Transitioning to a life away from the military is often challenging for servicemembers. Making the jump from the structured life of the Armed Forces to a new environment can certainly be difficult, but one of the biggest obstacles troops encounter is what's known as the civilian-military gap. With less than 1 percent of the American population in the military, it's easy to see why there might be a disconnect between servicemembers and ordinary citizens, but advocates are coming forward to help bridge the distance between the two groups.
Talking it out
One of the latest efforts to foster good relationships between soldiers and civilians comes out of New York City, where a program known as Veteran Civilian Dialogues has been operating for three years, according to Star and Stripes. The regularly scheduled dialogues bring an estimated 50 people whenever they're held, and the participants often run the gamut from veterans in their 20s to senior citizens. The conversations can cover any topics, from PTSD to school, and often include discussing how subjects unrelated to the military have helped improve relationships. This was the case for Spc. Patrick Murphy, who talked about his desire to transition to a new career.
"It was great to get that kind of feedback, not just because [of] the encouragement," he told the publication. "I wasn't just a veteran to them. I could be something else, like a photojournalist."
Lack of familiarity
There could be a reason for this civilian-military gap, but experts say it's largely due to the fact that knowing someone who serves in the Armed Forces is not as common as it once was, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. Approximately 20 percent of members of Congress have spent time in the military. In 1969, that figure was at around 60 percent. Additionally, in 2010 about 18 percent of people had parents who had served in the military, but just 22 years earlier an estimated 40 percent of people said the same. Even top officials have noticed this shift.
"I fear they do not comprehend the full weight of the burden we carry or the price we pay when we return from battle," Adm. Mike Mullen, the former chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, told West Point graduates in 2011.
A growing need
Bridging the gap will be increasingly important in the coming years and months. Thousands of troops are slated to separate from service and the remaining servicemembers in Afghanistan are expected to be home by the end of 2014.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the most popular benefits among the military community, and its use is on the rise. Nearly 500,000 people took advantage of the benefits in 2012, which was a 13 percent jump from the year before. Yet, while the bill has helped many servicemembers complete degrees after leaving the military, some have been charged out-of-state prices at public universities, which could drastically increase expenses. In an effort to stop the practice, legislation is making its way through Congress, reports Military Times.
First house, then Senate
The push to take action against public institutions charging out-of-state prices began earlier in May, when a bill known as GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act, made its way through the House of Representatives. The law would require public universities to offer in-state prices if they want to receive payment from the GI Bill, which is often a boon for the school's that do. If implemented, the bill would not go into effect until the summer of 2015.
There has been a similar movement in the Senate, where the Veterans' Educational Transition Act looks to accomplish a similar goal. According to the publication, there is one small difference, however: The Senate measure would require veterans to use their benefits within two years of separating from service to get in-state tuition. They would also have to reside in the specified state during their enrollment.
Widespread support
Revising how schools bill their servicemember students is an important cause among many lawmakers, especially longtime Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. He introduced the Senate bill and said it's important for schools to offer in-state tuition because of how soldiers often do not know where they'll be stationed.
"Given the nature of our armed forces, servicemembers have little to no say as to where they serve and where they reside during their military service," Sanders said. "When transitioning servicemembers consider what educational institution they want to attend, many of them choose a school in their home state or a state where they previously served."
A big help
Making it easier for servicemember to afford school can help take a bite out of the unemployment rate among veterans. By reducing obstacles, troops may be better able to attain certification and licensing that can help them land jobs once they leave the Armed Forces.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the greatest challenges facing servicemembers after they leave the battlefield. Although there are no official statistics, experts estimate that approximately 20 percent of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan experience PTSD symptoms. While some troops get treatment for the condition, others encounter obstacles by not meeting certain criteria for being officially diagnosed with the disorder. However, new guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) could change that, Time magazine reports.
Fewer obstacles for diagnosis
The changes will come about as part of the APA's latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, also known as DSM-5. Experts say the shift could make it easier for troops with PTSD to be diagnosed because of the elimination of criterion A-2. This requirement stipulated that troops needed to experience fear, helplessness and horror during the incident that may have given them PTSD. The issue with this is that most troops respond without any of those feelings in the event of a gun battle or improvised explosive device being detonated, and it's the lingering memories that are the most problematic. According to the publication, the new criteria would focus on things like cognitive difficulties, depressive symptoms and strong reactions to certain triggers.
Potential treatment breakthrough?
A revision to the diagnostic criteria is not the only potential good news for servicemembers with PTSD. Researchers from New York University's Langone Medical Center believe they have potentially developed the first pharmaceutical treatment for PTSD. The team's findings were published recently in the journal "Molecular Psychiatry" and relate to relationship between the brain's cannabinoid receptors and PTSD.
"There's not a single pharmacological treatment out there that has been developed specifically for PTSD," said lead author Dr. Alexander Neumeister. "That's a problem. There's a consensus among clinicians that existing pharmaceutical treatments such as antidepressants simp[ly] do not work."
Pentagon taking action
Recently, The Department of Defense (DOD) has been working to improve how it responds to PTSD. Specifically, DOD officials have been working to foster an environment that encourages troops to seek treatment if they experience PTSD symptoms, according to The News Tribune. These changes come after a review of doctors at Madigan Army Medical Center revealed some of them were downgrading troops who may have had the condition.
As the U.S. winds down operations in Afghanistan and the Pentagon looks to shrink its size by 2017, a growing number of troops are separating from service. The trend is especially evident at Fort Benning, where officials say an estimated 200 men and women are transitioning each month, which is up considerably from the year before, according to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.
The Army is prepared for the expected influx of separating soldiers. For instance, they hired more counselors at transition service offices to help answer any questions about the process. They have also been interested in finding out what soldiers do once they separate from the Armed Forces. A recent poll of troops found that 80 percent want to return to school, while 20 percent are planning on working or opening their own business.
"We capture the soldiers when they first get in the Army, and when one decides to leave," Eddie Perez, the transition services manager at Fort Benning, told the newspaper, "We put them on an education track or employment, whatever it is they want."
The Army's size is expected to go down considerably by 2017. Officials hope to drop the number of soldiers to about 490,000, which would be a dip of around 72,000 soldiers.
Staying in contact with loved ones is an essential part of life for military families. In years past, doing so may have been particularly difficult, especially with a parent or spouse deployed overseas. However, more recently social media has played an increasingly important role in helping military families communicate, The Augusta Chronicle reports.
Social media has been a staple of everyday life for much of the last decade, but that didn't become the case for the military community until fairly recently. Up until about two years ago, the military restricted access to Facebook due to concerns over security breaches. They have softened their stance since then, opening up the opportunities for troops to talk with their loved ones on the popular website. Additionally, Skype has allowed families to see each other even when separated by thousands of miles.
"No other military in the history of warfare has had that level of access to their families," social psychologist Benjamin Karney told the newspaper.
Such websites have played other roles in the military community other than helping families stay in touch. For instance, Twitter has helped like-minded families get in contact with one another, and a new website – Rallypoint.com – helps connect military professionals with one another, NBC affiliate WVIR reports.
With thousands of veterans slated to separate from service in the coming months and years, many of them will be looking for new employment opportunities. It's an issues that has attracted a considerable amount of attention from both legislators and private companies, and it turns out there is one industry that is particularly popular among servicemembers – railroads. An estimated 25 percent of all railroad employees are veterans and the trend is expected to continue, according to The Associated Press.
A longstanding relationship
Veterans and the railroads have a relationship that dates back well over 100 years. In fact, Civil War veterans played an integral role in the construction of the country's railways in the 1860s and 70s. Servicemembers are well suited for railroad jobs for a number of reasons. For one, they gravitate toward jobs that have a similar structure to the military, and with excitement, a specific mission and a chain of command, railroad jobs certainly offer just that. Furthermore, given the demanding nature of serving in the military, vets are used to jobs' sometimes arduous tasks and long hours. The camaraderie is also something that draws veterans to the railroad.
"It's a proud company with a proud heritage – very similar to the military," Sandy Suver, who left the Navy in 1998, told the AP. "The similarities are uncanny sometimes."
Solution to unemployment?
Unemployment among post-9/11 veterans has captured a lot of attention in recent months. The April report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the rate has dropped to 7.5 percent, but it had previously stood higher than the civilian population. With many troops expected to come home in the next several months, there is still work to be done. Looking for jobs in industries such as the railroad, emergency medical services and other areas that utilize the skills vets learned during their time in the military has become a priority.
Companies commit to hiring troops
A number of private organizations have been actively recruiting servicemembers, and the most recent company to do so is Prudential. Through its VETnet program, the insurance giant has been reaching out to qualified servicemembers looking to smooth their transition from active duty to civilian life.
In the midst of his most recent visit to the U.S., Prince Harry has taken a much more somber approach than he did during his previous trips overseas. Harry, an Afghanistan vet himself, made a point to tour Arlington National Cemetery and lay a wreath on one of the graves of his fellow servicemembers who spent time in the combat zone, USA Today reports.
Prince Harry is a captain in the British Army and spent time in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot. During his tour of Washington, D.C., Senator John McCain lauded the 28-year-old royal's time working toward the common goal of his comrades in the U.S. The Arizona senator also praised Harry's passion for eradicating land mines, a cause that was important to his late mother – Princess Diana. Earlier in his visit, Harry also joined first lady Michelle Obama as she hosted an event for mothers in the military.
"We are absolutely thrilled that he could be with us today," Mrs. Obama told those in attendance, as quoted by ABC News. "He wanted to be here to personally thank you for your service."
After laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Harry's tour of Washington, D.C., will conclude with a visit to injured troops at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Over the last several years, record keeping at Washington, D.C.'s Arlington National Cemetery has improved dramatically, and now experts across the country are trying to do the same on military installations. Known as the Army National Cemeteries Program, the initiative seeks to upgrade operations to better organize the records of more than 40,000 graves, reports The Fayetteville Observer.
The process has already begun at North Carolina's Fort Bragg, where officials were working diligently to create digital records of each tombstone at the base's cemetery. It certainly is not an easy job, however. Aside from taking a picture of each headstone, workers have to cross-reference them against thousands of records to ensure the information is correct. Despite the arduous task, those participating are happy to lend a hand.
"It helps minimize any stress on grieving families who want to pay respects to their heroes," Army Spc. Barry Cunnings told the newspaper.
Arlington National Cemetery should serve as the shining example of electronic record keeping. After criticism, officials at the cemetery worked to better categorize the hundreds of thousands of graves on site. Today, the entire landmark has a searchable database that allows visitors to know exactly where their loved one is buried through click of the mouse, NPR reports.
The Warrior Games showcases the best the Armed Forces has to offer, and one servicemember in particular is certainly a testament to that. After being told she'd never walk again, Spc. Elizabeth Wasil, has turned herself into an elite paralympian and will be competing in the upcoming Warrior Games at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Olympic Training Center, according to the Army's official website.
Wasil was injured in Iraq in 2010, and it didn't take long for her to jump into physical therapy. Aside from succeeding as a swimmer, she will also be competing at the games in the shot put, wheelchair racing and cycling. While she relishes the competition, to Wasil the Warrior Games represent more than that. Much like many other wounded servicemembers, she says that sports have helped her in the mental recovery from her injuries.
"[The games] gave me a whole new drive, showed me things I never would've known that I was even able to do," Wasil told the website. "It gave me an entire different outlet that I didn't know was there. It helps give injured soldiers a really strong foundation amongst each other, because there is no better support than a fellow injured soldier."
Since it began in 2010, the Warrior Games have welcomed hundreds of injured, wounded or ill servicemembers each year. This year, the games are scheduled for May 17.
Whether they are welcoming home a loved one from overseas or saying goodbye before a deployment, the airport can be a very emotional place for military families, and one in New York is taking a unique approach into helping them through the stressful time. The Greater Binghamton Airport recently opened its new Military Family Room, which affords servicemembers some privacy, according to CBS affiliate WBNG.
The section of the airport is more than just a walled-off area, however. Thanks to $8,000 in funding from a local veterans account, the room features a number of amenities including a flat-screen television and comfortable couches. For servicemember advocates, the room's creation is a victory, and airport officials said they were more than happy to oblige.
"Before this room existed they would go over to the seating area which is [a] very public area," Carl Beardsley, the airport's aviation commissioner, told the news channel. "The TSA came to us and ask if there was a chance to have a room where they could escort them in and give them privacy."
Such areas may be especially important in the coming months and years. The White House and Pentagon are still on course to bring all troops home from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.