Suicide Transition Study

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Suicide Veterans attempting to reintegrate into civilian life are at a high risk of suicide. In a study conducted by Ahern et al. (2015), it was found that 10 of 24 veteran participants responded that their civilian lives lacked meaning and purpose. In general, Kang et al (2015) found that in comparison to general population suicides, veterans, combat and non-combat, are 41% to 61% at a higher risk of suicide. Kang et al (2015), also found that for veterans, the factor of deployment to the Iraq or Afghanistan war, alone, was found not to be associated with the extremely elevated suicide risk, as compared to general U.S. population.
To gain a better understanding of and address the increasing rates of suicide the Department of Defense (DoD)
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While research on transitional barriers for the military population has begun to grow within the last decade, there is substantially less research on the transitional programs offered through the VA and their counterparts. Lesser still is the amount of research on program effectiveness.
Transition assistance programs are for all service members to utilize while they are transitioning from civilian life to military and vice versa. Every military service branch has a transition assistance program, respectively. While the procedures for these transition assistance programs differ, all of them are required to offer the same benefits and services. Danish & Antonides (2013), report that while the Marines (Navy) established the Warrior Transition program, and the Army developed Comprehensive Soldier Fitness and Battlemind, there is very little research that has been published on branch specific program effectiveness. The reason for this is that the established programs have only recently begun to be assessed for their effectiveness. Transitional assistance programs continue providing services that are not evidence-based merely because the populace determined that there is a need for some services to be provided, regardless of the
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Therefore, the exigency for deeper comprehension of the influences of military life that encourage positive reintegration experiences and the significance of supportive resources, peer and professional, throughout the reintegration process cannot be over emphasized. One of the problems with establishing effective care is that it is absolutely crucial that professionals are educated about military culture so as to better be able to serve the needs of the population of veterans that are reintegrating into civilian life. After all, military culture is as diverse as any other culture and can encompass any number of distinctive characteristics that can have an effect on reintegration and