Veterans transition : analyzing the potential for vocational voucher programs as targeted workforce development & trauma mitigation strategies

Abstract

The Post-9/11 GI Bill was designed as a way to integrate the returning veteran population into the workforce through the vehicle of higher education. Standing to cost in upwards of $200 billion, it is not clear whether college campuses have the internal controls and processes in place to effectively assist the veteran population in maximizing their return on their GI Bill. Through an intensive review of the literature surrounding veterans' transition services, interviews with veterans service providers, veterans service experts, a historical account of how the different iterations of the GI Bill have interfaced with each era's veteran population, and an intensive case study of an exemplar program, this project will examine the core functions of effective university transition services through a democratic wealth generation framework, providing recommendations for universities preparing for the growth in their student veteran population. As currently structured, the current GI Bill will in fact expand existing disparities within the veteran population, with veterans experiencing trauma or who had limited educational experiences pre-military service standing to gain the least from the current legislation. In addition to student-veterans' services in higher education, this project also contributes to the literature on effective community and economic development practices, workforce development policies, and important insights into the challenges we continue to face mitigating violence in other institutional settings.