Thesis Presentation
Nadine Mejia
California State University, Fresno
The Experiences of Army National Guard Female Veterans to
Iraq and/or Afghanistan during the Time of the Global War of
Terrorism
Background Information

The Global War on Terrorism result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

There were two major wars: Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF).

Soldiers have been involved for over 10 years and it is estimated that 2 million soldiers
have been deployed (Friends Committee on National Legislation, 2011; Lara-Cinisomo et al., 2012)

One in three returning Veterans from Iraq and/or Afghanistan will develop
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and returning Veterans have a higher prevalence
rate for depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance abuse. (Friends Committee on National
Legislation, 2011; Haskell et al., 2010; Veterans and PTSD Statistics, 2013)

Returning Veterans experience communication breakdown and decreased relationship
bond with family/friends (Pfefferbaum et al., 2011; Sherman & Bowling, 2011).
Description of Army National Guard
Female Veteran Population

Served overseas in a warzone.

Employed with the United States Army part-time and usually serve one
weekend a month and two weeks during the summer.

Not constantly in the military mindset, but live both a civilian and
military life style.

Longer deployment times.

Do not train as often and are usually 5 to 10 years older than Army Active
Duty Female Veterans (Pfefferbaum et al., 2011).
Research Questions and Gap in the
Literature

Central Question


How do Army National Guard Female Veterans experience deployments to
Iraq, and/or Afghanistan during the time of the War on Terrorism?
Sub Questions
1)
What are the mental health experiences of Army National Guard Female
Veterans while deployed?
2)
What are the physical health experiences of Army National Guard Female
Veterans while deployed?
3)
What are the hardships experienced by Army National Guard Female
Veterans while deployed?
4)
How do Army National Guard Female Veterans experience home
interpersonal relationships while deployed?
Theoretical Orientation
Trauma Theory
Systems Theory

Marked a shift in the perspective of
individuals who experienced a
traumatic event from the idea that
they are weak to they are
individuals who need aid in getting
better.

Described as taking a holistic view
of the individual and the myriad of
micro, mezzo, and macro systems
that affect the person’s experience
of life and influence their view of
future possibilities.

Addresses central dialectic of
psychological trauma.


Describes the cognitive processes
that are involved with many
mental health disorders
This description is similar in
concept to what people label as
multisystem theory.
Methodology

Phenomenological Study

Phenomenon is serving overseas

Shared characteristics included:
1)
2)
3)
Female
Active member of the National Guard
Deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan while in the
Army National Guard during the time frame of
the War on Terrorism
Findings
Mental Health

Each participant experienced some form and intensity of trauma. They shared
a common perception of reality that consisted of trauma being part of their
daily reality while deployed.

This study found the participants utilized two main coping skills: suppressing
emotions and mentally preparing for the worst.

Many participants developed mental health concerns after they returned
home and the chief complaint was anxiety.
Physical Health

The participants of this study experienced a variety of physical health
concerns which included: back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, TBI, pregnancy,
exhaustion, rosacea, and the common cold.

One participant was diagnosed with TBI and another participant became
pregnant while deployed.

The chief complaint for physical health was breathing problems due to the air
quality, dust and sand, and burn pits in both countries.
Hardships While Deployed

There were several trends that emerged from the study that fall under this
theme which included: leadership difficulties, living conditions, working
conditions, and gossip.

One of the coping skills for handling these hardships for the participants was
building a bond with fellow Veterans that they were deployed with.
Home Interpersonal Relationships

All the participants reported having strong support systems from family and
friends.

The participants shared with their loved ones their experiences after they
returned home.

Two participants were going through a divorce and shared that was a hardship
for them.
Theories

Trauma Theory

The participants perceived trauma
as a norm instead of abnormal
because they were in a warzone
and conflict and battle were their
reality while deployed.

When the participants returned
home, they were still in that
increased state of arousal and this
lead to anxiety.

Once the participants begun
processing their past traumas upon
returning home from deployment,
mental health symptoms appeared
to manifest.

Systems Theory

When the participants were
involved with strong family support
and close rapport with other
Veterans, these systems affect the
participants on the micro and
macro level with having increased
confidence and unit cohesion.

When the participants had poor
leadership this in turn led to a
decrease in morale and confidence
in the leadership.

The participants would develop
coping skills based on how these
systems affected them.
Limitations and Suggestions for Further
Research

Limitation

Small Sample Size

Researcher Potential Bias

Further Research


Research each theme separately
1)
Mental Health
2)
Physical Health
3)
Hardships While Deployed
4)
Home Interpersonal Relationships
Comparison study of both conflicts
OIF and OEF
Implications

There are many subpopulations of Veterans

It is a disservice to cluster all Veterans together

Foster further research

Ensure cultural competency and confidence
when working with diverse populations

Training on the various subgroups of Veterans

Employee services that are Veterans
References

Friends Committee on National Legislation. (2011). Ten years later: talking points and by the numbers.
Retrieved from http://fcnl.org/issues/afghanistan/afghanistan_invasion_ten_year_anniversary/

Haskell, S., Gordon, K., Mattocks, K., Duggal, M., Erdos, J., et al. (2010). Gender differences in rates of
depression, PTSD, pain, obesity, and military sexual trauma among Connecticut war Veterans of Iraq and
Afghanistan. Journal of Women's Health (2002), 19(2), 267-271.

Lara-Cinisomo, S., Chandra, A., Burns, R., Jaycox, L., Tanielian, T., Ruder, T., Han, B. (2012). A mixed-method
approach to understanding the experiences of non-deployed military caregivers. Maternal and Child Health
Journal, 16(2), 374-384.

Pfefferbaum, B., Houston, J., Sherman, M., & Melson, A. (2011). Children of national guard troops deployed in
the global war on terrorism. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 16(4), 291-305.

Sherman, M., & Bowling, U. (2011). Challenges and opportunities for intervening with couples in the aftermath
of the global war on terrorism. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41(4), 209-217.

Veterans and PTSD Statistics. (2013). Veterans statistics: PTSD, depression, TBI, suicide. Retrieved from
http://www.veteransandptsd.com/PTSD-statistics.html