Farming and Veterans - Why Agricultural Programs Resonate with Returning Combatants

Abstract: Farming is one of the oldest professions, probably about as old as soldiering. Historically, the two were often interlinked, even in the recent story of the birth and development of the United States. It’s no wonder that soldiers returning from the last ten plus years of warfare in the Middle East are turning to farming as a route to reintegration into civilian life. However, questions exist as to why exactly some choose this route. This article describes motivations and values affiliated with veterans' resonance with agricultural programs, from the perspective of the author, who is himself a veteran, a farmer, and a researcher in the field.