James E. Hunt

Publication Date

2007

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Rose, Amy D.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Counseling, Adult and Higher Education

LCSH

Soldiers--Retirement--United States

Abstract

The phenomenon that describes how military retirees transition from the military to civilian society suggests a high degree of learning occurs during the experience. The study was based on three research questions. The purpose of the first research question was to (1) describe how military retirees experienced the transition. The purpose of the second research question was to (2) determine how the transition effected the military retirees’ beliefs, values, and knowledge about work. Finally, purpose of the third research question was to (3) identify what learning strategies are formulated and applied to enable transition success. The current study was designed to determine the stages of transition relative to the military-civilian transition process. There were 13 military retirees who volunteered to participate in the study. Each participant participated in one or more interviews. All of the interviews were used as data to complete the study. The interviews along with the interview notes and other pertinent military documentation were collected and reviewed and then subjected to a process of constant comparison against the research questions and interview notes to determine the main themes that contained the findings of the study. These were identified as Leaving it Behind, Rethinking Work, and Learning Strategies. From those themes, the research concluded that career salience or the value attached to work by individuals, formal and nonformal learning in the form of military experience, further education, and negative role models played key roles in the successful transition experience of the participants.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [204]-212).

Extent

xviii, 218 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS