Using Recent Research on Military Families and Veterans to Improve the Reintegration and Transition Process

Categorized Under: Defense

ICF has worked with the U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) and other federal and state agencies using its research-to-practice model to accomplish its missions and to maintain the well-being of military personnel, veterans, and their families.

Since the start of America’s post–9/11 military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, military families have been the subject of increasing interest and attention. The recognition of the sacrifices they have made has led to unprecedented research, advocacy, and programmatic and policy initiatives. Yet, despite considerable investment in family support, especially during key transition periods (e.g., post deployment reunion), certain subgroups—such as those who assume substantial and often long-term caregiving following the injury of their service member—still report facing considerable challenges during the reintegration period. These challenges could be addressed in part by the findings and recommendations from recent research on military family deployments and reunions.

Authored By

Dr. Bradford Booth
Vice PresidentICF International

Bradford Booth is a military sociologist with more than 14 years of experience designing and conducting social science research and evaluation focused on military personnel, military families, and veteran populations and the programs designed to support them. Dr. Booth has been the principal investigator or project director of studies on the impact of deployment on service members and military families, postdeployment reintegration of Guard and Reserve personnel, effectiveness of military support services, women in the military, and recruitment and retention. He is a regular contributor to the social science literature on the military and society, publishing in refereed journals and edited volumes and serving as a peer reviewer for several journals.
Dr. Suzanne Lederer
PrincipalICF International

Suzanne Lederer has worked in the military community for approximately 25 years, for the past 15 as a social science researcher. She is proficient in research design, program evaluation, survey research, instrument development, and focus group research. Her research at ICF focuses on studies of military community quality of life and military personnel, which she has conducted for such clients as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the National Guard Bureau, the Departments of the Army and Navy, the Army Reserve, and the Minnesota National Guard.

Dr. Lederer has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia and an M.S.W. from Florida State University.