Date of Conferral

10-9-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Jeffrey Harlow

Abstract

All discharged service members are required to attend a Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Service members who are found medically unfit to serve must attend TAP prior to being discharged by a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB). This qualitative research study examined the experiences of disabled veterans who were medically discharged with only the general transition program. The problem that was addressed was the lack of information about the experiences of medically discharged service members and the unique challenges that disabled veterans continue to experience because of it. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of medically discharged veterans who transitioned without a medically-oriented transition program at their time of discharge. Schlossberg’s Transition Theory provided the theoretical framework for this generic qualitative study, using open-ended questions to interview 10 disabled veterans who were discharged during or after 2011 from four different branches of service. Inductive analysis was used to categorize and interpret date and yielded four themes: self-motivation during transition, situation at time of transition, strategies used during transition, and support perceived during and after transition. Findings revealed that participants’ disabilities created additional barriers to transition successfully, and a medically-oriented transition program would remove some of those barriers. The results of this study can contribute to positive social change by verifying that disabled veterans should be provided with a transition program that addresses their medical needs. Military and civilian healthcare providers need to understand the challenges and risks that are associated with the lack of transition assistance for disabled veterans.

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