ABSTRACT

Veterans transitioning from the military to civilian life may encounter difficulties in different domains of functioning. Most research in this area comes from the US and Israel, with Veterans in Northern Ireland (NI) in the United Kingdom, remaining an understudied population. This qualitative study aimed to examine the nature of transition experiences of NI Veterans by analyzing responses (N = 252) to an open-ended question related to the transition process, in a self-report survey. Thematic analysis highlighted both positive and negative experiences across high-level themes. These were related to (1a) how good the military life had been, (1b) the transition had been easy for some Veterans, and (1c) the skills gained in the military have been valuable; (2) it was hard to adjust to civilian life/still adjusting; (3) negative employment experiences; (4) lack of trust; (5) transitioning is hard in NI; and (6) inadequate support, post-service. The findings highlight that NI Veterans share some of the same challenges as other Veterans; however, the challenges in NI are compounded by ongoing security concerns and political tensions, which means living under the radar is a reality for many, making finding meaningful work and community integration difficult. The findings indicate that preparation for civilian life and the acculturation process needs to start many months before discharge. Perhaps more crucially, regiments should work closely with and support civilian employers to equip them to recognize and value the skills ex-Services Veterans can offer, and find a good fit for their skills within their organizations.

 抽象的

从军队过渡到平民生活的退伍军人可能会在不同的职能领域遇到困难。该领域的大多数研究来自美国和以色列，而英国北爱尔兰 (NI) 的退伍军人仍然是研究不足的群体。这项定性研究旨在通过分析自我报告调查中对与过渡过程相关的开放式问题的回答（N = 252）来研究北爱尔兰退伍军人的过渡经历的性质。主题分析强调了高层主题的积极和消极经历。这些与（1a）军队生活有多美好有关，（1b）对于一些退伍军人来说过渡很容易，以及（1c）在军队中获得的技能很有价值； (2) 很难适应平民生活/仍在适应； (3) 不良就业经历； （4）缺乏信任； (5) NI 转型困难； (6) 后期服务支持不足。调查结果强调，北爱尔兰退伍军人与其他退伍军人面临一些相同的挑战；然而，持续的安全担忧和政治紧张局势加剧了北爱尔兰的挑战，这意味着对许多人来说，生活在雷达之下是现实，这使得找到有意义的工作和融入社区变得困难。研究结果表明，平民生活的准备和文化适应过程需要在退伍前几个月开始。也许更重要的是，军团应该与文职雇主密切合作并提供支持，使他们能够认识和重视退役退伍军人可以提供的技能，并在组织内找到适合他们技能的人选。