KSU AMES - The Who, What, and Why

The Center for the Advancement of Military and Emergency Services Research (AMES Center) at Kennesaw State University was established to foster state and national partnerships that support scientifically rigorous research and the development and refinement of evidence-based interventions for military and emergency services personnel, their families, and communities.

Due to our extensive partnerships and commitment to service, the AMES Center was recognized by the American Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) as the most impactful public service research group in North America in 2025.

At the AMES Research Center, we work to develop and deliver evidence-based programs

aligned with three interrelated portfolios.

Research Portfolio #1: Suicide Prevention. The AMES Research Center has partnered with the Georgia Department of Public Health on the CDC’s Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program since 2023. Our efforts have led to the development and rollout of training for veterans and first responders in lifesaving skills such as emotional regulation, stress management, crisis recognition, peer support, lethal means safety, and help-seeking behaviors while advancing scientific understanding of suicide risk, resilience, and barriers to care among military personnel, Veterans, first responders, and their families. Our work emphasizes upstream prevention strategies that strengthen connectedness, belonging, and community engagement before a crisis occurs. Aligned with this, we have delivered thousands of hours of no-cost community training and nearly 20,000 suicide risk assessments.

Research Portfolio #2: Behavioral Performance. Behavioral performance programs focus on training individuals to consistently meet goals, targets, and outcomes while under pressure. To do this, our two primary programs focus on training cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal skills that enable Veterans, families, caregivers, and first responders to adapt and perform effectively in high-stress and rapidly changing environments. We believe that engaged behavioral performance allows first responders, military-affiliated populations, and organizations to consistently meet goals and expectations established by their communities while simultaneously reducing the cumulative impacts of stress that contribute to burnout, trauma, and suicide risk. In fact, our programs have shown up to a 4:1 return on investment in reduced burnout and increased work engagement among engaged first responder agencies.

Research Portfolio #3: Community Safety and Wellbeing. To seek care and obtain support, people have to understand what resources exist within their communities and where service gaps are. This is necessary not only for their own safety and support but also to ensure appropriate care is provided during times of crisis. Through this portfolio, the AMES Center works to strengthen cross-sector partnerships, improve referral networks, support rural and under served communities, and evaluate community-based systems designed to improve safety, resilience, and long-term well-being.

In addition to our research portfolios, since 2021, the AMES Research Center has established

collaborative relationships with more than 70 government agencies, nonprofit organizations,

healthcare systems, and community partners to provide grant writing support, data analytics,

cultural competence training, tele-behavioral health support, organizational health assessments, program evaluation, and technical assistance with program delivery. These partnerships have allowed the AMES team to leverage research into practical solutions that improve systems of care and enhance positive outcomes for service members, Veterans, first responders, and families across Georgia and beyond.

Point of Contact Brief Biography.

Dr. Brian A. Moore is the founding director of the AMES Research Center. He has 16 years of

military experience and serves as the Vice Chair of the Georgia Veteran Suicide Mortality

Review Board, Research Chair for the Georgia Crisis Response and Intervention Training

Advisory Board, Mental Health Chair for the Georgia Veteran Network, and as a Subject Matter Expert for the Department of Homeland Security’s Science Advice and Guidance for

Emergencies (SAGE) Program. He has authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and professional presentations delivered at national and international conferences. His work has been featured in outlets including NPR, Healthline, U.S. News & World Report, Military Times, and United Press International.