Abstract:The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 25 combat-experienced Veterans of the Global War on Terror who fit an operational definition of successful resocialization. How do successfully resocialized combat Veterans compare with combat Veterans who became involved with the criminal justice system? Utilizing a snowball method to identify each participant, the most significant finding from these interviews was that two factors seem to differentiate the civilian and military group styles the most, which were the overwhelming importance of purpose and tribe in the lives of combat Veterans. This confirmed the hypothesis that the most significant difference between the civilian and military cultures is the group style. All the Veterans interviewed for this study said that they drastically reduced their alcohol consumption after their active-duty service ended, compared to increased consumption reported by a comparison group of combat Veteran criminal defendants. Veterans who left the military over the age of 25 experienced smoother transitions than those who entered and left the military at younger ages. A logic model of Veteran crime is proposed that warrants further research to verify or nullify the theory. This study preliminarily found support for the theory that poverty and cultural misalignment are the primary drivers of crime within the Veteran community. At the philosophical level, this study challenges the ethics of war itself. The best possible way to address resocialization of combat Veterans is to avoid creating combat Veterans in the first place.