Factors Influencing the Salience of Military/Veteran Identity Post Discharge: A Scoping Review
Abstract: Military/veteran identity is defined as the prominence of past military service, beliefs, and norms on an individual’s post-military sense of self. The salience of this identity has been suggested to be a significant factor in how successful individuals transition to civilian life. However, the current body of research on what factors affect this identity is disparate. The aim of this scoping review was to evaluate the current research on the factors affecting the salience of military/veteran identity post discharge, i.e., the likelihood of individuals identifying as ex-military or veteran in a given situation/context. A review of the literature was conducted across PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, SAGE Journals (Journal of Armed Forces & Society), and Medline using the keywords (Identit* OR Self-concept* OR “Sense of self”) and (Military OR Veteran* OR Soldier OR Army OR Forces) and (Discharge* OR Reintegration OR Transition*). An evaluation of the results led to 20 articles. Thirteen factors were extracted to form a Military/Veteran Identity Salience (MIS) model. Professionals are recommended to explore military/veteran identity using these 13 factors as guides, rather than assuming that their military/veteran identity is prominent for an individual. Further, additional quantitative research is recommended to evaluate how reliable/valid these factors are across a wider ex-military demographic, such as in other NATO countries aside from the US/UK.
Abstract: Background: Exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) during military service can lead to moral injury (MI) outcomes and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). This longitudinal study examined the relationships between PMIE exposure, MI outcomes, and PTSS among Israeli combat veterans, and the potential protective role of dispositional forgiveness in these associations. Method: Participants were 169 Israeli combat veterans who participated in a six-year longitudinal study with four measurement points (T1: 12 months before enlistment, T2: Six months following enlistment- pre-deployment, T3: 18 months following enlistment- post-deployment, and T4: 28 months following discharge). Participants’ characteristics were assessed via semi-structured interviews (T1) and validated self-report measures (T2-T4) between 2019-2024. Results: Approximately 36% of participants reported exposure to PMIEs during service, with 13% exceeding the clinical threshold for probable PTSD at T4. PMIE-Betrayal at T3 was positively associated with MI outcomes of shame and trust violation at T4. The indirect effect of PMIEs on PTSS through MI outcome-Shame depended on forgiveness levels. Among veterans with low forgiveness, higher exposure to PMIE-Betrayal was associated with increased MI shame, which was linked to more severe PTSS. Conversely, for those with high forgiveness, exposure to PMIE-Self and Other was associated with decreased MI shame and subsequently reduced PTSS. Conclusion: Dispositional forgiveness moderates the relationship between PMIE exposure and MI outcomes, particularly shame, which mediates the development of PTSS. These findings highlight forgiveness as a potential target for intervention in treating moral injury and preventing PTSS among combat veterans.