Military Past, Civilian Present International Perspectives on Veterans' Transition from the Armed Forces

This edited book presents a synthesis of current international knowledge on the topic of military veteran transition to civilian life. Understanding the transition of individuals from military institutions to civilian life is of great importance. The essential elements of transition support are currently widely debated in order to assess current practice and potential shortcomings in the intention to improve health, welfare and social outcomes for military veterans. 

This text links original research and critical commentary to public policy and practice in the area of veteran transition. Doing so through a collection of international perspectives assists in locating continuity and difference between strategies, agendas and the realities of what is actually known of the veteran’s experience.  

Chapters in this text examine the subject of transition along lines of enquiry that focus in on themes such as social justice, veteran identity and developments in transition agendas. Globally, many veterans face complex social issues such as low income, barriers to employment, and problems of health and welfare. Chapters take stock of the real-world issues affecting veterans and at the same time casts a critical eye over the limitations in accessing, or denial of access to opportunities, support and remedy. The veteran identity is an important dimension of enquiry here. This book looks at the relational factors between the veteran and the public, the creation of a master status and the challenges faced by veterans in transitioning into a cultural context that is saturated with imagery of what a veteran ‘is’. Chapters also seek to pose recommendations as to how the policy and practice agenda that surrounds veterans and the bridging of the gap between military and civilian life may be developed. Here authors point towards the value of knowledge, research and analysis that is underpinned by participatory strategies with veterans themselves. For example, seeking to establish lines of enquiry that value the voice of veterans as an ongoing and iterative dimension of developing understanding.

Chapter1: Australia: Psychs, Suits and Mess Committees on Steroids: The Changing Terrain of Service Transition in Australia.- Chapter2: Canada: The Re-emergence of Veteran Issues in Canada: State Retrenchment and Gendered Veteran Advocacy.- Chapter3: Croatia: Victims of Transition? The Role of Homeland War Veterans in Public Discourse in Croatia.- Chapter4: Estonia: Estonian Veterans in Transition.- Chapter5: Netherlands: Veterans’ Transition to Dutch Society.- Chapter6: Nigeria: Nigerian Veterans: Nationalists or Villains?.- Chapter7: United Kingdom: The Violent Military Veteran Offender in the Criminal Justice System: Desisting from Crime or Desisting from Military Experience?.- Chapter8: United States of America: ‘Combatting’ Self-Harm and Suicide in the US Military and After: Culture, Military Labor and No-Harm Contracts.- Chapter9: Editors' Conclusion

Dr Paul Taylor is Head of the Department of Social and Political Science at the University of Chester and a Senior Lecturer in Criminology. Paul has researched and published in areas of mental health, criminal justice and social policy. A substantial portion of Paul’s scholarly interest lies in areas of occupational culture and working lives, in particular public service/defence occupations such as healthcare, policing and the military.

Dr Emma Murray is a Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. Emma is the Project Lead of the 'Reimagining Conflict: Pedagogy, Policy and the Arts' site and international research group. Emma has published extensively on the lived experience of the veteran (in particular in the context of their contact with the criminal justice system), and conceptually as a key subject in discourses of war and security.     

Dr Katherine Albertson is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. Katherine has worked on a number of funded research projects with military veterans including an investigation into the potential relationships between identity transition, offending and substance misuse, through the desistance and recovery narratives of ex-military service participants engaging in recovery support services. Further, Katherine is leading a funded study that evaluates current addiction services for military veterans.