Over the past year the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces Community, funded by FiMT, conducted research to understand the perceived benefits of military Service.
Read the full OUTCOMES study summary report here.
Background:
Upon leaving the Armed Forces, most ex-Service personnel adjust well to civilian life. However, existing research tends to focus on the negative consequences of military Service, such as effects of combat exposure and challenges with physical and mental health [1, 2]. Additionally, evidence indicates that the public perceive ex-Service personnel as having poorer mental health, and increased levels of homelessness and unemployment [3, 4]. These misconceptions may impact successful return to civilian communities for ex-Service personnel and their families and potentially cause employers to overlook the value of Service. Evidence about the benefits of Service can help balance the narrative.
The aim of the OUTCOMES study was to address this evidence gap and explore the perceived benefits of military Service as reported by ex-Service personnel.
Key Findings:
A narrative literature review of 36 papers and qualitative study of nine focus groups with 53 UK ex-Service personnel, found that:
- Military Service provides the opportunity to develop many high level and unique skills, and exposure to distinct, exceptional, and empowering experiences. Such skills and experiences can lead to social, emotional, and psychological growth, as well as upward social mobility.
- However, to benefit from these opportunities Service leavers must put effort and have agency in their transition and navigate competing military and civilian identities.
- Good quality leadership and support both during Service and through transition, that recognises and supports varied Service experiences (based on gender, age, branch, rank, service length, discharge type), is vital.
Recommendations:
- Ex-Service personnel should be supported to recognise the widespread unique abilities and skills they have developed. They should prepare early on in Service for post-Service life, understand the differences in military and civilian culture, and balance expectations to allow them the flexibility to assimilate into civilian communities.
- Senior leadership in the Armed Forces should encourage Serving personnel to make the most of the opportunities in Service and support with role balance to adopt both military and civilian identities; allowing them to prepare for the realities of post-Service life.
- The Ministry of Defence should move beyond transition support that focuses predominately on post-Service employment. This could take the form of a tailored culture and identity module as part of the Career Transition Partnership programme, which could help minimise any potential military-civilian divide.
- The Office for Veterans’ Affairs should include the benefits of Service as a specific priority in future Veterans’ Strategy Action Plans. This can contribute to the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, ‘whole-of-society’ approach to defence, to build society’s understanding of the Armed Forces and increase their visibility [5].
- Civilian employers should recognise and value the varied hard and soft skills that ex-Service personnel leave with and the benefits of Service should be recognised by wider society, balancing any misconceptions about ex-Service personnel.
- Armed Forces recruitment campaigns can strengthen their top line of messaging about the various benefits of Service. This includes empowering life changing opportunities and upward social mobility; development of varied skills, strong values, and work ethics; belonging, camaraderie, and working collectively towards a higher purpose with potential for in- and post-Service fulfilment.
- Further research is necessary to explore the benefits of Service based on varied experiences (for example across branch, rank, for families, currently Serving, and reservist personnel).
Read the summary report to learn more about how we conducted this timely research, the full findings, study strengths and limitations and the recommendations for the Armed Forces sector, employers, and wider society.
Authors: Dr Karishma Jivraj, Professor Nicola Fear, and Dr Mary Keeling.
References:
