Differences and Similarities in Perceptions of Recruits, Soldiers, and Veterans in an Austrian Cohort

Evidence suggests that the majority of the Austrian public appreciates its Armed Forces. However, whether similarly favourable views are held for the Austrian Armed Forces’ recruits, soldiers, and veterans remains subject of debate, as the repercussions of Austrian military history remain unclear. The present study addresses this gap in knowledge by conducting a free-word association task. Participants (N = 266) provided three word-associations to each stimuli term in their native language: (a) “recruit of the Austrian Armed Forces,” (b) “soldier of the Austrian Armed Forces,” and (c) “veteran from the Austrian Armed Forces,” to rank list these associations in accordance to how prototypical each association is to describe the stimuli terms. A total of 2,394 word associations were grouped into 13 thematic clusters with Content Analysis. The Hierarchical Evocation Models suggest that recruits, soldiers, and veterans are favourably characterised. All three stimuli terms entail references to positive personality dispositions and heroizing sentiments as part of their central core. Additionally, the results show that victimizing sentiments are placed on the periphery of individual understandings. This may reflect a revamped image of the Austrian Armed Forces, engaging in societally appreciated missions that are aligned with the essence of Western core values. These results may be indicative in international discussions surrounding improvements of active and retired personnel’s reputation.