Military-to-Civilian Transition Research Announces March Teleconferences

In March the Military-to-Civilian Transition Research Forum will host two teleconferences to present the latest research on the military-to-civilian transition process.

On March 21, 2019 at 2:00 PM EST, the topic will be “Service Members’ Perspectives on Treatment: Bridging the Military-Civilian Divide”. The presenter will be Kevin O'Leary PsyD of the Lowell Vet Center in Massachusetts.

On March 28, 2019 at 11:00 AM EST, the topic will be the Annual Veterans Employment Report which will be released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) days before this call. The presenter will be James Borbely, Senior Economist at the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.

For dial-in information or to be added to the monthly announcements contact Dr. Nathan D. Ainspan at nathan.d.ainspan.civ@mail.mil

Details:
March 21 Forum: “Service Members’ Perspectives on Treatment: Bridging the Military-Civilian Divide”

Presentation summary: Many service members struggle to reconnect with civilian culture and that divide can become a barrier to psychological treatment. Dr. O’Leary will present his dissertation research that used qualitative analysis to exploring service members’ experiences of starting therapy with a civilian or veteran therapist. The results are used to explore service members’ understandings of military culture, establishing rapport, and the initial encounter of therapy. Implications for trauma treatment, military cultural competency, and successful
transition.

Presenter: Dr. O’Leary is a clinical psychologist at the Lowell Vet Center in. He graduated from Antioch University New England in 2017. He completed his internship at the Albany Internship Consortium, and his post-doctoral residency in PTSD at the Albany VA Medical Center.

March 28 Forum: 2018 Annual Veterans Employment Report 

Presentation summary: Every March the BLS releases the comprehensive Employment Situation of Veterans report that tabulates and analyzes employment data from the Current

Population Survey. The presenter will summarize the findings from the most recent report, provide context for the findings, a description of how the data are collected, and a greater understanding of how these data are used (and potentially misunderstood or misused).

Presenter: James Borbely is Senior Economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. . He is an expert in veteran labor force data and demographic statistics from the Current Population Survey.

About the Military-to-Civilian Transition Research Forum
The Military-to-Civilian Transition Research Forum is sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) Transition to Veterans Program Office (TVPO). TVPO provides transition assistance policy and program oversight to promote, advance and instill a culture of career ready Service members. This includes the redesign, implementation and evaluation of the DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and transition curriculum. TVPO's mission is to help foster a military culture that returns to America a career-ready Veteran which strengthens the all-volunteer force. Its strategic goals are to: revitalize TAP to meet the needs of the nation, strengthen partner collaboration to improve service member career readiness, and institutionalize transition preparation into the military culture.

For more information contact Dr. Nathan D. Ainspan, Senior Research Psychologist, TVPO, at nathan.d.ainspan.civ@mail.mil or (703) 614-8663.