National Guard students and academic disruptions in higher education: A hermeneutic phenomenological study
Abstract
National Guard students experience academic disruptions when military service and
college academic coursework overlap. The pace of military operations and the increased
reliance on the National Guard raise the likelihood of more disruptions for National
Guard students who are enrolled in higher education. Extended weekend drill, state active
duty, and federal activations create friction and uncertainty for National Guard students
when balancing both obligations. National Guard students are often overlooked due to a
gap in scholarly research and aggregation into campus student veteran population
numbers. This qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenology study explored the lived
experiences of 18 National Guard students who navigated academic disruptions due to
military duty and college enrollment. Schlossberg’s (1984, 1995) Transition Theory was
the theoretical framework. Using Peoples’s (2021) six-step analysis process, initial and
axial coding (Saldana, 2021) and thematic analysis yielded three themes: (a) academic
adaptation strategies, (b) inconsistent university experiences, and (c) the uncomfortable
reality of military service (or embracing the suck). These findings characterized the lived
experiences of National Guard students and can assist universities and the National Guard
create supportive practices and accommodations to bolster student success.
Subject
Education, Higher
Student affairs services
College students
United States--National Guard