify the mechanisms underlying differences between veterans and civilians in employment, educational attainment, and other outcomes. This project examines the disjuncture between proclaimed and experienced support for veterans by focusing on one critical aspect of civilian reentry: the exchange of military-related information when veterans present themselves as candidates for institutional and social opportunities. A survey experiment simulates gatekeeping scenarios to test how a national sample of the American public normatively evaluates veteran candidates with different military backgrounds. Interviews and document analysis capture how 50 post-9/11 veterans recount navigating these normative contours; specifically, how they translate and tailor their military information when seeking work, applying for college, pursuing romantic interests, and meeting the families of potential life partners. This study builds on previous research by offering data on how veterans and gatekeepers shape gatekeeping outcomes during civilian reentry. Findings can inform veterans on how disclosing different aspects of one's military service may influence the success of their efforts and how other veterans have navigated these challenges. Policymakers and programmers working on reintegration initiatives will gain clarification in what contributes to veteran candidates' desirability (or stigmatization) and how veterans are selecting and attempting opportunities after returning from war, and the research contributes to more general social science interest in impression management in interaction.