FO RU M O N H E A LTH AN D NATI O NAL SE CURI TY

Financial Stress and Behavioral
Health in Military Servicemembers:
Risk, Resilience, Mechanisms andTargets for Intervention

Executive Summary

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

F ORUM ON H EALTH AN D N ATION AL SEC URI T Y

Financial Stress and Behavioral
Health in Military Servicemembers:
Risk, Resilience, Mechanisms and Targets
for Intervention Stress, Resilience,and Well-being

Edited byRobert J. Ursano, MD
Carol S. Fullerton, PhD
Mary Lee Dichtel, RN

A Conference of the:Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University School of Medicine

From the Conference Series:
FORUM ON HEALTH AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Financial Stress and Behavioral Health in
Military Servicemembers:
Risk, Resilience, Mechanisms and Targets for Intervention
Stress, Resilience, and Well-being
Editor’s Note: This transcript has been edited, however, as in most transcripts some errors may
have been missed. The editors are responsible for any errors of content or editing that remain.

IPD 2016 by Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, MD 20814-4712
First Edition

Executive Summary and Recommendations

1

Preface
The goal of this Forum on Health and National Security was to address financial
stress in the lives of servicemembers and identify knowledge gaps and opportunities
for gaining new knowledge that can lead to new and improved intervention programs. Financial stress directly and indirectly affects servicemembers’ mental andbehavioral health as well as servicemember and family functioning. Understanding
financial stress can aid in developing effective programs to mitigate this stress andhelp servicemembers and families in need. The Forum reviewed the complexity ofdefining financial stress and the interplay of financial stress in the “web” of life
stressors that impact servicemembers and their families.
The Forum brought together military and civilian leaders and scientists withexpertise in risk and resilience, behavioral health, economics, models of stressbehavior, and suicide to address the financial challenges faced by servicemembers
and their families. Participants were challenged to develop new perspectives bysynthesizing knowledge across diverse disciplines to better understand the complex
issues of financial stress and associated life stressors, and risk and resilience factors moderating this stress. The Forum attendees also reviewed critical literatureassembled from detailed searches, contributions by attendees as well as case studies
and illustrations of the interactions of financial stress with life stressors and events.
The Forum succeeded in identifying gaps in our knowledge and research recommendations to better understand financial stress and inform programmatic interventions
for military servicemembers and their families.

Financial stressdirectly andindirectly affects
servicemembers’
mental andbehavioral
health as well as
servicemember andfamily functioning.

2

Financial Stress and Behavioral Health in Military Servicemembers

Executive Summary and Recommendations

3

Executive Summary andRecommendations
The Services and the Department of Defense (DOD) have extensive programs
designed to ameliorate servicemembers’ financial stress. However the key dynamics
surrounding financial stress as a stressor by itself or in combination with other factors are not well understood. Financial stress impacts mental and behavioral healthas well as servicemember and family function. Financial stress is usually embedded ina “web” of life stressors and adversities (e.g. change in station, loss of job of a spouse,
deployment, school needs for children, and illness of a relative) that vary with theservicemember’s age, family structure, career phase and life context and transitions.
The challenges faced by servicemembers as a result of financial stress are modified
by pre-existing risk and protective factors, present context and expectations of the
future. This dynamic interplay can contribute to altered health, mental health, andindividual and family functioning including risk for suicide.
Understanding the sources and types of financial stress and the web of interactions in which financial stress is embedded in the military member and family’s life
course, can inform scientific knowledge and planning for actionable programs for
mitigating negative effects of financial stress on health and performance. Financial
stress can be conceptualized in multiple ways: the actual dollar amount of financial
stress, the servicemember’s perception of financial stress and also the servicemember’s experience of “comparative” financial stress (e.g. compared to others) caneach influence health and behavior. Financial stress can also be conceptualized as
financial “hardship” (absence of enough) or as time varying availability (cash flow
problems). Indebtedness is another type of financial stress and common in younger
servicemembers in particular. Those who are using (or qualify for but do not use)
available financial support programs, e.g., school lunches, the Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), comprise anotherclass/type of financial stress. Lack of financial resources can lead to poor nutritionand cutting back on other health related activities. Housing ownership, foreclosure,unanticipated costs for fuel/air conditioning/repairs, being “in over our heads” arean aspect of financial stress usually later in the career and often associated withfamily conflict.
These types of financial stress (and others) also interact with economic issues
occurring across the nation during any particular time. This occurs within a specificfamily and community setting and has a developmental component. A future time

The key dynamics
surrounding financial
stress as a stressor
by itself or in
combination withother factors are notwell understood.

4

Lack of or lossof future time
perspective
influences the ability
to execute financial
planning andmaintain financial
well-being.

Financial Stress and Behavioral Health in Military Servicemembers

perspective is necessary to plan financially and is itself affected by one’s present life
context and events. Lack of or loss of future time perspective influences the ability
to execute financial planning, and maintain financial well-being.
The Forum brought together Department of Defense and civilian leaders alongwith scientists with expertise in behavioral health, risk and resilience, economics,
models of stress behavior, and suicide who understand the challenges faced bymilitary servicemembers and their families. The participants were challenged to consider broad and creative perspectives (“out-of-the-box thinking”) and to synthesize
disparate knowledge to aid in the understanding of knowledge gaps on financial
stress and servicemember’s health and performance.
The Forum succeeded in its task. The Forum identified gaps in our knowledge
and developed recommendations for research to better understand financial stressand to inform programmatic and intervention considerations for military servicemembers and their families.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Knowledge Gaps••

Studies should examine financial stress as part of a matrix of stressors including: pre-existing risk factors prior to entering the military, predisposing factors(debts, dependents), acute and precipitating, sustaining, modifying and mitigating
factors and events (injury, career transitions, deployment, support).

••

Financial stress needs to be operationalized in multiple ways. For example:
absolute dollar of need; financial change over time; perspective of financial
challenges compared to others; anticipated financial needs; financial limitations
that are affecting life choices; financial loss/need associated with self-esteem/well-being; and others.

••

Research studies and reviews need to examine the multiple adverse outcomes
associated with various types of financial stress including: mental, behavioral
and physical health (e.g., distress, increased substance/alcohol use and abuse,depression, suicidality, family violence), and functioning at home and work.

••

To better identify interventions research should examine the various classes/typesof financial stress and their associated multiple outcomes across time. Consideration of the type/class of financial stress, their differential trajectories acrosscareer and family time and the risk and protective factors for the various classes.

••

Design research to also understand the cumulative effects of multiple stressors(i.e., load) on behavioral and health outcomes associated with various types offinancial stress. High cumulative risk can overload the capacity of individuals
and families and impair the ability to plan for the future and make optimal use
of financial planning and supportive resources.

••

Transitions are very important. Studies should identify critical transition times/
risk points across the military career that are associated with increased risk offinancial stress to servicemembers and families, such as basic training, deployment, PCS, demotion/promotion.

••

Financial “shock” is often a part of leaving the military. This transition time isExecutive Summary and Recommendations••

5

particularly important and is a high risk time for a number of mental illnesses
as well as suicidality.

Animal models

The perception of financial stress is itself a target for study. Research is needed
to examine the perception and the relative experience of financial stress and its
influence on health and behavior.

inform elements of••Loss of reward — rather than financial impairment — is an additional perspective on financial stress that highlights changes in expectations. The literatureon reward loss highlights the influence of context, the contextual factors of
the loss and not just the loss itself, on subsequent outcomes. Contexts which
are changing/unstable situations increase the influence of the environment on
choices. Such a perspective can inform the effect of easy credit environments onparticular individuals and timing of the effects. A better understanding of time
periods which are heavily influenced by environmental contingencies can inform“the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.”••

Some literature supports that losses are more potent on mental and behavioral
health and performance than are gains. Financial loss may be one of a group oflosses occurring at a particular time.

••

Animal models can clarify and inform elements of the financial stress response
in humans. Reward acquisition and loss in animal models has implications forunderstanding control and lack of control over financial gain and loss in humans
and related issues of self-efficacy and power over ones future. Reward loss can
induce stress-like behaviors such as aggression that are dependent on the context
in which the loss of reward has occurred.

••Financial stress rarely operates “in a vacuum.” Identifying moderators, mediators, duration and joint effects are important research questions to identify risk
and resilience factors and aid intervention development.

••

Cumulative financial stress (i.e. across time) as load or strain may have additional effects beyond time limited financial stress. Understanding health effects
associated with the buildup of financial stress and recovery from (“things are
now back to manageable”) is important for identifying sustainment and recovery
factors for financial stress.

••

Understanding momentary time and context effects on financial choices requires
additional research designs that focus on detailed data in smaller samples ofservicemembers (e.g., intensive case control design). Such research is important
to identify unique individual characteristics that are transient and require close
assessment.

••

DOD and the services can leverage existing military historical and administrative health and behavioral databases. Cross-linked data will facilitate analyses
using “big data” to address factors related to financial stress. Defining types offinancial stress is important to aligning queries of big data and to enable predictive analytics.

••

Large data studies offer unique opportunities for understanding and developing
decision support tools for leadership to identify those at increased risk of various types of financial stress and test interventions to mitigate risk. Developing
and implementing across the services universal, centralized outcome variables

can clarify andthe financial stressresponse in humans.

6

Financial Stress and Behavioral Health in Military Servicemembers

which are collected administratively as part of usual personnel data is valuable
to this effort. Such large data across time will enhance understanding of risk andresilience/protective factors as well as program effectiveness.

An important aspectof gaining new
knowledge is having
a mechanism to••pass this knowledge
to those who
can develop andtest “tools” forintervention as wellas mechanisms for
implementation.

An important aspect of gaining new knowledge is having a mechanism to passthis knowledge to those who can develop and test “tools” for intervention as wellas mechanisms for implementation. Without this mechanism new knowledge islost or rejected because it is experienced as a burden on those who are working
diligently to implement present programs and do not have the new knowledge ina useable manner. This is a critical step for moving from filling knowledge gaps
to programs, interventions and implementation. Consideration of this system’s
step is central to the effort to effectively move further knowledge of financial
stress to successful action.

Programs, Interventions and Implementation••

Planning and inclusion of ongoing quality assessment and continuous quality
improvement is needed in programs prior to program roll-out. Fidelity of measurements changes over time and should be monitored on a continuous basis
to ensure accurate measures of program effectiveness. Understanding who does
not use a program and what percent of people who need the program do notuse it is important to developing effective programs.

••

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) — addressing improving quality withevidence — when well implemented is a research strategy to develop effective
programs. This quality management process requires close collaboration ofresearcher/SME and leadership to continuously ask the questions, “How are wedoing?” and “Can we do it better?”••

Programs can be evaluated best when leadership and evaluation research isaligned. “Pragmatic trials” can be part of program roll outs. Often one canembed experiments into routine clinical or personnel programs to enable comparing usual care/programs with trial care or programs initiated in a staged rollout. This is possible in the military because of the amount of data the militarycollects routinely. Leadership support is critical to this type of design.

••

The complexity of financial stress and its web highlight the value of wrap around(i.e., broad based) programs which can show effectiveness across multiple
outcomes and with multiple stressors. Universal interventions (those that target
more than one outcome) are valuable for their efficiency. Identifying, testing andevaluating universal training (active skills training) and prevention programs
should be part of planned financial management and planning education acrossthe career and family life cycle.

••

Program evaluation is critical to efficient operations and providing effective
interventions. Identifying programs that are effective is intrinsic to sustaining
useful and cost effective interventions.

••

Financial education programs require close integration into the military culture.
This can increase their being experienced as a routine part of training and education and is important to engaging servicemembers and families. Considerationof differences between services and within the services can enhance program
effectiveness.

Executive Summary and Recommendations

••

••

••

Innovative involvement of leadership can help make programs uniquely effective
and enhance unit cohesion. Such programs require close attention to possible
stigma and to ensuring equity across servicemembers.
Enhancing the systematic coordination of financial education programs to target
critical time points may increase their impact. Such programs hold promise ofreaching the greatest number of servicemembers and families during times intheir careers when they are at greatest risk of the negative effects of financial
stress.
Not all those who can use the present programs do so. Studies need to assess
program utilization and identify why people who need services are not using theavailable services and why others seek help. For example, do servicemembers
and families know what programs exist and are they able to easily access programs? It is important to address the actual availability (as well as utilization)of resources compared to the perception of available resources.

••

The perception of financial stress and how a servicemember evaluates theirfinancial stress compared to others will change over career and family time.
These changes can identify opportunities for education and intervention.

••

Financial stress as related to perceived wealth relative to others often has anaccompanying lack of self-efficacy and decreased self-esteem that may result. The
possible value of financial programs that foster skills that build self-confidence
to handle current and future financial stress may alter this particular type offinancial stress.

••

Financial stress can be a result of impulsiveness and lack of planning. Research
can inform who is at risk of this type of financial stress and when. For these
servicemembers and families (and at the times of this risk) financial programs
which can assist financial self-monitoring may be most helpful. Electronic apps
and tools may appeal to some for this task.

••

The use of new mobile and online technology can be helpful to some as part ofchanging financial stress. These should be part of a program to foster a sense of
self-sufficiency in the management of finances.

••

Easy access to credit (i.e., “Pay Day Lender”) is a contextual contributor tohigher rates of financial stress for some. Knowing who is at most risk in thiscontext is important. Understanding the when, where, and who of this risk canbetter suggest intervention needs.

••

Linking older and younger adults is a frequently used intervention for decreasing
stigma and increasing coping skills for multiple types of stressors and adversities. Increased use of this often informal mechanism can strengthen programs.

7

Studies need toassess program
utilization andidentify why people
who need services
are not using theavailable services
and why others
seek help.

8

Financial Stress and Behavioral Health in Military Servicemembers

9Panelists
James E. Barrett, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Pharmacology and Physiology
Drexel College of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Paul D. Bliese, PhD
COL (Retired), MSC, USA
Associate Professor
Darla Moore School of Business
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
Deborah Boggs Bookwalter, ScD, MS
Epidemiologist, Millennium Cohort Study
Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Military Population Health
Naval Health Research Center
San Diego, CA
Robert M. Bossarte, PhD
Director, Epidemiology Program
Post-Deployment Health Group
Office of Public Health
Veterans Health Administration
Washington, DC
Linda F. Egentowich
Col (Retired), USAF
Chief Operating Officer
Air Force Aid Society
Arlington, VA
Kimberly J. Elenberg, DNP, MS
CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service
Population Health, Clinical Support Division
Defense Health Agency
Defense Health Headquarters
Falls Church, VAJohn A. Fedrigo
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force(Reserve Affairs and Airman Readiness)
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air
Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
Washington, DC
Stevan E. Hobfoll, PhD
The Judd and Marjorie Weinberg Presidential
Professor and Chair
Professor of Behavioral Sciences, Medicine,
Preventive Medicine & Nursing Science
Department of Behavioral Sciences
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL
Ronald C. Kessler, PhD
McNeil Family Professor of Health Care Policy
Department of Health Care Policy
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA
Dennis McGurk, PhD
LTC, MSC, USA
Director, Military Operational Medicine
Research Program (MOMRP)Chair, Joint Program Committee 5 (JPC-5)
U.S. Army Medical Research & MaterielCommandFort Detrick, MD
Gary R. Mottola, PhD
Research Director
National Financial Capability StudyFINRA Investor Education Foundation
Washington, DC
C. Eldon Mullis
COL (Retired), USA
Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer
Headquarters, Army Emergency Relief
Alexandria, VA

10William P. Nash, MD
CAPT (Retired), USN
Director of Psychological Health at UnitedStates Marine Corps
Arlington, VA
Matthew K. Nock, PhD
Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Research Scientist, Massachusetts General
Hospital
Research Scientist, Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA
Cheri Nylen
Director, NMCRS Casework Division
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
Arlington, VA
Hollister (Holly) K. Petraeus
Assistant Director, Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Office of Servicemember Affairs
Washington, DC
Bud Schneeweis, CFP
CAPT (Retired), USCG
Director, Military Financial Readiness
FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Washington, DC

Department of Military and Emergency
Medicine
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
Anthony J. Stamilio, MBA
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army
(Civilian Personnel and Quality of Life)
U.S. Department of the Army
Barbara A. Thompson
Director, Office of Family Readiness Policy
Office of the Secretary of Defense(Military Community and Family Policy)
Robert J. Ursano, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Director, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, PhD
Professor, Department of Human Development
and Family Studies
Director, Center for Families
Director, Military Family Research InstituteExecutive Director, Family Impact InstitutePurdue University
West Lafayette, IN

Eric B. Schoomaker, MD, PhD
LTG (Retired), MC, USA
Professor and Vice Chair for Leadership,
Centers, and Programs

Forum Planning Committee

Forum Editing Committee

Robert J. Ursano, MD
James E. McCarroll, PhD, MPH
Mary Lee Dichtel, RN
K. Nikki Benevides, MA
Eric G. Meyer, MD
Michelle Herman, BA
Carol S. Fullerton, PhD
TSgt. Jorge Hastings
MSgt. Syrus Henderson
Joseph Piemontese

Robert J. Ursano, MD
Carol S. Fullerton, PhD
Mary Lee Dichtel, RNJames E. McCarroll, PhD, MPH
K. Nikki Benevides, MA
Eric Meyer, MD
Michelle Herman, BA

11Participants
James E. Barrett, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Pharmacology and Physiology
Drexel College of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
james.barrett@drexelmed.edu
Paul D. Bliese, PhD
COL (Retired), MSC, USA
Associate Professor
Darla Moore School of Business
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
paul.bliese@Moore.sc.edu
Deborah Boggs Bookwalter, ScD, MS
Epidemiologist, Millennium Cohort Study
Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Military Population Health
Naval Health Research Center
San Diego, CA
deborah.b.bookwalter.ctr@mail.mil
Robert M. Bossarte, PhD
Director, Epidemiology Program
Post-Deployment Health Group
Office of Public Health
Veterans Health Administration
Washington, DC
robert.bossarte@va.gov
Deborah Bradbard, PhD
Senior Research Associate
Institute for Veterans and Military Families(IVMF)
Syracuse, NYdbradbar@syr.edu
dbradbard@gmail.com
Russell B. Carr, MD
CMDR, MC, USN
Chairman, Department of Psychiatry

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
russell.b.carr.mil@mail.mil
Kathleen D. Cole
Assistant Deputy, Quality of Life
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army
(Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
Washington, DC
kathleen.d.cole.civ@mail.mil
Gillian Connon
Director, Bethesda Office
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
Bethesda, MD
Gillian.Connon@nmcrs.org
Kenneth L. Cox, MD, MPH
Army Public Health Center (Provisional)
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen, MD
kenneth.l.cox34.ctr@mail.mil
Stephen J. Cozza, MD
COL (Retired), MC, USA
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Associate Director, Center for the Study ofTraumatic Stress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
stephen.cozza@usuhs.edu
Catherine Dempsey, PhD, MPH
Research Assistant Professor, Department of
Psychiatry
Scientist, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
catherine.dempsey.ctr@usuhs.edu

12Linda F. Egentowich
Col (Retired), USAF
Chief Operating Officer
Air Force Aid Society
Arlington, VA
linda.egentowich@afas-hq.org
Kimberly J. Elenberg, DNP, MS
CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service
Population Health, Clinical Support Division
Defense Health Agency
Defense Health Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
Kimberly.j.elenberg2.mil@mail.mil
John A. Fedrigo
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force(Reserve Affairs and Airman Readiness) Officeof the Assistant Secretary of the Air Forcefor Manpower and Reserve Affairs
Washington, DC
john.a.fedrigo.civ@mail.mil
Daniel P. Feehan
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
for Readiness
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense(Personnel and Readiness)
Arlington, VA
daniel.p.feehan.civ@mail.mil
Carol S. Fullerton, PhD
Research Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Scientific Director, Center for the Study ofTraumatic Stress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
cfullert@erols.com
carol.fullerton@usuhs.edu
Robert K. Gifford, PhD
COL (Retired), MSC, USA
Senior Project Director of STARRS
Executive Director, Center for the Study ofTraumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
robert.gifford.ctr@usuhs.edu

Holly Herberman-Mash, PhD
Research Psychologist, Center for the Study ofTraumatic StressResearch Assistant Professor, Department of
Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
holly.herberman-mash.ctr@usuhs.edu
Stevan E. Hobfoll, PhD
The Judd and Marjorie Weinberg Presidential
Professor and Chair
Professor of Behavioral Sciences, Medicine,
Preventive Medicine and Nursing Science
Department of Behavioral Sciences
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL
stevan_hobfoll@rush.edu
Ronald C. Kessler, PhD
McNeil Family Professor of Health Care Policy
Department of Health Care Policy
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA
kessler@hcp.med.harvard.edu
Scott D. Ludtke
Army Program Director, STARRS-LS
Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the
Army
Arlington, VA
scott.d.ludtke.civw@mail.mil
James E. McCarroll, PhD, MPH
COL (Retired), MSC, USA
Senior Scientist and Professor (Research)Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
james.mccarroll.ctr@usuhs.edu
Pam McClelland
Financial Education Specialist
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Office of Servicemember Affairs
Pamela.McClelland@cfpb.gov

13

Dennis McGurk, PhD
LTC, MSC, USA
Director, Military Operational Medicine
Research Program (MOMRP)Chair, Joint Program Committee 5 (JPC-5)
U.S. Army Medical Research & MaterielCommandFort Detrick, MD
dennis.mcgurk.mil@mail.mil
Eric G. Meyer, MD
Capt, MC, USAF, FS
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Departmentof Psychiatry
Scientist, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
eric.meyer@usuhs.edu
Joshua C. Morganstein, MD
CMDR, U.S. Public Health Service
Assistant Professor / Assistant Chair,
Department of Psychiatry
Scientist, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
joshua.morganstein@usuhs.edu
Gary R. Mottola, PhD
Research Director
National Financial Capability StudyFINRA Investor Education Foundation
Washington, DC
gary.mottola@finra.org
C. Eldon Mullis
COL (Retired), USA
Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer
Headquarters, Army Emergency Relief
Alexandria, VA
Eldon.mullis@aerhq.org
James A. Naifeh, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Department of
Psychiatry
Research Psychologist, Center for the Study ofTraumatic Stress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
James.naifeh.ctr@usuhs.edu

William P. Nash, MD
CAPT (Retired), MC, USN
Director of Psychological Health at UnitedStates Marine Corps
Arlington, VA
William.P.Nash@usmc.mil
Katharine W. Nassauer, PhD
Psychological Health and Resilience Portfolio
Manager
Military Operational Medicine Research
Program
U.S. Army Medical Research and MaterielCommandFort Detrick, MD
katharine.w.nassauer.civ@mail.mil
Matthew K. Nock, PhD
Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Research Scientist, Massachusetts General
Hospital
Research Scientist, Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA
nock@wjh.harvard.edu
Cheri Nylen
Director, NMCRS Casework Division
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
Arlington, VA
Cheri.Nylen@nmcrs.org
Hollister (Holly) K. Petraeus
Assistant Director, Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Office of Servicemember Affairs
Washington, DC
Hollister.Petraeus@cfpb.gov
Patcho N. Santiago, MD, MPH
CDR, MC, USN
Program Director, National Capital
Consortium — Psychiatry
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
patcho.n.santiago.mil@mail.mil
Bud Schneeweis, CFP
CAPT (Retired), USCG
Director, Military Financial Readiness
FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Washington, DC
bud.schneeweis@finra.org

14

Brett J. Schneider, MD
Director for Behavioral Health Services
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
Brett.J.Schneider2.mil@mail.mil
Eric B. Schoomaker, MD, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair for Leadership,
Centers, and Programs
Department of Military and Emergency
Medicine
Uniformed Services University
eric.schoomaker@usuhs.edu
Anthony J. Stamilio, MBA
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army
(Civilian Personnel and Quality of Life)
U.S. Department of the Armyanthony.j.stamilio.civ@mail.mil
Barbara A. Thompson
Director, Office of Family Readiness Policy
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Military Community and Family Policy
Barbara.a.thompson148.civ@mail.mil
Robert J. Ursano, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Director, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
robert.ursano@usuhs.edu

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, PhD
Professor, Department of Human Development
and Family Studies
Director, Center for Families
Director, Military Family Research InstituteExecutive Director, Family Impact InstitutePurdue University
West Lafayette, IN
shelley@purdue.edu
Adam K. Walsh, PhD, LCSW
Subject Matter Expert
Department of Defense Suicide Prevention
OfficeArlington, VA
Adam.k.walsh.civ@mail.mil
Curt West, MD
CAPT, MC, USN
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Assistant Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Scientist, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
james.west@usuhs.edu
Gary H. Wynn, MD
LTC, MC, USA
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and
Neuroscience
Assistant Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Scientist, Center for the Study of TraumaticStress
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
gary.wynn@usuhs.edu

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Rd
Building B, Rm. 3068
Bethesda, MD 20814
www.cstsonline.org