Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

Department

Criminal Justice

First Reader/Committee Chair

Bichler, Gisela

Abstract

This qualitative study examined how personal, relational, and institutional experiences influenced susceptibility to terrorist recruitment among aggrieved U.S. military members. Using a scenario-based interview design grounded in the Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol-18 (TRAP-18), twenty current and former service members participated in standardized, one-on-one interviews. The study aimed to identify patterns of vulnerability and resilience that emerge from experiences of marginalization, isolation, emotional distress, and moral conflict within military contexts. A deductive analytic approach combined TRAP-18 indicators with Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis to interpret how participants conceptualized grievance, belonging, and institutional trust.

Findings revealed that radicalization susceptibility does not emerge from ideology alone but from the convergence of emotional, relational, and structural stressors. Across all participants, moral outrage and perceived injustice were the most prevalent TRAP-18 indicators, appearing in 100 percent and 90 percent of cases, respectively. Failures in intimate or familial bonding appeared in 85 percent of participants, underscoring the impact of prolonged deployment and weakened social ties. Additional risk indicators, such as dependence on virtual communities and identification conflicts, illustrated the compounding effect of digital exposure and moral injury. Thematic analysis produced five dominant themes: injustice, institutional neglect, isolation, military-induced hardship, and recruitment openness. Participant narratives frequently described feelings of exclusion, moral conflict with leadership, and emotional exhaustion that left them more receptive to alternative narratives of belonging or justice.

Comparative analysis with prior research showed consistent overlap with studies of grievance-driven radicalization among the Turkish Hezbollah, the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), and the Dutch Hofstadgroup. These parallels demonstrate that institutional neglect and emotional disconnection, rather than ideological indoctrination, often initiate the radicalization pathway. The results affirm TRAP-18’s cross-contextual reliability and highlight the unique pressures of military service that can magnify vulnerability when left unaddressed.

The study concludes that prevention efforts must target early indicators of alienation and moral outrage through peer-based and rehabilitative programs rather than punitive measures. Recommendations include integrating TRAP-18-informed assessments into wellness screenings, expanding veteran mentorship initiatives, and promoting policies that emphasize rehabilitation over incarceration for service members whose deviant behaviors stem from trauma or moral injury. Ultimately, the findings suggest that empathy, institutional accountability, and social reintegration are essential for transforming grievance into resilience. By acknowledging the psychological and structural roots of vulnerability, the U.S. military can reduce extremist recruitment risks while reaffirming its moral responsibility to those who serve.

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