Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Announces Winner of 2016 Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- An article examining the long-term implications of policy decisions made during and after World War II is being honored today by the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University as the winner of the 2016 Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. The annual award, now in its second year, recognizes the best scientific article published during the previous year that combines exceptional rigor with important insights about military and veteran families.

The article, "War and Marriage: Assortative Mating and the World War II GI Bill," appeared in the October 2015 issue of Demography, a scholarly journal published by the Population Association of America. The authors of the article examined the unexpected impact of the GI Bill on spousal selection and family development for service members and veterans eligible for the benefit.

Jeremy G. Moulton of the University of North Carolina will accept the award from MFRI Director Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth. The presentation is part of an event hosted by retired Army Lt. Gen. Guy C. Swan III, vice president for education at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), at AUSA's headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Moulton's co-authors are Matthew F. Larsen of Lafayette College, T.J. McCarthy of the University of Southern California, Marianne E. Page of the University of California, Davis, and Ankur J. Patel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

"For the past 16 years, the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University has made it our mission to promote and advocate for research that provides insights into the unique challenges and opportunities facing military and veteran families," MacDermid Wadsworth said. "We are pleased to be honoring authors who examined a critical implication of post-World War II policies in such a rigorous and innovative way. We believe that the conclusions of all the finalists' research articles will further affirm the importance of high-quality military-focused research."

The award presentation will follow a panel discussion based on "A Battle Plan to Support Military & Veteran Families," to be published by MFRI in spring 2017. The book will examine lessons learned about supporting military and veteran families since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. MacDermid Wadsworth will moderate the discussion; panelists are experts on military and veteran families and "Battle Plan" contributors:

• Meredith Kleykamp, director of the University of Maryland's Center for Research on Military Organization
• Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association
• Morgan Sammons, executive officer of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists
• Barbara Thompson, director of the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Family Readiness Policy

"Battle Plan" will provide insights shared by leaders in government and policymaking, corporations and associations, community service and education, and behavioral health care and research. It aims to be a resource for future leaders who, when faced with the next serious conflict or military engagement, seek to offer the best support for service members, veterans and their families.

For more information about the award, the authors and MFRI, visit the Military Family Research Institute website.

About MFRI
The Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) conducts research on issues that affect military and veteran families and works to shape policies, programs and practices that improve their well-being. Founded in 2000, MFRI envisions a diverse support community that understands the most pressing needs of military and veteran families and collaborates to create meaningful solutions for them. This nationally recognized organization is located within Purdue University's College of Health and Human Sciences in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies.

About AUSA
The Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) is a private, professional, nonprofit educational organization that represents every American soldier by being the voice for all components of America's Army, fostering public support of the Army's role in national security and providing professional education and information programs.

SOURCE Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University