Perceptions of Military and Veteran Status in Lesbian and Gay Veterans

Background and Purpose:

Since the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010, research has begun to focus on the impact of being an LGBT individual in the military. While there has been a growing body of work on transition from the military, there is little research on the impact of sexual orientation on adjusting to civilian life. One aspect that may impact the military transition is how veterans perceive their military experience and veteran status. The purpose of this study is to examine differences of military perceptions based on veteran sexual orientation.

Methods:

Data was analyzed from the Chicago Veterans Study, a cross sectional study examining the transition experience of 1,294 veterans living in Chicago (Kintzle, Rasheed & Castro, 2015). An online and in person survey was distributed through agencies and organizations connected with area veterans and through a social media campaign. The sample was primarily male (86%), Caucasian (64%), heterosexual or straight (96%) and between the ages of 30-50 (33%). Thirty-eight percent of participants reported serving after 9/11 with the Army as the most represented branch in the sample (50%). Military perceptions were measured by 13 questions where participants were asked to indicate their feelings from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Example of questions include, I am treated with respect because of my veteran status and Being a veteran has had a positive impact on my life. As less than 1% of the sample included those who identified as bisexual or transgender, these participants were not included in the analysis.    

Results:

LG and non-LG veterans reported differences in their perception of the military. For example, 84% of non-LG veterans reported that the military had a positive impact on their life, whereas 72% of LG veteran participants indicated a positive effect related to service. LG veterans were more likely to report they would never encourage someone to join the military (17% vs 11%). LG veterans were almost four times as likely to indicate they would be better off if they never joined the military (22% vs. 6%). Further, 72% of LG veterans believe civilians don’t appreciate the sacrifices veterans make compared to 53% of non-LG veterans. LG veterans were also over 1.5 times likely to report being perceived as screwed up from their military service (33% vs. 20%).

Conclusions

Findings revealed that LG veterans were less likely to view the military and their veteran status as positive. This may have implications for LG service members separating from the military. Transition to veteran status is often a difficult one. Transition challenges may be further compounded for individuals who have negative perceptions of the military and their status as a veteran.  Providers working with transitioning service members should be sure to address any negative feelings regarding veteran status, particularly with LG veterans. Future research needs to examine why LG veterans are less likely to endorse positive military and veteran perceptions and how that may impact adjustment to civilian status.