Civilian Employment Among Recently Returning Afghanistan and Iraq National Guard Veterans

Objective: National Guard service members face deactivation from active duty soon after they return to the United States and rapid entry into the civilian workforce; therefore, it is important to examine employment among these Veterans. Methods: The sample included 585 National Guard service members. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted examining the associations between mental health symptoms, alcohol use, number of deployments, and combat exposure with employment status and full-time versus part-time employment as outcomes. Results: Forty-one percent of National Guard service members were employed 45 to 60 days following demobilization. Among those who were employed, 79% were employed full-time. Age, family income, and combat exposure were associated with employment; income and health status were associated with part-time versus full-time employment. Conclusions: Mental health status may not be strongly associated with initiating civilian employment among National Guard service members; however, better mental health status is associated with being employed full-time versus part-time.