New Journal Article on Transitional Workforce Challenges for Rural Women Veterans

February 28, 2012

Dr. Celia Szelwach, Program Manager for women's Health at Atlas Research, co-authored an article in the latest issue of the Journal of Rural Social Sciences (Volume 26/3). Transitioning to the civilian workforce: Issues impacting the reentry of rural women Veterans details the effects of military service on women Veterans' civilian employment prospects through a review of current literature, assessment of Bureau of Labor Statistics datasets, and the analysis of qualitative interviews. Co-authors include Atlas Senior Consultant Jill Steinkogler and Senior Associates Ellen Badger and Ria Muttukumaru.

Women Veterans seeking employment in rural areas often face several challenges, such as geographical barriers, limited employment opportunities, and a lack of childcare resources within their respective communities.

"Addressing the needs of women Veterans returning to rural environments for employment requires a three-pronged approach", said Dr. Szelwach, who herself is an Army Veteran from the Desert Storm era and founder of WOVEN Women Veterans Network.

"We need to measure the effectiveness of current programs utilizing metrics specific to rural women Veterans, revise programs to fit the needs of rural areas, and form new partnerships to engage and educate rural employers on the value that women Veterans bring to the workplace."

Dr. Szelwach and her co-authors also recommended additional research including:

  • A larger qualitative study of rural women Veterans and their employment transition needs;
  • Self-employment trends for rural women Veterans;
  • Differences in access to, and use of, the GI Bill between rural female and male Veterans;
  • Impacts of underemployment on rural women Veterans, their families, and communities;
  • Differential impacts of job training, job placement, and job protection programs for Veterans in rural vs. urban areas; and
  • Effectiveness of Veteran employment policy and funding for rural versus urban areas.

The special issue is the first peer-reviewed journal issue dedicated solely to the issues faced by rural Veterans and those who care for them. It brings together 11 articles from leading experts to explore the topic of rural Veterans, their characteristics and demographics; the challenges they face in accessing health and mental health care in rural America; and the efforts being made to serve and assess this special population through research-based studies and analyses.