Supporting Military Veterans in Higher Education

A few key factors set military veterans apart from other college students: their military experience, sworn oaths, and disciplined approach to life. These students possess knowledge and insight that many others may never have the opportunity to gain. The military often becomes a defining part of their identity, and maintaining a connection to that identity can help them successfully navigate the higher education process.

In many ways, the military is similar to a boarding institution—fully immersive and all-encompassing. The socialization and institutional structure of the military deeply influence how veterans perceive and understand the world. This lived experience provides a foundation for a kind of knowledge that cannot easily be replicated without undergoing a similar process.

Higher education, likewise, is an institution that shapes identity through shared perspectives and values. While its socialization process differs from the military, both emphasize self-development, learning, and knowledge acquisition.

The lessons learned in military service are often more profound and experiential than those gained solely through academic study. Unlike traditional students, veterans have had to tap into their inner resilience and strength in real-world, high-stakes environments. These lessons can serve as a powerful framework for building occupational and academic knowledge.

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A Few Things Educators Can Do to Support Veteran Students:

1. Foster Connection:
   Create events and activities that allow veteran students to socialize and share experiences with one another. Clubs, support groups, and veteran-focused events help build community and reduce isolation.

2. Value Military Perspectives in Coursework:
   Recognize that veterans may reflect on course material through the lens of their military experience. For example, a logistics discussion might draw on military supply chain knowledge rather than corporate examples.

3. Promote Cross-Cultural Understanding:
   Encourage activities where veterans can educate non-military students about military life, while also helping veterans connect their experience to civilian applications.

4. Design Inclusive Assignments:
   Create assignments that are adaptable across sectors—military, for-profit, and non-profit. Topics like strategic planning or leadership can be approached from all three angles.

5. Develop Pro-Veteran Policies and Staffing:
   Specialized staff and recruitment efforts can help implement policies that support military and veteran students.

6. Offer Mentorship Support:
   Pair veterans with a dedicated mentor or advisor to assist with navigating enrollment, housing, course registration, and other institutional complexities.

7. Include Veterans in Decision-Making:
   Consider military and veteran students as a vital part of the student body when crafting campus-wide policies and decisions.

8. Provide Flexibility:
   Allow flexibility for students with deployment responsibilities or other military-related commitments.

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The study below further illustrates the importance of supporting military-connected students and offers evidence-based strategies for enhancing their success in higher education.

A Psychosociocultural Exploration of SSM/V Well-Being in Higher Education: The Role of Mattering, Dedicated SSM/V Space, and Combat Deployment