Latino Soldiers & Politics Research Project

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can participate by being interviewed for the project. You can also refer someone you know for an interview. Interviews are confidential. Interviews typically take one hour, but may take up to 90 minutes. Participation in interviews is completely voluntary, and participants can choose to end the interview at any time. Participants can also refuse to answer any question. Interviews can take place in-person or over Zoom.

To participate in this study you must meet the following requirements:

• Identify as Latina/o/x or Hispanic
• Be 18 years old or older
• Serving in one of the following military branches: Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, or Air Force
• Registered to vote

Participating will cost you nothing monetarily, but will cost approximately 60-90 minutes of your time. There are no direct benefits to participants.

Interviews are confidential. That means that any identifying information about you will not be released or published without your explicit permission. Interviews will be audio-recorded to ensure the accuracy of transcripts. The audio recordings could identify you, which is why I will be the only one with access to the audio file. After the transcript is made, the audio file will be deleted. Furthermore, identifying information will be redacted from the transcript. Audio files and any other personally identifiable information linked to your research data (such as your contact information, if you opt-in to allow follow-up communications) will be stored in an encrypted password-protected file folder, on a password-protected computer in the personal possession of the lead researcher. For more details, review the "Confidentiality" section in the Informed Consent Form found in the Documents tab above.

There are five central themes in the interview questions:

• Cultural Upbringing

  These questions will ask the participant about their childhood, familial influences, and how they were socialized. Through this process, participants will talk about their cultural identity.

• Decision to Enlist

  These questions will ask the participant why they decided to join the military–i.e., for patriotic purposes, influence, or social mobility. Through these questions, participants will talk about understanding the responsibilities and benefits based on the commitment. If applicable, questions will also ask those who’ve decided to re-enlist.

• Experiences in the Military

  These questions ask about their lived experiences in the military. Questions will be asked about BMT/MCT/Bootcamp Training, influences of leadership, connecting with other Latinos in the military, racial dynamics, and the political landscape of their deployment.

• Patriotism and Self Perception

  These questions will be asked to see how Latino soldiers think about their cultural identity and sense of belonging in the United States. In turn, these questions ask them how they view themselves in the broader Latino community. This theme seeks to understand if there were any influences in the military to change one’s perspective.

• Voting and Political Identification

  The last theme will ask about participants’ political opinions and how they decide to vote–in the interest of family, Latinos, military, or party affiliations. These questions will inquire participants on how they navigate political disagreements with colleagues and family (if applicable). Ultimately, these questions will ask participants about their political party alignment and how and why they’re involved in politics.