The 12-year journey of balancing military life, family, and a ‘part-time’ doctorate (2 July 2025)
Publication
Pumphrey, J. V. (2025). Action Research in the Military: Experiences, Outcomes and Learning (Order No. 31840525). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Royal Roads University; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (3165676615).
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Prelude to prologue
On 20 January 2025, I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation. I expect a degree in applied social sciences (DSocSci) to be conferred in May, and there will be a convocation ceremony in June. My wife--and self-proclaimed "PhD widow"--is excited to have me back in the kitchen and carrying a more significant load around the house. Over the years, I have tried to balance work, family and academic requirements during this scholarly journey. Still, the fact that a part-time degree took twelve years to complete suggests that I am no master juggler of my various lifeworlds.
Friends and acquaintances have encouraged me to share my unique story. This blog entry will cover the background of my story, with future blogs offering insights into my thinking and writing and focusing on what’s next after completing the doctorate. I must find ways to continue harvesting value from the doctoral experience.
Everyone's value proposition differs, and I have benefitted from the experience. But I need to do more and seek a creative outlet to share, co-create, and explore ideas. Ultimately, I hope to make a small difference in this world, and I am ruminating on how I might do this. This blog is a way to iterate and explore how to do that. Join me as I walk this new pathway [new for me, anyway].
Why I may have a unique perspective
Canadian census data from 2021 indicated that 1.1% of the national population possessed an earned doctorate, with most degrees in the social sciences completed while students were in their early/mid-30s. I started my degree at age 45 with our young son trying to colour within the lines in grade 2. When I walk across the stage, our 19-year-old will complete his first year of university.
Where has the time gone?
Creating this blog and web presence are part of exploring what one might consider doing after obtaining a doctorate as a middle-aged professional who has never been employed in the education sector.
Summary of the path followed
Coursework and residency phases
The doctorate began in 2013 with an intensive residence phase of three weeks. We all learned to speed-read 350-400 pages/night to be ready to engage in learned discussion for classes while preparing for our presentations and facilitated discussions. It was intense. Thank God there was coffee available in abundant supply.
After Year 1 of coursework, I had to take a leave of absence from university work to complete a one-year language course to prepare for a job promotion. By the end of 2015, academics were back on track after completing coursework for Year 2. Additionally, I discovered an approach to academic inquiry that resonated with me. I selected Action Research (AR) as the preferred way to address my emergent research topic related to Canadian national security implications of deploying the military to areas of conflict in the world.
A change of topic = +/- 1 year delay
After several months, I finally had a make-or-break meeting with the interdepartmental coordinating entity in the Government of Canada, the Privy Council Office (PCO). Ultimately, there were insurmountable concerns about the sensitivity of the information I would have to access. I was advised that other Government Departments and Agencies would not participate in the research. The outcome of this meeting was sub-optimal and represented a significant setback. After a few months, I reoriented and reattacked with a new topic that was important to me personally. This time, I didn't depend on external stakeholder government departments and agencies for support.
New beginning / new challenges
My previous experiences and reflections on wartime Afghanistan from 2008 motivated me to contemplate how we, as the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Department of National Defence (DND), might improve our decision-making. The research inquiry was designed to address an apparent lack of a robust process for developing options to pre-emptively deploy military resources to fragile nation-states to reduce the risk of future conflict.
Next, I completed my comprehensive examinations phase of the doctorate and defended my proposal at the university. As a piece of internal research at DND/CAF, I also found a sponsoring organisation and received approval to conduct research at DND/CAF after another rigorous review process. By this time, I was back in Afghanistan for a one-year tour of duty (2018-19) at the Embassy of Canada in Kabul.
I used my two trips home to Canada to recruit different organisations for my research effort. Additionally, the scope of organisational engagement was narrowed to accommodate the one volunteer entity interested in the research, the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM). For a host of reasons that are well described in the dissertation, the original research stalled, and the focus of the inquiry changed significantly, as implied by the new title:
The research & what comes next...
My research evolved from its ambitious beginnings to lessons learned about conducting AR in the Canadian DND and CAF. Insights presented in my work ought to be useful for researchers embarking on similar research in hierarchical organisations like DND/CAF. The abstract of the work is found at the end of this blog entry.
While the dissertation has been completed [defended, edited, and published], I have realised that I am at a new start-point after achieving this terminal point of education qualification. Onwards and upwards as the saying goes, but where exactly is the destination? As an action researcher, I am predisposed to get moving, reflect, and make course adjustments in an iterative planning cycle that gradually gets me on target.
Next steps - defined
The creation of this blog is the imagined primary, public-facing modality for my reflections. These reflections will initially be focused on the follow-up activities related to the dissertation.
Specifically, I will contemplate operationalising [a good military term] the results of the research beginning by:
Adapting and sharing the dissertation work with DND/CAF;
Exploring peer-reviewed publications and deciding what parts of the dissertation ought to be developed into journal articles; and
Decide on the direction for the initial blog entries.
I will explore these topics on this blog in the coming months.
If you want to join me, please share your email address. I will notify you when a new blog is available. I promise not to spam or share your information with third parties.
Check back mid-July for a deeper look at how I plan to translate dissertation findings into a user-friendly format for DND/CAF.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I look forward to your comments via the web form below [scroll down to the bottom of this page]. You can sign up to receive future news and blog posts, if you wish.
-- John
Action Research in the Military: Experience, Outcomes and Learning
Abstract
This study is an examination of Action Research (AR) conducted in Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). It details the experiences, outcomes and learning related to the AR conducted. It will highlight the potential challenges in conducting voluntary research in hierarchical organisations such as the military and emphasise the importance of maintaining consistent stakeholder engagement to support planned research activities. Using a Mixed Methods Action Research (MMAR) approach, this study set out overall to collaboratively develop a statistical tool aimed at improving decision-making processes within Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) for the deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) on conflict prevention missions. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) of conflict data was introduced in a workshop with DND/CAF personnel to collaboratively review and enhance decision-making processes. Next, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (SEM-CFA) was used to assess a proof-of-concept model derived from observed conflict data and theoretical concepts. Despite some initial success, the study became stalled, which ultimately encouraged a refocus of learning to better understand this AR at DND/CAF. Consideration is given to the reasons for the stall including the positionality of the researcher, himself a senior officer in the military. Perhaps somewhat uniquely, the researcher's positionality allowed for specific reflections to improve future implementations of AR in DND/CAF to meet organisational and operational needs.
Pumphrey, J. V. (2025). Action Research in the Military: Experiences, Outcomes and Learning (Order No. 31840525). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Royal Roads University; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (3165676615). https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/action-research-military-experiences-outcomes/docview/3165676615/se-2
Royal Roads University (free download): https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-20303
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