Bio
Eric M. Sowers, MSW, is a PhD candidate at The Ohio State University College of Social Work, a 2024 Tillman Scholar, and a decorated Army combat veteran. He is the founder and principal consultant of Coyote Consulting, a firm focused on structural coordination, reintegration strategy, and veteran-centered program evaluation. Sowers brings over a decade of lived and applied experience to his work, including grassroots community organizing, peer mentorship for returning veterans, and cross-sector collaboration with public and nonprofit institutions.
His research critically examines criminogenic and carceral veterans through the lens of Veteran Critical Theory, with particular attention to the structural functions and limitations of Veterans Treatment Courts. His work interrogates how militarism, trauma, and institutional abandonment shape the criminalization of veterans. He contributed significantly to the development of the STRONG Veterans Act of 2022, co-authoring provisions that expanded the Veterans Justice Outreach Program and enhanced legal and support services for justice-impacted veterans. His dissertation, Discharged and Denied: Exploring Lived Experiences of Carceral Veterans, is a pioneering study that explores the lived experiences of veterans currently incarcerated in Los Angeles County, focusing on their navigation of Veterans Treatment Courts and the structural barriers to reintegration and recognition. In partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, he serves as a consultant and investigator on a countywide systems evaluation of veteran justice services, helping to generate trauma-informed, community-driven policy recommendations that are shaping the future of veteran justice services. Sowers has presented nationally on criminogenic and carceral veterans, including at the Student Veterans of America National Conference, the University of Chicago’s Military Life Cycle and Transition Summit, and the Pat Tillman Foundation’s Leadership Summit. His research has been featured in Stillman Magazine, Ohio State News, The Columbus Dispatch, and various broadcast media. He is currently co-authoring a book chapter on Veteran Critical Theory that advances structural critiques and community-informed reform strategies. Sowers has also received numerous academic leadership accolades, including the 2025 Outstanding Veteran Student Award, the 2025 Outstanding Graduate and Professional Student Award, and the 2024 Graduate Associate Leadership Award. He has independently taught both undergraduate and graduate courses on social welfare policy, macro practice, and social justice. He is well-prepared to teach qualitative methods, community organizing, and structural policy reform. He is expected to graduate in Spring 2026.
Research Interests
Criminogenic behavior in the veteran community
Carceral verterans
Veteran treatment courts
Whole health and resiliency applications for veterans