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Synthesis Essay Assignment
Name
School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Liberty University
INDS 400: Knowledge Synthesis for Professional and Personal Development
Professor
February 21, 2022
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Synthesis Essay Assignment
Understandably, most people initiate their pursuit of higher learning in order to attain the
knowledge needed to find success in their careers, goals, and ambitions. Strangely, this was
initially not the case for me. I had already found great success in a military career that did not
require a college education, but as fate would have it, some of my less than admirable actions
demanded that I attend two college courses as a form of professional development. I would have
never thought it possible, but the challenge of higher learning quickly captivated me, and I found
it truly fascinating how many of the skills learned in the classroom had their place in everyday
life as well as the workplace. Thankfully, the military gave me great latitude in exploring the
various disciplines of higher learning which ultimately resulted in the major areas of my
Interdisciplinary Studies degree being more indicative of my life’s journey than a specific career.
However, I have recently learned that my combined working knowledge of business, military
science, and behavioral health can be very valuable when working with the U.S. Army’s Child
and Youth Services (CYS) and the state of Louisiana’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Organizations such as CYS and the VA require a very unique set of skills to be truly
successful because they are civilian organizations that provide services to military service
members, veterans, and their family members. Many people do not realize that there are actually
very few similarities between how these two types of organizations are structured, how they
operate, or how they communicate. What I learned in Liberty University’s Organizational
Behavior course and their Business Communications course has allowed me to quickly and
effectively fill positions that often require years of training and experience to master. More
specifically, these courses have equipped me with the managerial and communication skills that
are required to thrive in the modern civilian workplace. I now have a better understanding of the
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importance of stress management, team dynamics, the decision-making process, and how to
identify potential cultural and ethical issues that can arise. I also have a better understanding of
what type of communication medium is best for a given situation and how the written word can
be harnessed to convey the intended tone and message.
While the military sciences area of study can also be very helpful in the workplace,
especially when working with military service members, veterans, and their families, my focus
on this particular area of study was more for personal reasons at first. After multiple tours of
combat with the famed 101st Airborne Division and the injuries that ultimately led to my
medical separation from the military, I was in search of knowledge that could help me heal and
better understand what was happening to my mind. I found those answers and healing in Liberty
University’s courses on military mental and behavioral health. These were the courses that
helped me understand that traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder were not just
fancy labels that medical professionals gave to those who had stared evil in the eye a little too
long. By the time I completed MILT 475, I began the treatments that allowed me to make it
where I am today. These courses also provided me with knowledge and skills that have allowed
me to help others to seek help from both the Church and medical professionals that ultimately
changed their lives for the better.
Though I initially began studying the behavioral sciences to better prepare me to assist
my youngest son who has severe ADHD, this area of study quickly helped me realize how much
I enjoy working with special needs children and their parents. The courses that have been most
beneficial in this area of study so far have been the Child and Family Development course and
Christian Counseling for Children. Together these courses have provided me with a good
understanding of the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual needs of children and
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their parents. They have also helped me to provide parents with information that brought them
and their children closer to God as they worked to bring stability and balance into their homes.
In conclusion, Liberty University’s Interdisciplinary Studies degree has provided me with
more than the skills and knowledge that are required to get a specific job. It has given me an
education that brought me closer to God, made me a better father, and helped me to heal as
nothing else could. It has also helped me to bridge the gap between military and civilian
organizations so that I can better aid military service members, veteran, and their family
members in a way that ensures they receive the best possible care and resources available. I truly
look forward to return to Liberty University in the future.
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