Publication year
2011
Citation Title
Civilian employment among recently returning Afghanistan and Iraq National Guard veterans.
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
176
Issue Number
6
Page Numbers
639-646
DOI
10.7205/milmed-d-10-00450
Summary
National Guard members are often faced with the difficult task of finding a new job following deployment. Service memebrs who were employed or unemployed at 45-60 days after demobilization were compared on several variables (e.g., demographics, deployments, mental and physical health). Poorer education, income, and mental health status and certain demographic characteristics (e.g., female, unmarried) were related to higher unemployment, but deployments and recent combat exposure were related to greater employment rates.
Key Findings
Less than half (41%) of National Guard Service members were employed at a reintegration workshop 45-60 days following demobilization from deployment; of those employed, 79% were full-time.
Unemployed Service members were more likely to be female, younger, unmarried, and have less education, lower family income, and poorer mental health.
Unexpectedly, Service members who had experienced multiple deployments and recent combat exposure were more likely to be employed.
Among employed Service members, those with full-time employment were more likely to be older and have higher family incomes, better mental health, poorer physical health, and no alcohol abuse problems.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate Service members and their families about the negative effects of alcohol abuse and mental health concerns on employment and encourage treatment for these difficulties
Provide workshops on job and interviewing skills (e.g., resume writing, interview preparation, networking) for Service members and their families
Offer career exploration classes for Service members interested in exploring job or education choices or making a career change following deployment
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend collaborations with community career and networking agencies to provide Service members with access to job openings and career opportunities, especially post-deployment
Continue to support higher education for Service members who have deployed in order to increase job opportunities and options
Encourage education for providers working with military families about barriers to employment post-deployment and available career resources for Service members
Methods
National Guard Service members in the Midwestern U.S. who had recently returned from deployment were recruited at a mandatory reintegration workshop 45-60 days following demobilization.
Service members completed surveys about mental and physical health status and treatment, substance use, employment, and overall functioning with a 60% survey response rate.
Several variables (e.g., gender, age, race, education, income, marital status, deployments, combat exposure, mental and physical health) were compared between employed and unemployed Service members.
Participants
Participants were 585 National Guard members (87% male), and most were between the ages of 18-30 years (58%).
Participants identified as White (75%), Black (4%) or another race (21%).
The majority of participants had at least some college education (62%), were married, engaged, or cohabitating (63%), had returned from their first deployment (55%), and had no recent combat exposure (56%).
A notable portion of Service members reported moderate or severe body pain (34%), posttraumatic stress disorder (14%), depression (24%), significant anxiety (15%), and alcohol abuse (36%).
Limitations
Participants may differ in unknown ways from those who chose not to participate (40%), including on employment and levels of mental and physical health.
Data were cross sectional, preventing causal conclusions from being drawn about the relationships between deployment, personnel characteristics, and employment.
No data regarding pre-deployment employment status of Service members was collected and this variable may have affected results.
Avenues for Future Research
Further examine the effect of alcohol abuse and other substance misuse on post-deployment employment
Explore other factors that potentially affect employment following deployment, including location, level of job certification or education, and employment status pre-deployment
Compare employment rates between Service members with combat-related health problems versus pre-existing or non-combat-related health problems
Focus
National Guard
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
National Guard Service members face deactivation from active duty soon alter they return to the United States and rapid entry into the civilian workforce; therefore, it is important to examine employment among these Veterans. Methods:The sample included 585 National Guard service members. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted examining the associations between mental health symptoms, alcohol use, number of deployments, and combat exposure with employment status and full-time versus part-time employment as outcomes. Results: Forty-one percent of National Guard Service members were employed 45 to 60 days following demobilization. Among those who were employed, 79% were employed full-time. Age, family income, and combat exposure were associated with employment; income and health status were associated with part-time versus full-time employment. Conclusions: Mental health status may not be strongly associated with initiating civilian employment among National Guard service members: however, better mental health status is associated with being employed full-time versus part-time.
Abstract Document
PRTW Document
Attach