Hazing: A Military Study

Hazing is an extraordinary activity that, when it occurs often enough, becomes perversely ordinary as those who engage in it grow desensitized to its inhumanity Nuwer, 2012. Hazing in the military has achieved significant negative attention in recent years and remains as a challenge of both human relations and policy. The military has risen to meet this challenge through various efforts to include the creation of a hazing working group, examination of policy, hazing prevention offices, and more. There is a void, however, in military hazing research. Research can provide data that may help in the development of training, policy, and understanding, but it is not certain to what extent hazing has been experienced, how it is understood, or why it occurs within the military. Current understanding of hazing is based on university Greek fraternity or sorority life and sports teams high school and college, primarily, while many beliefs regarding hazing and its conceptions are anecdotal. Data must be gathered to test assumptions and facilitate the most effective response to hazing. This study sought to examine knowledge, perceptions, and understanding of hazing among military members.