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    DoD Transition to Veterans Program Office Research Psychologist Celebrates Five Years On the Job Supporting Over 1M Transitioning Service Members

    DoD Transition to Veterans Program Office Research Psychologist Celebrates Five Years On the Job Supporting Over 1M Transitioning Service Members

    Courtesy Photo | Nathan Ainspan, Ph.D., Research Psychologist, Department of Defense (DoD), Transition...... read more read more

    UNITED STATES

    09.18.2018

    Courtesy Story

    DoD, Military-Civilian Transition Office

    By. Department of Defense Transition to Veterans Program Office

    “The mission has been the prime motivator for me and what brings me the most enjoyment,” said Nathan Ainspan, Ph.D., Research Psychologist, Department of Defense (DoD), Transition to Veterans Program Office (TVPO).

    Ainspan celebrated five years of working at TVPO in July, 2018.

    TVPO designs, oversees, and evaluates the DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP).

    With over 200,000 service members leaving the military every year, his research directly impacts the lives of over one million service members and their families.

    Family Background:

    “My family background provides my personal motivation. I am Jewish and my family is originally from Poland and Russia. One hundred years ago my grandparents came to this country fleeing anti-Semitism,” said Dr. Ainspan. “Fifty years later”, he added, “this nation stood up against Hitler and the Nazis and drew upon all its military might to succeed in their mission.”

    He continued, “this country welcomed them and gave them the opportunity to work hard so that each subsequent generation could succeed. I know from research literature that propensity for military service runs in families. This means that this grandson of immigrants now has the honor and privilege of using the education and experiences that this nation provided to him to directly help the children and grandchildren of the service members that saved his family 50 years ago so that they can have great civilian lives when they leave the military.”

    Research Efforts:

    Ainspan has led a number of research projects in addition to hosting a monthly researcher’s teleconference forum. Additionally, he has led research projects with the RAND Corporation on the essential, non-technical or “soft skills” service members gain from their on-the-job training and professional military education.

    “These skills are in high demand in the civilian workforce, difficult to find in most civilians, and abundant in our service members and veterans. However, most service members and veterans do not understand that they possess these skills and most civilian employers do not appreciate how effectively the military develops these skills,” said Dr. Ainspan.

    After incorporating the findings from this project into the TAP curriculum and sharing it with the military services, Ainspan took the lead in creating collaborations with civilian human resource organizations to help get these findings and information in front of the eyes of human resource executives and business leaders, both large and small, so that they better understand the skills veterans bring to the table.

    Future Goals:

    Ainspan plans to continue his research at TVPO, and to expand and deepen the research projects he conducts to continue to serve transitioning service members and veterans. This will ensure his work will continue to impact and improve military-to-civilian transition and empowering them with research ensuring they have productive and satisfying careers and lives after leaving the military.

    Advice for Transitioning Service Members and Veterans:

    When asked if he had any advice to give to transitioning service members or veterans, he said, “gain a realistic understanding of what you can bring to the employer and understand your transition experience will be like nothing that you have experienced in your life, prepare yourself for this, and work to start to think like an employer.”

    Ainspan continued, “While you have gained a number of critical skills that are in high demand in the civilian workforce you still have to start somewhere. You will need to spend some time paying dues – but once you do you will progress much faster than non-veterans. While you’ve had many stressful experiences and many classes on resilience (and chances to practice them), the transition to becoming a civilian is like nothing that you have experienced before. It will be more stressful – a different type of stress – than what you experienced during your military career. Research has shown that this kind of stress and this experience can be positive and a source of growth. It will be tough, but pay attention during your TAP courses, take them seriously, and ask for help and utilize the resources and counselors that are available as part of the TAP.”

    About Dr. Ainspan:

    Dr. Ainspan received his Doctorate and Master’s Degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and his Bachelor’s Degree at Wesleyan University in American Studies. He has received numerous awards, including the Spirit of Service Award, The Raymond A. Katzell Award in Industrial/Organization Psychology, The Spirit of Service Award from the Secretary of Defense, The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness and Force Management) Above and Beyond award, The Department of Army Commander’s Award and Medal for Civilian Service, as well as attaining Fellowship status from two division in the - American Psychological Association (APA) – the Society for Military Psychology and the Psychologists in Public Service divisions.

    Ainspan has co-authored over 25 publications about transitioning service members, over 17 courses/sessions for APA, over 10 sessions for the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), has authored/co-authored/edited over 17 publications, and given over 10 professional presentations. He currently volunteers for SIOP’s Military Transition Project, and as Secretary for the Society for Military Psychology’s Executive Committee.

    Prior to joining the TVPO team, Ainspan worked for the U.S. Army as a Senior Psychologist, and as a Research Analyst for the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

    He has a wife, son, and an adopted dog named Praline. They enjoy spending time as a family, going to the theater, watching movies and going on family date nights. In his personal research time, he is working on co-editing a book for hiring managers and business leaders on how to hire and retain military veterans in their companies, and is writing another book on how civilians can understand the mind of veterans and members of the armed forces.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 09.18.2018
    Date Posted: 09.18.2018 10:23
    Story ID: 293253
    Location: US

    Web Views: 246
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN