Rethinking Acculturation and Military Transition: An Agenda for Military-Civilian Biculturalism, Reintegration, and Adjustment

Identity
Military Health
Reintegration
Veterans
Authors
Affiliations

Thomas J. Hodges

Center for the Advancement of Military and Emergency Services (AMES) Research, Kennesaw State University

Nilofer K. Bharwani

School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development, Kennesaw State University

Eric Manley

School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development, Kennesaw State University

Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez

Department of Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University

Published

April 17, 2025

Doi

10.21061/jvs.v11i1.678

Abstract

Veterans are like migrants, at least according to some military researchers. When service members leave the military, they leave a strong military culture for civilian life, needing to adapt socially, psychologically, and economically to their new life. Confusing this comparison between veterans and migrants; however, is that some veterans are also migrants, born outside their country of military service, raising the question of whether leaving the military is on par with migration as an intercultural transition. Drawing on the example of foreign-born service members, we problematize the notion of “civilian culture.” Then, we reformulate military acculturation theory as military-civilian biculturalism and put forward six questions forming an agenda for future research.

Citation

Hodges, T. J., Bharwani, N. K., Manley, E., & Xiomara Rodriguez, D. (2025). Rethinking acculturation and military transition: An agenda for military-civilian biculturalism, reintegration, and adjustment. Journal of Veterans Studies, 11(1), 161–171. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v11i1.678

@article{HodgesBharwaniManleyRodriguez:2025,
    Author = {Thomas J. Hodges and Nilofer K. Bharwani and Eric Manley and Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez},
    Doi = {10.21061/jvs.v11i1.678},
    Journal = {Journal of Veterans Studies},
    Title = {Rethinking Acculturation and Military Transition: An Agenda for Military-Civilian Biculturalism, Reintegration, and Adjustment},
    Year = {2025}}