Completing the Mission II: A Study of Veteran Students' Progress Toward Degree Attainment in the Post-9/11 Era
Author(s): Lang, W. A., & O'Donnell, T.
Editor(s): DiRamio, D.
Citation: Lang, W. A., & O'Donnell, T. (2017). Completing the Mission II: A Study of Veteran Students' Progress Toward Degree Attainment in the Post-9/11 Era. In DiRamio, D., What's Next for Student Veterans? Moving From Transition to Academic Success (pp. 117-133). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition.
Abstract
As a result of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, nearly 2 million military-affiliated college students have been able to attend higher education institutions across the nation. However, colleges and universities have struggled with how to appropriately meet the needs of this group of students. Operation College Promise (OCP), led by the New Jersey Association of State Colleges, is one example of a program founded to respond to the needs of these nontraditional students. In the fall of 2011, OCP collaborated with the Pat Tillman Foundation to begin assessing how student veterans progress toward degree attainment. A 2013 study, which is the focus of this chapter, expanded on this review using the Framework for Veterans’ Success created by the OCP to continue measuring progress toward degree attainment for veteran students. The study revealed strong graduation rates and above-average GPA for student veterans, which shows value in having a comprehensive support network designed to recognize the unique needs of military students. Additionally, the study recommends further research surrounding degree attainment, including a need for faculty/staff training to address needs of student veterans.
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