Category: Research

National Academies releases report on strengthening military families

Posted on | by Linda Kirchubel

Deployment and the general challenges of military life affect not only service members but also the families who depend on them as they support the nation. And the needs of military families reflect the diverse needs of modern American families.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — “Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society” — reviews challenges and opportunities facing military families and what is known about effective strategies for supporting and protecting military children and families. The report, which was co-authored by MFRI’s Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth and an esteemed committee of leaders, assessed available data and research on military children and families, including those who have left the military, with attention to differences by race, ethnicity, and other factors.

Undertaken by the National Academies’ Committee on the Well-Being of Military Families, the study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and focuses on its Military Family Readiness System (MFRS), a network of agencies, programs, services, and individuals that promotes the well-being and quality of life of military service members and their families.

The report found that DOD’s MFRS has many good features and offers support not usually available in the private sector; however, it could be strengthened in a number of ways, including by though attention to a more comprehensive, coordinated framework to support well-being, resilience, and readiness.

Recommendations included that DOD strengthen the MFRS so that it:

  • Provides a comprehensive continuum of support across providers, locations, and changing benefit eligibility.
  • Facilitates adaptive and timely approaches to stepped service delivery according to individual family needs.
  • Draws upon effective evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches.
  • Integrates routine screening and assessment tools into the delivery of family support programs.
  • Builds and employs a robust infrastructure of both implementation and outcome data that supports continuous quality improvement.
  • Coordinates referrals and care across military and nonmilitary resources, institutions, and communities.

The report also recommends that the DOD promote better civilian understanding, both within military community and the broader community, of the strengths and needs of military-connected individuals, addressing misinformation, negative stereotypes, and lack of knowledge commonly found in the civilian sector about military life and service members.

 

About the National Academies: The National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln. For more information, visit nationalacademies.org.

Col. Roger Peterman, Retired discusses Battlemind to Home Summit 2019

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

Col. Roger Peterman, Retired is an advocate and supporter of Battlemind to Home. Listen to him discuss Battlemind 2019 and benefits is brings to the greater Indiana military community.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MFRI partners with Military REACH in support of research award

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

Each year the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University presents the MFRI Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. The award is given to the top research paper for the selected year.

Nominations or applications are accepted, and authors have no idea their work is being considered. Instead, a large panel of accomplished scholars examines every relevant article published during the eligible year. Through multiple rounds of review that include standardized quantitative assessments, reviewers arrive at the honored selection.

This year MFRI is partnering with Military REACH Project to identify and select the winning paper.

Like MFRI, Military REACH strives to support military families by bridging the gap between research and practice. A partnership between Auburn University, the U.S. Departments of Defense and Agriculture, Military REACH produces summaries of recent family-based military research highlighting implications for families, helping professionals, and those who work to support military families; summaries are disseminated monthly by newsletter and more often on social media.

“We are excited to work with MFRI because this award highlights both the needs of military and veteran families and honors high quality research that can be translated into supports for those families,” said Mallory Lucier-Greer, an associate professor at Auburn and director of Military REACH. “The partnership is a great way to utilize the resources of Military REACH, as we track current research in real time, and the platform of MFRI to celebrate rigorous scientific research and advocate for evidence-informed policies and practices for military and veteran families.”

Learn more about the MFRI Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award here.

About Military REACH

The purpose of Military REACH, a partnership between Auburn University and the DoD-USDA Partnership for Military Families, is to bridge the gap between military family research and practice. To facilitate the DoD’s provision of high-quality support to military families, our objective is to make research practical and accessible. We do this by producing research summaries with action-oriented implications for our target audiences: families, helping professionals, and those who work on behalf of military families. Our team critically evaluates and synthesizes military family research related to issues of family support, resilience, and readiness. We identify meaningful trends and practical applications of that research, and then, we deliver research summaries and action-oriented implications to our target audiences.

MFRI advisory council member helps launch military children’s book

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University advisory council member Nora Spinks joined leaders, early childhood professionals, parents and children to celebrate the launch of a picture book titled, We Have Superpowers.

The book launch took place at the National Capital Region Military Families Resource Centre (MFRC) in Ottawa Canada, and highlighted the courage of children who support military and veteran families. The book also encourages discussions about the impacts of physical and mental injuries on families.

Spinks, CEO of The Vanier Institute of the Family, spoke about the importance of expanding the number of resources for professionals working with military families. She also noted the significant part professionals’ endorsement for the role We Have Superpowers will play in engaging with children both in practical settings and educational contexts.

“The book highlights different superhero parents being recognized, celebrated and supported by children with superpowers,” Spinks said. “It is a wonderful story for all children. This book will help build military literacy in homes and early learning environments.”

The story book is currently distributed across Canada, with a companion resource titled Early Learning Childhood Professionals and Practitioners Working With Military and Veteran Families, inspired by MFRI’s How to Help series. These resources will be included in families transition materials and as a tool for early childhood educators. 

About the National Capital Region MFRC

The mission of the National Capital Region Military Families Resource Centre is to contribute to the well-being of Canadian Armed Forces families; enabling a mission-ready force that protects Canadians and Canadian interests across the country and around the world.

Hungry veterans need help. Here’s how communities can provide it.

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Nearly one in four U.S. veterans faces hunger. These are the people who have served overseas, responded to disaster areas and sworn to protect their country. 

A recent study by Purdue University’s Military Family Research Institute at 10 faith-based food pantries in Indiana and Kentucky – five pantries in each state – suggests there is promise for underserved veterans and their families.

Through its Reaching Rural Veterans initiative, the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) developed a pilot program to evaluate resource and food security in rural veterans. It is the first such study, and results were published in the Journal of Public Health.

Reaching Rural Veterans helps local food pantries develop and host monthly resource fairs that bring together organizations to make sure veterans have access to veterans’ associations, benefits, housing, health care and other needs.

To participate in the program, the food pantry staff was asked to plan resource fairs and complete cultural competency training, including awareness of issues facing veterans. Purdue’s MFRI and the University of Kentucky’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences led the training.

“Working with pantries is cost-effective because they already have physical locations and staff,” said Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, a professor of human development and family studies, and director of the MFRI. “Several pantries still continue to do these events.”

The Salvation Army in Anderson, Indiana, is one of the sites that continues with a regular resource fair and food distribution. It became the site after another organization discontinued hosting the program.

According to databases, there are more than 9,000 veterans in Indiana’s Madison County. Shelly DeLong, social services coordinator for The Salvation Army in Anderson, said the program has helped veterans who have served in war or peace, but most of them are 50-plus years old, have health issues or have a disability.

DeLong was a member of the initial community work group in Madison County and has been working with volunteers to draw more veterans into the event.

On April 5, DeLong and a group of volunteers served beef and noodles, green beans, mashed potatoes, cake and drinks to 23 veterans and two family members who came to The Salvation Army for a resource fair. In addition to the meal, fellowship and the occasional war story, the veterans and their families were able to leave the event with food and appointments to address their various issues.

 “It is good to see them come in, get checked and get access to resources. Most of them do use the food pantry,” DeLong said.

“One of the surprises was that we had contact with so many veterans,” MacDermid Wadsworth said. The goal, originally 300 participants, was easily surpassed, with 1,094 veterans — 430 in Indiana and 664 in Kentucky. “That was the reason we did this, as those veterans earned the right to get resources.”

The study saw improvements in food pantry staff’s knowledge of veterans’ needs, as well as increased participation by veterans.

Of the 1,094 participants, 234 veterans participated in follow-ups regarding food security, social services and health conditions. The group discovered the need to improve dietary intake, which would help with chronic health conditions. In addition, the results could lead to overall health improvements if veterans have access to proper programs and benefits.

 “By developing Reaching Rural Veterans, we are trying to extend the front door of the Department of Veterans Affairs to these rural areas,” MacDermid Wadsworth said.

The study was a collaborative work by members of Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences, including MacDermid Wadsworth; Andrea Wellnitz, a project manager at MFRI; Breanne Wright, a doctoral student; and Heather Eicher-Miller, an associate professor of nutrition science.

This work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Rural Health (VA251-15-C-0041). 

Writer: Matthew Oates, 765-496-2571, oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates

Sources: Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, shelley@purdue.edu , @MFRIPurdue

Shelly DeLong, Salvation Army, 765-644-2538, shelly_delong@usc.salvationarmy.org 

Note to Journalists: For a copy of the paper, please contact Matthew Oates, Purdue News Service, at oatesw@purdue.edu

ABSTRACT

Reaching rural veterans: a new mechanism to connect rural, low-income US Veterans with resources and improve food security

B.N. Wright, S. MacDermid Wadsworth, A. Wellnitz and H.A. Eicher-Miller

Background: Rural, low-income US veterans face additional barriers to accessing food and resources compared to urban veterans. Based on both social-ecological and cultural competence approaches, the Reaching Rural Veterans (RRV) pilot intervention built on the existing infrastructure of food pantries to improve food security and connect rural, low-income veterans with resources. This article describes the process of implementing and evaluating RRV.

Methods: Five rural food pantries within each of two states, Indiana and Kentucky, received training in cultural competence and held monthly outreach events where food and services were offered to veterans. Veteran adult participants completed an assessment at baseline and 3- month follow-up that measured food security using the US Household Food Security Survey Module and self-reported resource enrollment. Repeated measures logistic regression models evaluated the odds of improving food security and resource enrollment from baseline to follow up (significance P < 0.05).

Results: RRV recruited 234 participants; 53% completed the follow-up assessment. At follow-up, the odds of household (P = 0.009) and adult (P = 0.01) food security increased, as did enrollment in one or more of the following resources: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, General Assistance or Assistance from the Township Trustee (P = 0.005).

Conclusions: RRV yielded promising preliminary results of improved food security and resource use.

Operation ME logo contest submission now open

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

If you are a youth in sixth to 12th grade, the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University invites you to compete in a logo contest for its latest research study, which focuses on military adolescents. Parental permission is required. You don’t have to be a military child to submit a design, and your parent does not need to still be serving.

Best of all, if you are the winner, you and your parent or guardian will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., among other prizes.

The winning logo will be used on materials for Operation Military Experience (Operation ME), a study focused on learning more about adolescents whose parent(s) deployed while they were ages six or younger. 

All logo submissions must be 600 DPI (dots per inch) and include the color purple. Purple represents all branches of the military.

The top four runners up will each receive a $50 Amazon gift card. The winner and one parent or guardian will receive transportation and lodging* for a 4-day, 3-night trip to Washington, D.C. in time for the July 24, 2019 award presentation at the Military Child Education Coalition’s National Training Seminar. The winner will also receive a $100 Amazon gift card. The award will be presented July 24 at a distinguished lecture given by MFRI Director Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, Ph.D.

Submissions are due June 17 at midnight. For details and to submit a design, visit bit.ly/operation_ME

*Renaissance Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel

MFRI director moderates work and family panel

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

The Military Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University’s director, Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, is leading a panel discussion about work and family at the Families in Canada Conference this week, hosted by the Vanier Institute of the Family.

The national, pan-Canadian conference is cohosted by university partners across the country, and has simultaneous satellite events. Individuals and organizations that study, serve and support families are focusing on this year’s theme: THINK BIG: How can we use “Big Data” to inform and inspire big ideas to optimize family well-being in Canada?

The conference includes a research lightning round, where presenters share information and insights on innovative research, programs and projects focused on families and family well-being. Fast-paced, engaging and inspiring, this round provides delegates with snapshots of leading and emerging activities and initiatives under way across Canada, along with opportunities to connect and collaborate. Researchers from diverse disciplines, backgrounds and professions can also share new research on topics related to families and family well-being at poster sessions.

About the Vanier Institute of the Family

The Vanier Institute of the Family is a national, independent, charitable organization dedicated to understanding the diversity and complexity of families and the reality of family life in Canada. The Institute offers access to a range of publications, research initiatives, presentations and social media content to enhance the national understanding of how families interact with, have an impact on, and are affected by social, economic, environmental and cultural forces.

Purdue Ideas Festival event on war and security May 14

Posted on | by Sayde J Uerkwitz

As part of Purdue’s Giant Leaps campaign, a symposium on ethics, technology and the future of war security will be held on May 14 at Purdue University.

The Purdue Symposium on Ethics, Technology and the Future of War and Security will include a series of panel discussion designed to explore emerging technologies through the lens of their ethical, legal and social implications. The symposium will also explore these technologies’ impact on the future of war and security.

This Ideas Festival event will bring together preeminent thought leaders, practitioners and stakeholders from across government, industry and academia. These experts will help us better understand and plan for the ethical and societal impacts of new technologies.

Panel topics include:

  • The Future of War: Ethical, Legal and Social Implications
  • The Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence in Warfare
  • Global Perspectives on Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of the Future of War

The event is sponsored by the Purdue Policy Research Institute. It is open to the public. To learn more or register click here.

About the Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI)

The PPRI team creates and participates in interdisciplinary grant activities in strategic areas. PPRI is hosts a “Policy Lab” where faculty and students (fellows and affiliated faculty) work together producing new ideas and research, and supports faculty teams in incorporating policy into their projects. PPRI works closely with the director to ensure these efforts reflect the overall goals of Discovery Park.

Participants sought: Conversations about post-deployment adjustment

Posted on | by Linda Kirchubel

University of South Florida researchers are seeking eligible military spouses or significant others to participate in a study that seeks to understand the experiences of partners who have (or have had) concerns about their service member’s post-deployment adjustment.

The research results may inform programs that assist military and veteran families.

Participation in the study involves two steps. First, spouses/significant others will take a 10-minute online survey to make sure they are eligible. The survey will also ask about their relationship history. Second, those interested in participating in a 45-60 minute follow-up video chat interview will be asked to provide contact information for scheduling purposes. The interviewer will inquire about their ideas and experiences as a military spouse or partner.

Those who complete the survey will receive a $5 digital Amazon gift card. Those who elect to participate in the interview will receive an additional $20 Amazon gift card upon its completion.

Only the researchers will see the information provided, except as may be required by law. No military organizations will have access to this data. If a report of this study is published or presented at a professional conference, no identifying information will be used.

In order to be eligible for the research, participants must:

  • be the spouse/significant other of a military service member or veteran;
  • have been married or together since before the service member’s most recent deployment;
  • have had one or more conversations with the service member about the challenges of readjusting to civilian life post-deployment; and
  • be 18 years old or older.

The service member or veteran must have (a) served in the U.S. military, (b) been deployed abroad (outside of the United States), and (c) returned from the most recent overseas deployment within the last two years.

For more information, or to participate in the research, email milfamstudy@usf.edu.