David Rohall, Ph.D.
Military Sociologist | Author
David Rohall created and maintains this website as part of a long-running collaborative research project on Millennials’ and Generation Z’s views of the U.S. military. While the project itself is a joint effort, he leads the ongoing analysis and development of content for the site and serves as its primary public-facing voice.
About Me
I’m David Rohall, a Professor of Sociology at Ohio University and a Marine Corps veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Much of my career as a sociologist has focused on military service, war, and the ways people understand their experiences within military institutions.
My interest in these questions is both professional and personal. For more than two decades, I have studied attitudes toward military service and national defense, including research with cadets at U.S. military academies, ROTC students, veterans, and civilian college students. GenZMilitary.com grew out of this work and my interest in making research about the military and military service accessible beyond academic journals.
I am the coauthor of The Millennial Generation and National Defense: Attitudes of Future Military and Civilian Leaders and have published research on military sociology, civil-military relations, and attitudes toward war and military service. My broader work as a sociologist has also included research and writing on social psychology, research methods, and globalization.
Current Research
More recently, I have become increasingly interested in preserving the experiences of veterans themselves. Military history understandably focuses on battles, leaders, strategy, and political decisions. I am interested in another part of that history: what military service and war looked and felt like to the people who experienced them, and what those experiences meant over the course of their lives.
I am currently conducting oral-history research with veterans of Desert Shield and Desert Storm and working with archival oral histories concerning the experiences of Vietnam-era conscripts. Both projects reflect a broader question that has interested me throughout my career: What happens when large historical events enter the lives of ordinary people?
Get in Touch
My research is deeply rooted in the stories of enlisted service members and how their sacrifices are remembered and interpreted. If you are a veteran interested in sharing your experiences, or a member of the media or publishing community, please reach out at rohall@ohio.edu.
If you served during Desert Shield or Desert Storm, or were drafted during the Vietnam era, and would be interested in sharing your experiences, I would be glad to hear from you.
David Rohall, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
Ohio University
rohall@ohio.edu
