Abstract
Throughout their K-12 educational experiences, military-connected youth often face a high degree of uncertainty and mobility due to their parent's service. These transitions often create stressors that impact the academic and social-emotional development of children and adolescents from military families. Because of their position and training, school counselors play an important role in addressing the educational needs of military-connected youth. Within this chapter, the author discusses military culture, describes the transitional challenges in which military-connected youth experience and highlights ways in which school counselors can utilize interventions to support this unique population. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are also explored.
TopIntroduction
There are approximately 1.65 million military-connected youth across the globe, one million of which are school-aged youth enrolled in grades K-12 (U.S. Department of Defense, 2018). In contrast to their civilian peers, military-connected youth experience distinct transitions including deployments, relocation, and reintegration into civilian life (Cole, 2016). With these consistent changes, military-connected youth are often faced with academic, social, and emotional challenges that impact their educational achievement (Ruff & Keim, 2014). Additionally, 80% of school-aged military-connected youth attend civilian schools (Cole, 2016). Civilian school educators, including school counselors, are often unfamiliar with addressing the unique concerns of military-connected youth (Chandra et al., 2010). Because school counselors are trained to address the academic, social/emotional, and career development needs of all students, it is imperative that they are equipped with the necessary skills to meet the needs of military-connected students (American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2015).
By the end of this chapter, readers will:
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Enhance their knowledge of military culture and transitions.
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Understand the educational challenges faced by military-connected youth.
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Identify interventions to support military-connected youth in schools.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Service Member: An individual who serves within the United States Military.
Civilian: An individual who does not serve in the United States Military.
Deployment: The movement of military service members to a place or position for action.
Transition: The process of changing from one condition to another.
Military-Connected Youth: Children and adolescents with at least one parent who serves in the United States Military.
Installations: Facilities operated by or for the United States Military. Installations shelter military equipment and personnel.
Relocation: Is a long-term assignment by which a service member and their dependents, if any, move from one military duty station to another. Also called a Permanent Change of Station or PCS.