A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective on the Divide within the Veteran Self
This article focuses a theoretical lens on the veteran self and discusses what this can mean for veterans, their loved ones, and society. Mead’s (1934) generalized other, Cooley’s (1902) looking-glass self, and James’s (1890) and Mead’s division of the self into the I and the Me are central concepts in this discussion. The article embraces a symbolic interactionist understanding, which leads to the suggestion that there is no deeper symbolic consensus between the civilian and military lifeworlds. Military symbols are not shared with and are not meaningful to civilians and therefore are not symbols at all in the civilian lifeworld. The rupture of the veteran self is due to the lack of shared symbolism with the self and civilian society at large. This creates a divide within the veteran self, which is hard to bridge. The article is written with a special address to the deployed veteran.
Abstract: Introduction: Persistent inequities exist in obstetric and neonatal outcomes in military families despite universal health care coverage. Though the exact underlying cause has not been identified, social determinants of health may uniquely impact military families. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the potential impact of social determinants of health and the lived experiences of military individuals seeking maternity care in the Military Health System. Materials and methods: This was an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol. Nine providers conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with individuals who delivered within the last 5 years in the direct or purchased care market. Participants were recruited through social media blasts and clinic flyers with both maximum variation and homogenous sampling to ensure participation of diverse individuals. Data were coded and themes were identified using inductive qualitative research methods. Results: Three main themes were identified: Requirements of Military Life (with subthemes of pregnancy notification and privacy during care, role of pregnancy instructions and policies, and role of command support), Sociocultural Aspects of the Military Experience (with subthemes of pregnancy as a burden on colleagues and a career detractor, postpartum adjustment, balancing personal and professional requirements, pregnancy timing and parenting challenges, and importance of friendship and camaraderie in pregnancy), and Navigating the Healthcare Experience (including subthemes of transfer between military and civilian care and TRICARE challenges, perception of military care as inferior to civilian, and remote duty stations and international care). Conclusions: The unique stressors of military life act synergistically with the existing health care challenges, presenting opportunities for improvements in care. Such opportunities may include increased consistency of policies across services and commands. Increased access to group prenatal care and support groups, and increased assistance with navigating the health care system to improve care transitions were frequently requested changes by participants.