UB Program Prepares Students to Work With Military Veterans Through Education and Research

Each year, Veterans Day on November 11 provides an opportunity to honor military veterans and thank them for their service. The holiday also serves as a reminder of a unique University at Buffalo program: Joining Forces–UB.

The program trains and instructs students who want to make a positive impact on United States veterans and military families, while also conducting research related to the issues faced by these individuals and their families in Western New York. A national Joining Forces initiative was launched in 2010, with Joining Forces–UB following in 2014 as a collaboration between UB’s School of Social Work and School of Nursing.

UB’s Lisa Butler, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, and Bonnie Vest, PhD, Research Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, are co-directors of Joining Forces–UB, and Butler is the program’s founder. Here, Butler and Vest — both military family members — discuss the program’s impact on students, veterans, and local families, and why research involving veterans is so important.

What makes the veteran population unique?

Vest: Veterans are a small percentage of the US population but have a unique culture learned during military service, and a unique set of experiences which may include traumatic events. After military service, veterans may have challenges readjusting to civilian life and finding the sense of purpose and camaraderie they had while in the military. Veterans may also have different norms and values rooted in military culture, which can affect how they relate to healthcare providers, researchers, and others. 

How does the Joining Forces program prepare UB students to work with veterans and their families?

Butler: Joining Forces–UB offers several opportunities to prepare students for work with military-affiliated populations, including courses and internships. Another example is our monthly colloquium speaker series during the academic year, which promotes understanding of the experiences and needs of service members, veterans, and military family members through presentations of research and community services, as well as discussions of current issues and challenges. The colloquium also offers opportunities for students and established researchers to develop research or refine ideas and practice presenting research with a supportive audience. These meetings are open to all UB faculty, staff, postdocs, and students, as well as veteran community members and providers. 

Why is it important for veterans to participate in research studies?

Vest: Veterans can benefit from participating in a study the same as any other participant. And if the research is specifically focused on veterans, their participation is critical to helping researchers to understand their unique circumstances, needs, and preferences, and to help advance programs, policies, and interventions that can most help other veterans. In my experience, the veterans who I have worked with in research studies have greatly appreciated the opportunity to share their stories and experiences, reflect on their service and perspectives, and be part of something that will generate knowledge to help their fellow veterans.

Butler: The faculty involved in Joining Forces–UB as members of our steering committee have conducted a range of military-related research and study, including student veterans and circumstances unique to Army Reserve and National Guard military service, veteran disability scholarship, and the benefits of a veteran-SPCA partnership. Additionally, we have conducted focus groups with veterans, military family members, and students who had previously interned at the Buffalo VA Medical Center. This helped us to determine which topics each group saw as essential to student learning to improve their knowledge and skills for working effectively with veterans and military families and also within military service organizations. 

What does the future hold for this program?

Butler: Looking forward, we hope to continue and expand our educational opportunities, including developing trainings to offer providers in the community. For the project overall, we hope to increase our involvement with the local veteran community and to continue to engage researchers and students across the university who have an interest in learning about, conducting research with, and working with veterans.  

How can researchers make their studies more veteran-friendly?

Vest: Veterans often remark that they only trust other veterans and only feel understood by others who have served. If you are looking to engage veterans in research, it is important to understand the community and connect with trusted individuals or veterans’ organizations who can help spread the word within their networks. 

To learn more about Joining Forces–UB, visit buffalo.edu/joiningforces-ub.html, call 716-645-1247, or write to joiningforces-ub@buffalo.edu.