Running head: Strategic planning models

191 Pages·2014·3.08 MB·English

by  Megan & Jason

BENEDICTINE UNIVERISTY

STUDENT-SOLDIERS EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
POST-9/11 GI BILL AT TWO INSTITUTIONS: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION.

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

IN

EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES

BY

JASON PAUL SANTIAGO

LISLE, ILLINOIS

DECEMBER 2012
Copyright by Jason Paul Santiago 2012
All rights reserved
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A special “thank you” is extended to the members of my dissertation committee
who provided their dedication, guidance, and passion to help me realize a long awaited
dream. In the words of Allan Ostar, Former President, AASCU, “Change is in the air.
Things are happening in the political and social realms that are having a profound impact
on both the military and education fronts.”
With both humility and gratitude, I acknowledge the valuable advice and direction
I received from Dr. Gary Davis, Dissertation Committee Chairman, former director of the
Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA); Dr. Lynn A. Tovar,
Dissertation Director, Associate Professor and Program Director at Lewis University,
Illinois; Dr. Randy Plunkett, Technical Advisor, Retired SMSgt U. S. Air Force, and
Director of Community and Government Outreach at Military.com; Dr. Stephen Nunes,
Dissertation Reader, Academic Program Coordinator, First Responder’s Program,
Professional Development, and Weekend College at Benedictine University, Illinois.
Without all of you, this study could not have been completed. Thank you.
Without the support of my family and close friends during this adventure, none of
this would have been possible. Thank you for being there when I needed you – through
the good days and the bad – always faithful!
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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

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DEDICATION
To my father and mother who sacrificed their futures to invest in my education,
and provided me the opportunity to excel and experience the American Dream. Thank
you!
To the brave veterans for protecting our great country and maintaining our
freedom to conduct a quantitative methodology like these and share the results within the
academic and military communities alike.

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PSALM 23 (A psalm of David)

Soldier’s Prayer

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ III
DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... V
PSALM 23 ........................................................................................................................ VI
LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................................... X
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ XI
GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................... XII
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... XIV
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 5
Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................... 6
Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 7
Research Hypotheses .......................................................................................................... 7
Limitations of the Study...................................................................................................... 8
Veterans Affected ......................................................................................................... 9
Significance of the Study .................................................................................................. 10
Differences Between a Community College and a For-Profit University ........................ 11
Definitions of Key Terms ................................................................................................. 14
CHAPTER 2 –REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................................... 16
Historical Perspective: Early Form of GI Benefits ........................................................... 16
The United States in the 1940s ................................................................................... 18
Value of Higher Education and the Impact on the Economy. .................................... 20
Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) ............................................................ 22
The Veterans Readjustment Act or the Korean GI Bill .............................................. 25
Veterans Readjustment Benefits Act or Vietnam Era Bill.......................................... 26
The Veterans’ Education and Employment Assistance Act ....................................... 27
New GI Bill / Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) .............................................................. 28
Montgomery GI Bill‒Active Duty (MGIB-AD)......................................................... 31
Post-9/11 GI Bill ......................................................................................................... 32
Yellow Ribbon Program ............................................................................................. 34
Research Question One ..................................................................................................... 35
Characteristics of Veterans ......................................................................................... 36
Research Question Two .................................................................................................... 38
Challenges and Barriers of Higher Education ............................................................ 38
Schlossberg’s Transition Theory ................................................................................ 44
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Moving In (Military) ............................................................................................. 48
Moving Through (Military) .................................................................................. 49
Moving Out (Military) .......................................................................................... 49
Mezirow’s Theory of Transformative Learning ......................................................... 52
Perspective Transformation: The Model. ............................................................. 56
Tinto’s Student Integration Model .............................................................................. 58
Adult Education Theories ........................................................................................... 60
Andragogy................................................................................................................... 64
When They Return Home ................................................................................................. 68
Difficulties Veterans Suffer ........................................................................................ 70
Traumatic Brain Injury ............................................................................................... 77
Research Question Three .................................................................................................. 79
Research Question Four .................................................................................................... 85
CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 89
Rationale for the Quantitative Design............................................................................... 89
Research Design................................................................................................................ 90
Population and Sample ............................................................................................... 92
Data Collection Procedures ......................................................................................... 93
Demographic Attributes and Data Analysis ..................................................................... 99
Cross Tabulation ......................................................................................................... 99
Similarities Between Police Work and the Armed Forces.............................................. 100
Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 101
CHAPTER 4 – ANALYSIS AND RESULTS ............................................................... 103
Survey Procedures .......................................................................................................... 103
Summary of Findings ...................................................................................................... 115
Hypotheses and Research Questions .............................................................................. 115
Hypotheses ................................................................................................................ 115
Research Question One ............................................................................................. 116
Research Question Two ............................................................................................ 117
Research Question Three .......................................................................................... 118
Research Question Four ............................................................................................ 119
Hypothesis 1.............................................................................................................. 120
Hypothesis 2.............................................................................................................. 120
Hypothesis 3.............................................................................................................. 121
Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 121
CHAPTER 5 – DISCUSSION ........................................................................................ 123
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 123
Discussion of the Findings .............................................................................................. 124
Research Question One ............................................................................................. 124
Research Question Two ............................................................................................ 125

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Research Question Three .......................................................................................... 126
Research Question Four ............................................................................................ 127
Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 128
Personal Learning Experiences ....................................................................................... 129
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................ 132
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 153
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Page

Appendix A. Veterans’ Educational Benefits Categories .............................................. 133
Appendix B. IRB Forms ................................................................................................ 135
Appendix C. Survey Questions ...................................................................................... 141
Appendix D. Permission to Use Copyrighted Material ................................................. 150

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