Behavior Analysis in Military and Veterans’ Issues – 2025 Annual Report

By Abigail B. Calkin

The Military/Veterans (MilVet) SIG is entering its 21st year of ABAI operation. The SIG focuses on how the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) can contribute to those who have served their country. There are also many issues the military and veteran communities currently address (autism, suicide, PTSD, and TBI). Chair Abigail Calkin and members remain excited about discussing the issues and needs of this specific population. During the SIG’s two decades of existence, a significant amount of time was devoted to increasing membership, while also examining viable ways of accessing the military and veteran community. Finally, some projects are officially in progress, which we hope increases the activities of the SIG members. We also have some consistent members who are key in moving the SIG forward.

At present, the Tricare ECHO program for treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among the children of active-duty beneficiaries remains federal law and the only official entry point into the Department of Defense (DOD) healthcare system for behavior analysts. According to the most recent data, behavior analysts are currently treating .059% of the military/veteran population through these official and reimbursable means, which include qualifying beneficiaries diagnosed with ASD. Moreover, the only federally authorized positions for behavior analysts within the DOD and the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) are for those who practice as licensed psychiatrists, psychologists or social workers. There are no known official positions or other policies addressing the role of behavior analysts within the DOD and the DVA healthcare systems. Given these challenges, the current activity of the MilVet SIG continues to work to raise awareness about the obstacles that lie in the path of delivering applied behavior analysis to a much broader audience in the military and veteran population other than just those on the autism spectrum. We continued our grassroots approach to penetrating the DOD and the DVA in order to spread ABA to the MilVet community.

At the 2025 ABAI Annual Convention, the SIG remained involved in its activities. A new group of people, some active duty and others military spouses, attended the 2023 SIG meeting and have since taken a very active role in the group. This continued during the year and at the 2024 and 2025 ABAI conventions. This is an exciting and significant landmark for the SIG given that immense barriers remain to opening doors within the DOD and the DVA.

The chair is pleased with the SIG’s membership growth. When Kent Corso and Abigail Calkin, then co-chairs, first applied to be a SIG, there were 14 members. The membership in 2016 was 50 members. One of the MilVet SIG members, Megan Miller, created a Facebook page on 28 May 2014: Behavior Analysis in Military and Veterans’ Issues SIG. The site, a closed group, grew to 86 members in its first year and as it approached the end of its second year, it then hosted 190 members – an increase of 220%. In 2024, membership stands at 719. Its membership is holding steady at 729 in 2025.

The Behavior Analysis Military/Veterans (MilVet) SIG showed a new poster for the 2025 ABAI convention expo. Members Dan Coe and Josh McQuillen designed the current poster.

Other news includes Dr. Corso continuing to work on and lead more behaviorally-based suicide prevention projects. He now conducts a third direct suicide prevention work in Wyoming with military and civilian communities. For several years, he has participated in dozens of projects with suicide prevention in the military. Dr. Corso resigned in 2024 as co-chair of the Behavior Analysis in Military and Veterans Affairs due to his workload on suicide prevention within the military, but remains active in working with active duty and retired service members. Dr. Calkin is now the sole chair.

The field of ABA can contribute much to evaluate functional communication deficits associated with TBI, improve the management of suicidal behavior and prevention programs, aid those with PTSD using the standard celeration chart to monitor individual and program changes, and offer occupational training for veterans and service members.

Membership in the Mil/Vet SIG is free and the SIG will continue its presence at future ABAI expos. This remains a great opportunity to meet prospective members of the Mil/Vet SIG, current members, and the chair. Any parties interested in the MilVet SIG, contact Dr. Calkin at abc@abigailbcalkin.com.