Running head: IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH
The Relationship between Regional Military Family and Youth Activities and
Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Regional Youth Participation Rates
Alicia Tomlinson
Lewis-Clark State College
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IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a relationship between increasing the
number of Region One military family and youth activities and the Annual Winter Camp Region
One military youth participation rates. The population of military youth as a whole embodies the
very definition of resilience. Military youth live in a culture where diversity, adversities,
relocations, long distance relationships, adapting, and adjusting are all cultural norms. The role
of the military family, including the youth, is vital to the overall health and readiness of the
soldier. Military youth programs provide a safe, fun, nurturing environment which allows
military youth to bond with one another, while developing friendships and support, as well as
skills such as leadership, positive self-image, and service. Research results echo a positive
relationship between increasing the number of Region One military family and youth activities
and the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One youth participation rates.
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The Relationship between Regional Military Family and Youth Activities and
Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Regional Youth Participation Rates
Introduction
The population of military youth as a whole embodies the very definition of resilience.
Military youth live in a culture where diversity, adversities, relocations, long distance
relationships, adapting, and adjusting are all cultural norms. Theoretical models of stress and
coping and models of social connectedness offer perspectives on how military youth develop
their resiliency (Mmari, Bradshaw, Sudhinaraset, Blum 2010). The article, “Resilience Among
Military Youth,” gives an insightful interpretation of the definition of what resiliency is as a
relationship: “Resilience is neither a personal attribute or trait, nor something that is present in a
young person’s environment. Rather resilience comes from the interactions between people and
their environments as part of a “dynamic development system” (Easterbrooks, Ginsburg, and
Lerner 2013, p 100). By understanding the person-in-environment relationship with resiliency
establishes a foundation for understanding the importance of having military youth programs.
Military youth programs provide a safe, fun, nurturing environment which allows
military youth to bond with one another, while developing friendships and support, as well as
skills such as leadership, positive self-image, and service. “Strength, perseverance, and sacrifice
are words we associate with our troops, but these are the same traits we see in military teens”
(NMFA 2008, p 17). The role of the military family, including the youth, is vital to the overall
health and readiness of the soldier. In Region One of North Idaho, 230 Army National Guard
youth are age eligible to be part of the military youth group, however, there is not an active
Region One military youth program at this time. From 2009 to 2011, Region One had an active
military National Guard youth group with 15-30 members who attended monthly events, an
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active Adult Youth Volunteer leader, and support from volunteer Family Readiness Group
members (Rzepa, 2015).
During 2011 the Idaho National Guard military youth program underwent many changes
including contract and role descriptions, organizational structure, deployment status, and youth
program leadership support and guidance (Rzepa, 2015). While the youth program was active,
The Idaho National Guard Joint Military Family Programs office located in Post Falls, Idaho
played an instrumental role in the operations of the Region One military youth program and the
agency would like to see an active military youth program for their area again. The Idaho
National Guard Joint Military Family Programs office is interested in identifying if there is a
relationship between increasing the number of Region One military family and youth activities
and the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One youth participation rates
(Rzepa, 2015).
Problem Statement
The problem is Region One youth have shown very low attendance numbers for the
Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp, Snow Bash. In 2015, Region One was lacking an
Adult Youth Volunteer leader for the youth program and consequently no youth participation in
the Region One Military Youth Program; concurrently there was very low attendance from
Region One military youth at Snow Bash.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a relationship between increasing the
number of Region One military family and youth activities and the Idaho National Guard Annual
Winter Camp Region One youth participation rates.
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Significance of the Study
This study will inform the Region One Idaho National Guard Joint Military Family
Programs office of the relationship between increasing the number of Region One military
family and youth activities and the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One
youth participation rates. The Winter Camp, Snow Bash, offers opportunities for local military
youth to develop skills and qualities of team bonding, leadership, and service.
Research Question
How does increasing the number of Region One military family and youth activities
affect the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One youth participation rates?
Null Hypotheses
There is not a relationship between increasing the number of Region One military family
and youth activities and the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One youth
participation rates.
Literature Review
Military Families
For many military families serving today, deployment is a reality and cultural norm in
their world. According to Sherman and Glenn, the Global War on Terrorism has called 2 million
service members to be deployed, many times for more than one tour, leaving more than 2 million
dependent children waiting for one or both of their military serving parents to return home
stateside (2015). Of those service members deployed, nearly 38.3 percent of them are from
National Guard and Reserve components (Sogomonyan & Cooper 2010). Sogomonyan and
Cooper show while research has indicated the importance of support systems for military
families during the deployment cycle to minimize the deployment-related stress, a survey of
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National Guard and Reserve families report less than one-half of their families received
dependable support (2010). “Since the 2011 ‘Strengthening our Military Families: Meeting
America’s Commitment,’ there has been a shift from exclusively ‘service-member-centric’ focus
to promoting a more holistic ‘family readiness’ approach in which the military family as a whole
becomes equipped to handle the stressors of deployments. The guiding principle is that with an
emotionally healthy family, a service member can better handle the physical and emotional
demands of his or her deployment” (Blasko 2015, p 265). The Idaho National Guard Joint
Family Programs is one of the programs currently in place to provide support, resources and
assistance to all service members and their families (Idaho National Guard Joint Family
Programs 2014).
Importance of Military Youth Programs
National Guard and Reserve military youth are living a military cultural home life in a
civilian community. “The social, environmental, communal, and societal context in which
military children live is directly influenced by military culture” (Blasko 2015, p 5). While many
children hear about the events of war on TV, they are detached from the event; war for a military
child is not just a news story, because it affects their life personally and is not easily understood
by their civilian classmates (NMFA 2008). Having programs established and available for
military youth to connect with their military peers is important to developing and improving
social connectedness and resiliency. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks of social learning
and social comparison can provide a solid foundation for many of the military youth programs
including MilitaryKidsConnect (Blasko 2015), Operation Military Kids (Idaho National Guard
Joint Family Programs 2014), Operation Megaphone (Hames 2013), and the Idaho National
Guard Child and Youth Program (Idaho National Guard Child and Youth Program 2014).
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“Social comparison theory indicates that individuals may feel more comfortable interacting with
others who share common characteristics with themselves” (Blasko 2015). Military youth
programs are designed to create an environment where these youth can bond through their
military culture experiences as well as give opportunities for the youth to develop their
leadership skills through social learning from their older peers (Blasko 2015).
Outreach: Program Awareness and Program Appeal
Program awareness and program appeal are two factors to consider when wanting to
increase participation rates of a youth program (Lauver 2004). According to the Food Research
and Action Center, one area a program needs to focus their efforts to increase participation is
ensuring families know the program information and what it has to offer their children (2015). A
program targeting middle and high school aged youth has to be appealing to get them there and
keep them coming back. While social media, email blasts, and flyers are all ways to create
program awareness in masses, Lauver, recommends a more personal outreach to the youth and
their parents through direct contact and phone calls (2004). Another effective tool to recruit new
teens to a program is through the existing participants spreading the word and sharing their
experiences in the program with their peers (Lauver 2004). Creating a program that can offer a
schedule which matches the youths’ needs can increase participation by complementing their
availability. Drop-in programs allow for youth to participate on a more flexible schedule and can
be more appealing to families and youth with busy schedules and who would not be able to
adhere to an attendance enforced program (Lauver 2004).
Reaching out to school counselors and teachers to identify youth and refer them to the
program is a great way to create awareness using community partnerships which work closely
with the prospective participants. While there is very little supportive literature, Lauver
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recommends trying to recruit youth in pairs or groups, which aligns well in theory with research
on social connectedness (2004). The program appeal factor is an important element which can
affect recruitment and participation rates. Creating a program that has a variety of fun activities,
free social time, opportunities for leadership, and community service elements led by a staff that
is passionate and invested in the youth can create a welcoming and appealing environment for
youth to connect (Lauver 2004).
Summary
Using research based strategies to increase youth participation; the Region One Idaho
National Guard Joint Family Programs office has created an outreach plan in an attempt to
increase their regional military youth attendance at Snow Bash 2016 (Rzepa 2015). The Region
One Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs office expanded their outreach efforts by
partnering with community and military resources to execute regional military family and youth
events and connected with local schools to identify and refer military youth to Snow Bash.
Snow Bash encompasses the foundation provided by theoretical models of social connectedness,
social learning, and social comparison to offer military youth opportunities to build relationships
with their military peers, exercise leadership skills, and develop resiliency.
Snow Bash is a state military youth camp which balances winter activities and social time
with team building exercises and leadership development activities. Snow Bash is scheduled
over a school holiday break in an effort to make camp accessible to middle school and high
school aged youth who have busy schedules. Recognizing the need for military family support,
the benefits of military youth programs, and the importance of program awareness, Region One
Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs office is interested in identifying if there is a
relationship between increasing the number of Region One military family and youth activities
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and the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One youth participation rates (Rzepa
2015.
Methods
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a relationship between implementing
additional Region One military family and youth activities and the participation rate of the
youths from Region One attending the Idaho National Guard Annual State Military Youth
Winter Camp, Snow Bash. The goal is to gather current Snow Bash Region One youth
participation numbers, compare current participation numbers to last year’s participation
numbers, and question if the Region One family and youth activities implemented this year
increased awareness of Snow Bash registration. The results of this study will determine how
implementing additional regional military youth and family events impact the youth participation
rates at Snow Bash 2016. If the Snow Bash 2016 participation rates reflect a positive impact, it
might be worth the agency resources to continue investing in additional Region One military
family and youth outreach events.
Participants and Sampling Procedures
The participants will be chosen through a non-random, purposive sample method using
Snow Bash 2015 and Snow Bash 2016 Region One youth participation numbers. The PI will be
using data collected to compare how many military youth from Region One attended the 2015
Snow Bash camp and how many military youth from Region One attended the 2016 Snow Bash
camp. Snow Bash camp eligibility states all campers will be a dependent or sibling of an active,
veteran, or disabled service member. All campers must be between the ages of 10 and 17 and
have submitted a completed application, parent permission form, and registration fee by the
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December deadline. To qualify as a participant for the purpose of this study, the youth must
meet all of the Snow Bash eligibility criteria and have attended either 2015 or/and 2016 Snow
Bash. Only the total number of participants from both camps will be given to the PI, and no
individual characteristics will be identified.
Research Design
This study will use an exploratory design to gather quantitative pre and post data from a
non-random purposive sample of military youth who attended Snow Bash 2015 and/or Snow
Bash 2016.
Method
During the Fall of 2015, the Region One location of the Idaho National Guard Joint
Family Programs office added three new regional military family and youth events to their
existing programs in an effort to increase community outreach opportunities: a Veteran’s
appreciation North Idaho Military Youth Group outing; a Military Family Harvest party; and a
partnership with a local corporate retail store to provide holiday assistance for selected local
military families in need. The agency also distributed registration information to the Coeur
d’Alene School District counselors to increase awareness of Idaho National Guard Annual State
Military Youth Winter Camp, Snow Bash 2016.
Data Collection Procedures
The Idaho National Guard State Youth Coordinator will count the Region One number of
participants who attended Snow Bash 2015 and Snow Bash 2016. In February 2016, the Idaho
National Guard State Youth Coordinator will send the collected data via email to the Region One
Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs Family Assistance Center Specialist. After
receiving the emailed data, the Family Assistance Center Specialist will email the data to the PI.
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The PI will review the data at the Region One Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs
office located in Post Falls, Idaho.
While conducting this research study, several people will have access to both the raw and
gathered data: the PI; the LCSC IRB; the Idaho National Guard State Youth Coordinator; the
Region One Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs Family Assistance Center Specialist;
the PI’s LCSC Social Work Program field supervisor, Doug Eacho; the PI’s LCSC research
advisor, Marte White; the Idaho National Guard Chain of Command; and the Idaho National
Guard Joint Family Programs State staff. The PI will secure the data by storing the information
on a password protected computer which will only be accessed at the PI’s private residence or
Region One Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs office. The PI will use the data for the
purpose of this study only and upon completion of her research project and presentation at LCSC
Senior Symposium, the data will be erased off PI’s computer.
Data Analysis Plan
The PI will compare the pre and post analyzed data using a standard t-test to determine
how implementing additional regional military youth and family events impacted the youth
participation rates at Snow Bash 2016.
Results
The Snow Bash 2015 North Idaho military youth attendance number was 9. The Snow
Bash 2016 North Idaho military youth attendance number was 18. The data reflects a 100
percent increase in North Idaho military youth participation rates. Research results echo a
positive relationship between increasing the number of Region One military family and youth
activities and the Idaho National Guard Annual Winter Camp Region One youth participation
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rates. The PI suggests a continuation of monitoring participation rates at Region One military
family and youth events and ING state military youth camps to improve validity of data.
Bias
The PI is a former dependent of an enlisted Air Force active duty member. The PI is
familiar with military family culture and customs.
Assumptions
The PI assumes all of the Region One participants who attended Snow Bash 2015 and/or
2016 attended by their own choosing. The PI assumes the Idaho National Guard State Youth
Coordinator will provide accurate Region One youth participation numbers to the Region One
Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs Family Assistance Center Specialist. The PI
assumes the Region One Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs Family Assistance Center
Specialist will release the data to the PI in a timely and professional manner.
Limitations
This study might have a limited number of participants due to the seasonal nature of the
event. The PI acknowledges the possibility of additional factors such as school attendance
conflict, family or personal obligations, family financial limitations, and emotional or physical
limitations of the youth could have influenced the participation numbers.
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Conclusion
The Region One Idaho National Guard Joint Family Programs office provides wrap
around and referral services for all military service members and their families from all branches
and service statuses for North Idaho. The agency is attempting to increase their community
outreach through military family and youth events in an effort to increase awareness of agency’s
services available. By increasing awareness of the Idaho National Guard Annual State Military
Youth Camps it allows more military youth to attend this military youth event. The Idaho
National Guard State Military Youth Camps foster skills of social connectedness and resiliency
while providing a unique experience tailored to military youth and military culture. By doing
this study, the Region One Idaho National Guard Family Programs office was able to identify the
benefit and worth of increasing the regional military family and youth activities to gain military
youth participation at a state level.
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References
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