Transitioning From Soldier to Student: A Phenomenological Study of Military Service Member and Veteran Students at an Oregon Community College

Due to drastic reductions in deployment and an increase in the number of individuals taking advantage of educational benefits under the post-9/11 GI Bill of 2009, the number of military students on today’s college campuses continues to increase, year after year. Meeting the needs of military service member and veteran students requires specialized training and an understanding of the unique challenges they face during the transition from the military to civilian life. This study looked at the experiences of military students in transition at a community college in order to share their lived experience and to determine whether higher education is meeting their needs. By considering the experiences of these students, this study was able to examine how andragogy, college environments and processes, and the structure of college classrooms can be adapted to meet the needs of today’s military student.