Nevertheless, despite a large variety of shared military competencies, post-9/11 veterans demonstrate a more extensive range of skill sets than the previous generations. As mentioned before, this phenomenon primarily occurred due to the change of national military approach after the tragic events on September 11, 2001, which led to more combat exposure among the soldiers (Parker et al., 2019). The wars and counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other parts of the Middle East have cost approximately 7 000 lives of American soldiers (Crafword, 2018). Furthermore, post-9/11 veterans experienced higher deployment rates, more critical situations, and organized warfare, that significantly affected their worldviews and perspectives on teamwork and military combat (Parker et al., 2019). Therefore, the current paper suggests that the intense post-9/11 military actions and preliminary training have formed generational traits of post-9/11 veterans that can be effectively used in the civilian workforce.
Constructivism and Generational Traits
The theory concerning the generational competencies of post-9/11 veterans aligns with constructivism – the philosophy of education selected for the current work. Constructivism implies that the past experiences of the post-9/11 soldiers, such as extensive combat exposure, military challenges in various environments, and teamwork during critical situations, significantly improve their competencies and allow forming new skill sets. Furthermore, constructivism is generally acknowledged as an effective educational framework for military and defense-oriented personnel due to the vast emphasis on critical thinking and self-discovery (Elstad & Davis, 2017). The approach is based on the concept of “Five E’s” which are generally deciphered as Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate (Elstad & Davis, 2017). Therefore, constructivism implies a more practical perspective on education and acquiring competencies.
From these considerations, the theory can be used to explain the generational traits of post-9/11 veterans, and why they are different from the competencies of pre-9/11 soldiers. First, more extensive combat exposure implies more military practice, teamwork training, emphasis on an objective-oriented mindset, and higher deployment rates (Parker et al., 2019). The practical efforts constitute the core concept of constructivism, and the more extensive amount of preparation and actual combat explains the generational traits acquired by post-9/11 veterans. Furthermore, constructivism suggests that people might build up their competencies based on the example of previous generations via learning perspectives (Sookermany, 2017). In this sense, the experience of pre-9/11 soldiers could enhance the overall skill sets and qualities of post-9/11 veterans through communication and tutoring.
Secondly, the military missions have shifted from general training to counterterrorism objectives, which are commonly associated with more risks. The specific preparation also includes the overview of advanced technological devices, such as drones and special ammunition, hostage rescue, and emphasis on softer skills, such as decision making and adaptability (Mir, 2018). Evidently, a large number of these qualities are highly useful in the civilian workforce as well, which makes the competencies of post-9/11 veterans better suited for business.
Lastly, post-9/11 veterans constitute the most diverse group of soldiers in American history. The tragic events of September 11, 2001, have left a deep imprint on people of different backgrounds and beliefs (Stone, 2020). As a result, the post-9/11 military enlistment consisted of the most diverse group of candidates, including people of various cultural backgrounds, races, genders, and ages (Stone, 2020). This variety allowed for a more comprehensive perspective exchange, which also differentiates the overall experience of pre-9/11 and post-9/11 veterans (Stone, 2020). Ultimately, the differences in competencies between the two groups can be explained by various degrees of combat exposure, military preparation, and diversity of the units, which also align with the constructivism theory.
References
Crawford, N. C. (2018). Human cost of the post-9/11 wars: Lethality and the need for transparency. Costs of War: Watson Institute International & Public Affairs.
Elstad, E. C., & Davis, D. M. (2017). Implementing innovative constructivism: An architected approach to enhancing STEM education. In Interservice/Industry Training. Stimulation, and Education Conference. Orlando, Florida.
Mir, A. (2018). What explaints counterterrorism effectiveness? Evidence from the U.S. drone war in Pakistan. International Security, 43(2), 45-83.
Parker, K., Igielnik, R., Barroso, A., & Cilluffo, A. (2019). The American veteran experience and the post-9/11 generation.
Sookermany, A. M. (2017). Military education reconsidered: A postmodern update. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 51(1), 310-330.
Stone, J. (2020). The case for generationally directed veteran care: Analyzing the experiences of post 9/11 veterans.