| Since September 11, 2001 and the beginning of U.S. military involvement in the Global War on Terror, redeployment to combat zones has been frequent and reliance on reserve components (RC), like the Army National Guard (NG), is unprecedented in the history of the all-volunteer force. The ways in which combat veterans reintegrate into civilian culture after deployment and military separation, have important implications for mental health outcomes. Considering that reserve components and active-duty components (AC) have fundamental differences that possibly result in different postdeployment reintegration experiences, research on this topic is timely and important. This study uses archival data from a 2014 national online survey to explore possible differences and similarities between ACs and RCs, specifically as it relates to their experiences (e.g., challenges, needs, helpfulness of utilized resources) during reintegration into civilian life. The survey respondent data were divided into two groups: NG/RC (n=47) and Non-NG/RC (n=307). Responses to the 29-question survey were analyzed qualitatively to identify themes and compare between groups. Implications were explored and future directions for research were recommended. |
