The Enriched Life Scale (ELS) is a 40-item measure developed by the military veteran service organization, Team Red, White & Blue (RWB), to systematically capture and quantify the lived experiences of military veterans transitioning to civilian life. As Team RWB's mission is to "enrich veterans' lives," veterans who conceived of and co-developed the ELS as a psychometric instrument defined what an "enriched life" would entail. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the ELS revealed a five-factor structure capturing the domains of: physical health, mental health, genuine relationships, sense of purpose, and engaged citizenship.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to assess the current state of postsecondary educational settings' outreach to military women who become students postservice. Data for the present cross-sectional study were obtained from the American College Health Association's (ACHA) 2011-2014 National College Health Assessment II (NCHA). Demographic characteristics of the study sample were explored by calculating frequencies and percentages by military service status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe U.S. military veteran serving nonprofit, Team Red, White & Blue (RWB), defined an "enriched life" as having physical, mental, and emotional health; supportive relationships; and a sense of purpose.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of the present study was to examine regional differences in average self-reported BMI, obesity prevalence, and frequent exercise (FE) among members of Team Red, White, and Blue (Team RWB) - a military veteran service organization founded to increase physical activity in veterans. A total of 10,015 military veterans participated in a needs assessment conducted by Team RWB between December 2014 and August 2016. Multivariate regression analysis with bootstrapped coefficients revealed that: BMI was highest in the Midwest region ( = 28.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMilitary service assimilates individuals into a socially cohesive force to address dangerous and traumatic situations that have no counterpart in civilian life. Upon leaving active duty, many veterans experience a "reverse culture shock" when trying to reintegrate into civilian institutions and cultivate supportive social networks. Poor social reintegration is associated with greater morbidity and premature mortality in part due to adoption of risky health behaviors, social isolation, and inadequate engagement in health care services.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs part of the "Joining Forces" Initiative ("JFI"), the White House and nursing leaders announced nurses' commitment to recognize symptoms, provide care, and refer veterans and active duty military members for post-traumatic stress disorder ("PTSD"). The JFI is positioned to save lives through nursing education and raising PTSD awareness. Nurses should also be educated to recognize resilience (stable trajectory of healthy functioning across time following a traumatic event) and assess for post-traumatic growth ("PTG") (positive meaning making) alongside PTSD.
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