Culture Shock: The Integration of Military Veterans in Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences that active duty enlisted military veterans undergo when they enter higher education as undergraduates after their time in service. How do the experiences of active duty military veterans compare to the literature that combines all types of service veterans together? Most research conducted and literature available on military veterans is on Reserve military veterans or the research combines Reservists, National Guard, and active duty service together. This study will only address the situations facing active duty enlisted military veterans who have already completed their military service and are entering higher education as first-time undergraduates. Active duty military veterans are reentering the civilian and entering the academic world almost at the same time. I am interested in examining the influence of this extreme change in culture. How does the experience of being in the controlled military environment full-time compare to the Reservist? To shed light on this question, I will compare the outcome of my research on active duty veterans to the literature that blends active duty, Reservist, and National Guard.