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Brennan Haskins
Where Josselson (1991) set out “to understand the internal and developmental roots of
identity formation in women” (p. 33), I set out to understand the internal and developmental
roots of identity formation in student veterans. Looking at the four identity statuses that were
initially described by Marcia and later revised for women by Josselson, I explored why some
servicemen remain in the military and why others pursue a career or higher education elsewhere.
I interviewed four veterans from three different branches of service. One was career military, one
pursued a career after the military, and two pursued higher education after leaving the military. I
was concerned with three things: why servicemen joined the military, why they decided to stay
in the military and/or pursue other things, and how the military influenced their identity. In this
paper, I will identify the gap in literature, explain the patterns I found while studying these
Veteran Defined
Described by Vacchi (2012) a student veteran is, “any student who is a current or former
member of the active duty military, the National Guard, or Reserves regardless of deployment
status, combat experience, legal veteran status, or GI Bill use.” Following World War II, the GI
Bill of 1944 was presented and caused veterans to seek out higher education in mass numbers
because of the benefits providing housing and education. Offering even more expansive
educational opportunities, the Post-9/11 GI Bill caused veterans presence on campus to continue
to increase. While student veterans are prominent on any college campus across the country,
there is very limited research on their experiences and development. When looking at the limited
research, current research examines veteran students transition experiences. Few research studies
pay distinct attention to identity negotiation within the military and on campus (Vacchi, 2012).
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 3
Marcia homed in on the fifth stage, identity versus identity diffusion. Marcia looked at how
young adults both experience and resolve crisis. Marcia (1980) categorized two variables that
occur in the formation of identity: exploration and commitment. These variables can occur in
many different decision-making contexts including, but not limited to: political, religious, and
different values and goals that were defined and set forth by authoritative figures and often
includes the weighing of different alternatives. Waterman and Archer (1990) identified that the
individuals who are weighing the alternatives are pursuing resources and advice from others who
they define as “knowledgeable,”. Beginning with excitement and curiosity, fear and anxiety
often push to the forefront because of pressure mounting. After exploration, Marcia (1980)
defined commitment as the individual declaring possession of choices, values, and goals. As
ways of handling exploration (crisis) and commitment, Marcia (1980) developed four different
identity states stating, “The identity statuses were developed as a methodological device by
which Erikson’s theoretical notions about identity might be subjected to empirical study” (p.
161).
The four identity statuses, neither progressive nor permanent, are foreclosure,
made without exploring alternatives. Typically, the individual accepts parental values and does
not challenge the status quo. Moratorium is the status of individuals who are in the midst of a
crisis but whose commitments are either lacking or are only ambiguously defined. By
questioning parental values, the individual struggles with resisting and conforming. While the
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 4
individual in this stage pulls apart from what they have always known, no commitment comes
from their crisis. When adolescents become overwhelmed by the task of identity development
and neither explore nor make commitments; the individual is experiencing identity diffusion.
These individuals often have neither explored nor made commitments across life-defining areas.
Identity achievement is only attained after a widespread period of crisis. Once a crisis has
Centered around Marcia’s ego identity statuses, Josselson wanted to explain identity
crisis in women. The four pathways that are described under Josselson’s theory model Marcia’s
(1980): foreclosures, identity achievements, moratoriums, and identity diffusions. Women move
into adulthood with a commitment to identity without experiencing any identity crisis in
foreclosure (Josselson, 1991). When women move away from their childhood identity and create
a unique and distinct identity they have reached identity achievement. Women who are in a
constant state of exploration with their identity are searching through moratorium. Family values
and an awareness of rightness can be found within this pathway but will test the waters to see
how far they can come to crossing a line between right and wrong. Lastly, in identity diffusion
women are lost and sometimes found, also known as “drifters” (Josselson, 1991).
Veteran Interviews
Interviewing four veterans who all took different paths, I wanted to know how the
military influenced their identity development through lived experiences and worldviews.
Identity development research can explain how veterans form and attain more complex senses of
self that combines their experience of the social identities of servicemember and veterans (Jones,
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 5
2013). Questions remain about how, or even, whether, exactly, student identity development
theory applies to military veterans. By interviewing veterans, I was hoping to move towards
closing the gap. The individuals interviewed were from various branches of the armed forces:
one Navy, one Army, and two Air Force. Despite their variety of service experiences, several
David
The first interview was done with David who completed four years of service in the
United States Air Force as an Engineer Assistant Specialist. When asked why he joined the
military he said, “I love jets and didn’t really want to go to college and take classes that I
wouldn’t use in my career. Basically, I wanted to ‘cut the chase’ out of what I ‘thought’ I wanted
to do for a career.” While he served when there was no war time, he was stationed at Luke AFB
in Phoenix, AZ and spent 6 months in Panama. David never experienced a crisis of identity when
leaving the military. He was proud of what he had accomplished and was proud of who he had
become. When expanding his sense of self and incorporating his new identity into his existing
identity as a service member, he stated that there was a sense of pride for self and country that
grows inside of you as you serve. That pride remains in him today and shaped him as a person.
Today, David owns his own surveying company and is the head of the Surveying Department at
Bobby
As a career military servicemember, Bobby served in the United States Air Force for 20
years. Joining the military because of no plans to go to college and wanting to see the world,
Bobby started out as an Avionics Technician on different types of aircrafts. He was deployed in
the 1990 Gulf War in Guam and Diego Garcia and in Desert Storm/Desert Shield in Kuwait,
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 6
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iraq. Transitioning from military life to civilian life was challenging for
Bobby. He stated, “Being in the military, the people know they must work together to achieve a
goal and to accomplish a mission. The civilian sector, it seems people are only out for
themselves.” However, the military influenced his identity and made him able to stand on his
own. It made him appreciate and value the freedom we have in the United States, that most
Americans take for granted. Today he tries to provide structure, discipline, and a sense of pride
in his workplace, incorporating his military identity into his civilian identity.
Jesse
Mechanical Engineering graduating in May 2018. Serving in the United States Navy for 6 years,
he joined to pay for college and get away from home. Jesse was deployed on a Navy warship and
served in many different roles including: moving around places, HVAC maintenance/repair,
nurse assistant, and was an MWR rep. While not experiencing a crisis of identity when leaving
the military, he talked about how the military did influence his identity today. He looks at world
issues and conflicts from more than one perspective and has more integrity and determination
before entering the service. Wanting to use the ability to get things done that the military instilled
in him, Jesse entered higher education immediately after leaving the military and is using his
Austin
Seeking self-empowerment, education in a trade skill, and the desire to pursue a career
greater than himself, Austin served in the United States Army active duty for 3 years and 33
weeks. Following, he served in the Illinois National Guard for 2 years. As an intelligence soldier,
he performed battlefield surveillance operations including, but not limited to, interrogations,
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 7
information handling, and special intelligence support assignments to various military and
political operations. When asked how the military influenced or formed his identity today he
said, “The military greatly improved my self-confidence, shaped my perspective on life, and
made me proud of myself. The adage, ‘actions speak louder than words’, is what comes to mind
when thinking about how the military influenced how I perceive myself today.” Austin is
currently attending Clemson University and will be graduating with a Masters of City and
Regional Planning, utilizing his Post 9/11 GI Bill. Austin noted having trouble embracing his
identity as a student due to being proud of his service and wanting to make sure that is how
student veterans identity development, where practitioners can account for their students and
understand how the military shaped their identity (See Appendix A). During the interviews, three
prominent themes became apparent: patriotism, determination, and teamwork. Within these three
broad areas, the subjects who all served very differently, all faced the same challenges and
development.
In this pathway, veterans leave the military with identity commitment, but have
experienced no identity crisis. They make choices about their life by adopting the standards
learned in the military. They seek security that the military provides and see them as a family.
These individuals are often career military and may face identity diffusion later in life when they
retire. Ultimately, however, when these individuals face identity diffusion they will be able to
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 8
find the strength instilled in them by the military and move beyond without collapsing under the
weight.
In this pathway, service members are often pulled multiple ways, re-enlisting or pursuing
other options. They spent years internalizing the military values, are convinced of the rightness,
but are intrigued by what civilian life has to offer. Following leaving the military, veterans often
remain in a state of exploration and uncertainty. Their days and lives are no longer dictated by
the military. Coming from a demanding environment, the military trains and develops their
servicemen from the start of their service, developing a foundation of discipline and teamwork
(Vacchi, 2012). Vacchi (2012) states, “Veterans are in an awkward position as soon as they
depart military service, and one of the most awkward places for a student veteran to be after
In this pathway, military service members break their ties from the military and form
separate, distinct identities. While the military will always be a part of who they are, these
individuals know what they want to do, either by entering higher education, or the workforce.
Interactions with civilians, outside of the military, serve as opportunities to explore without fully
abandoning the old self. When a veteran leaves their service, if they choose to enter higher
education, that choice is intentional. This is what breaks them apart from the traditional college
student. This often leads to a greater presence in the classroom, higher retention rates, and more
successful transfer rates from community colleges to four-year institutions (Vacchi, 2012).
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 9
Patton, Renn, Guido, and Quaye (2016) stated, “Marked by lack of crisis and
commitment, college women on this part are a varied and complex group (p. 295). Much like the
women in Josselson’s theory, military veterans are the same. These individuals are often
conflicted about life choices. If they decide to leave the military and enter higher education or
the workforce, they are likely to feel lost. The college campus and workforce is not as structured
as the military, with the military emphasizing a high value on the roles and responsibilities of its
members, along with self-sufficiency (Vacchi, 2012). Understanding the environment from
which the veteran comes from is important to being able to understand the veteran who is
Conclusion
The current, decade-old conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are expected to come to a close
soon. This is a good thing, but it means millions of men and women will be leaving the military
over the next few years. Many of them will find themselves on campuses across the country. At
research universities, state colleges, small liberal arts schools, community colleges, trade
schools, in vocational and technical programs, and online institutions, more and more of them
will begin trying to acclimate not only to higher education, but to civilian life in general. The
challenge to researchers and educational policymakers is this: to offer the greatest learning
environment for student veterans they can, to help them in any way possible, and do our best to
comprehend what they have already achieved in the past and encourage them to do more in the
future. It is the least we can do for those who have given so much.
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 10
References
18(74), 1-14.
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Patton, L. D., Renn, K. A., Guido, F. M., Quaye, S. J. (2016). Foundations for understanding
Lerner (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior (p. 29-57). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
DEVELOPING IDENTITY OF STUDENT VETERANS 11
Appendix A
Search/Exploration No Search/Exploration
Country
Happens Next?