ABSTRACT
Students who are either US military veterans, active duty service members, reserves, or National Guard are a significant yet underserved population at many institutions of higher education. A growing number of studies highlight the strengths and unique needs of these military-connected students. The chapter discusses the experiences of military-connected students in higher education. It describes the multiple identities that military-connected students have. Military students as a group have different demographics, life experiences, and specific military cultures, which may be different from many college students. This opens possibilities for a mismatch between military-connected students and higher education. Validation theory is a concept used to promote persistence, engagement, and success of nontraditional students in higher education. It is used in this chapter to provide an approach for affirming the strengths of military-connected students and to better engage them in higher education.
