Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences
Military discharge marks a pivotal life transition, often resulting in loss of identity, purpose, and belonging. Negative discharge experiences are further associated with feelings of institutional betrayal. This study explored which aspects of discharge negatively impact veterans during and after t...
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| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1521056/full |
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| author | Cameron Grant Cameron Grant Cameron Grant Lydia Woodyatt Lydia Woodyatt Henry Bowen Henry Bowen Jonathan Lane |
| author_facet | Cameron Grant Cameron Grant Cameron Grant Lydia Woodyatt Lydia Woodyatt Henry Bowen Henry Bowen Jonathan Lane |
| author_sort | Cameron Grant |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Military discharge marks a pivotal life transition, often resulting in loss of identity, purpose, and belonging. Negative discharge experiences are further associated with feelings of institutional betrayal. This study explored which aspects of discharge negatively impact veterans during and after their transition. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis on accounts from Australian veterans (N = 313), three key themes emerged: (1) Discharge Experiences as Institutional Transgressions and Betrayal, with sub-themes: Unceremonious Exits and Lingering Discharges, Left Harmed and Rejected, and Bad Actors and Acutely Harmful Events; (2) Discharge as a Loss of Self; and (3) Negative Discharge Experiences as Negative Centralizing Events and ‘Stuck-Points’. Findings revealed that veterans experience harm when they perceive their discharge as an institutional or personal transgression—ranging from bureaucratic disregard to service-related injuries leading to rejection and overt betrayal by bad actors. These events, regardless of severity, undermine veterans’ shared military identity and values, posing a psychological threat to their sense of belonging, severing familial-like bonds, and fostering feelings of rejection, diminished self-worth, isolation, and betrayal—hindering transition and identity reconstruction. We argue that the harm stems not from discharge itself but from veterans experiencing these negative experiences as a violation of shared values—values they were required to embody for group membership. In identity-centric workplaces like the military, where enculturation fosters deep, family-like bonds, discharge represents a unique psychosocial hazard. Proactive management is essential to mitigate lasting psychological harm. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f06c97574abc4fec80f74d2e04de0fea |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-f06c97574abc4fec80f74d2e04de0fea2025-08-20T03:48:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-05-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15210561521056Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiencesCameron Grant0Cameron Grant1Cameron Grant2Lydia Woodyatt3Lydia Woodyatt4Henry Bowen5Henry Bowen6Jonathan Lane7College of Education Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaFlinders Institute of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Open Door, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaMilitary and Emergency Services Health Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaCollege of Education Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaFlinders Institute of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Open Door, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaCollege of Education Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaMilitary and Emergency Services Health Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaSchool of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaMilitary discharge marks a pivotal life transition, often resulting in loss of identity, purpose, and belonging. Negative discharge experiences are further associated with feelings of institutional betrayal. This study explored which aspects of discharge negatively impact veterans during and after their transition. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis on accounts from Australian veterans (N = 313), three key themes emerged: (1) Discharge Experiences as Institutional Transgressions and Betrayal, with sub-themes: Unceremonious Exits and Lingering Discharges, Left Harmed and Rejected, and Bad Actors and Acutely Harmful Events; (2) Discharge as a Loss of Self; and (3) Negative Discharge Experiences as Negative Centralizing Events and ‘Stuck-Points’. Findings revealed that veterans experience harm when they perceive their discharge as an institutional or personal transgression—ranging from bureaucratic disregard to service-related injuries leading to rejection and overt betrayal by bad actors. These events, regardless of severity, undermine veterans’ shared military identity and values, posing a psychological threat to their sense of belonging, severing familial-like bonds, and fostering feelings of rejection, diminished self-worth, isolation, and betrayal—hindering transition and identity reconstruction. We argue that the harm stems not from discharge itself but from veterans experiencing these negative experiences as a violation of shared values—values they were required to embody for group membership. In identity-centric workplaces like the military, where enculturation fosters deep, family-like bonds, discharge represents a unique psychosocial hazard. Proactive management is essential to mitigate lasting psychological harm.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1521056/fullveteranmilitarytransitionidentityinstitutional betrayal |
| spellingShingle | Cameron Grant Cameron Grant Cameron Grant Lydia Woodyatt Lydia Woodyatt Henry Bowen Henry Bowen Jonathan Lane Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences Frontiers in Psychology veteran military transition identity institutional betrayal |
| title | Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences |
| title_full | Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences |
| title_fullStr | Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences |
| title_short | Fallout: the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences |
| title_sort | fallout the psychosocial harms of negative military discharge experiences |
| topic | veteran military transition identity institutional betrayal |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1521056/full |
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