Violence in the Military

This brief highlights issues relating to military service members’ expression of violence outside of the military due to the constant readiness for or the exposure to organized violence. It investigates how service members are affected by these experiences, considering both the exacerbation of aggressive traits and the impact it has on mental health.

The chapters address the following types of non-combat related violence:

• Suicide and Self-Harm in the Military
• Military Sexual Violence: Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Hazing
• Intimate Partner and Domestic Violence Among Military Populations
• Violent Criminal Behavior in the Military

The volume also reviews the contributing factors to the perpetration of violence, including personality traits (i.e., aggression), the military life cycle, interpersonal dynamics, and mental health. It ultimately poses future directions to mitigate risk factors for non-combat related violence. This brief is ideal for military leaders, military psychologists, and mental health providers of service members and veterans.

Monty T. Baker, Ph.D. (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF, Ret.), received his Ph.D. in 2002 in Clinical Psychology at Nova Southeastern University. He completed his Clinical Psychology Residency at the Malcolm Grow Medical Center Andrews AFB, Maryland. Dr. Baker served over 30 years in the Military as an Operational and Clinical Psychologist with numerous combat deployments in support of OIF/OEF.  He has also served as Military Primary Investigator on several grant funded research studies and has over 160 academic presentations and publications.  Dr. Baker is currently a POTFF Psychologist for U.S. Army Special Forces Underwater Operations Unit (SFUWO), Senior Advisor to the Military Psychology Group (MPG) at Nova Southeastern University, and Adjunct Professor at University of Texas-Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Alyssa R. Ojeda, M.S., is a fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University and recipient of the two-year U.S. Army Health Professions Scholarship Program. She is the program coordinator of the Military Psychology Group within the First Responder Research and Training Team, led by Dr. Vincent Van Hasselt. Her research and clinical interests include resilience, posttraumatic growth, and the integration of physical activity for mental health prevention and intervention.

Hannah Pressley, MA, MS, is a fourth-year clinical psychology doctorate student at Nova Southeastern University. Prior to attending Nova, she earned a master's degree in forensic and legal psychology at Marymount University. At present, she is active in the First Responder Research and Training Team throughout completing various projects, led by Dr. Vincent Van Hasselt. Hannah's primary research and clinical interests include health functioning of K9 handlers, neuropsychological evaluation and testing, and the clinical impact of military sexual trauma.

Jessica Blalock, M.S. is a fourth-year doctoral student in clinical psychology with a focus on first responders and forensic populations. She is an active member of the First Responder Research and Training Team and pioneered the largest survey of a national sample of first responders assessing occupational stress and mental well-being. 

Riki Ann Martinez, MA, is a fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University. She is currently the program coordinator of the Psychological Services for the Emotionally Distressed (PSED) clinic and works as a teacher's assistant for the Forensic Psychology Master's Program. Her clinical experiences consist of providing individual psychotherapy for individuals with serious mental illness and forensic populations. She also has significant experience conducting forensic evaluations for the court and working as a psychology trainee in a correctional facility. Her research interests include forensic assessment and criminal behavior and incarceration of military members.

Brian A. Moore, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Center for the Advancement of Military and Emergency Services (AMES) Research at Kennesaw State University. Dr. Moore served 13 years in the Army and has extensively published on topics related to military and military-relevant populations.

Vincent B. Van Hasselt, PhD, is a professor of psychology and director of the Family Violence Program at Nova Southeastern University. He is also editor of Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal and Journal of Family Violence. Dr. Van Hasselt has served as lecturer and consultant to the FBI’s Behavioral Science, Crisis Negotiation, and Law Enforcement Communication Units, and is part of the bureau’s Crisis Prevention and Intervention Program. His clinical and research interests are in the areas of crisis and hostage negotiations, police stress and mental health, critical incident response, and the emerging field of behavioral criminology. Dr. Van Hasselt is also a certified police officer with the Plantation, Florida, Police Department.