Military social work is a specialized field of social work aimed at providing psychosocial, family, and community support to active-duty military personnel, veterans, reservists, wounded or disabled war veterans, and their families — before, during, and after deployment.
This field combines the principles and methods of social work with the specific characteristics of the military environment, contributing to maintaining personnel well-being, enhancing individual and family resilience, and facilitating social and professional reintegration following participation in missions, armed conflicts, or other high-impact situations.
Military social work includes, among other things:

• assessing the social needs of service members and their families;
• counseling and case management;
• supporting veterans and wounded military personnel during recovery and reintegration;
• crisis intervention and post-traumatic event response;
• supporting the families of deployed, wounded, missing, or deceased service members;
• facilitating access to rights, benefits, and social services;
• developing prevention, resilience, and community support programs;
• conducting research and developing social policies for the military community;
• advocacy to defend the rights and interests of military personnel, veterans, and their families;
• drafting, analyzing, and promoting social policies and proposals to improve the legislative framework regarding the military and veterans;
• continuing education and professional training for military social work specialists;
• promoting ethical standards, human rights, and best practices within support systems dedicated to military personnel and veterans.

In most NATO member states, military social work represents an important component of the support system for military personnel and veterans, carried out through collaboration among social workers, psychologists, medical doctors, legal experts, and other specialists. In Romania, the field of military social work is currently undergoing development, both in terms of professional training and scientific research. The Romanian Journal of Military Social Work (Revista Română de Asistență Socială Militară – RRASM) contributes to strengthening this domain by publishing studies, analyses, and research dedicated to social policies, veterans, military families, resilience, and national and international best practices. In Romania, the field of military social work is currently undergoing development, both in terms of professional training and scientific research. The Romanian Journal of Military Social Work (Revista Română de Asistență Socială Militară – RRASM) contributes to strengthening this domain by publishing studies, analyses, and research dedicated to social policies, veterans, military families, resilience, and national and international best practices.

The organization of military social work varies across NATO member states depending on legal systems, armed forces structures, and national social policies. Nevertheless, most allied nations develop specialized services designed for service members, veterans, reservists, and their families.
Generally, military social work includes:

• evaluation and management of complex social situations;
• support for wounded military personnel and veterans;
• services dedicated to military families
• prevention, resilience, and social and professional reintegration programs;
• crisis intervention and post-operational deployment support;
• interdisciplinary collaboration with psychologists, physicians, legal experts, and other specialists;
• cooperation between military institutions, public authorities, and non-governmental organizations.

In many NATO states, military social work services are integrated into personnel support structures, veteran-dedicated systems, or specialized recovery and reintegration centers. Additionally, the alliance encourages the exchange of best practices and cooperation among nations in areas such as resilience, military family support, and veteran recovery.

A military social worker is a specialist who supports active service members, veterans, reservists, those wounded on missions, individuals with service-connected disabilities, and their families in managing social, family, professional, and psychosocial difficulties.
Their work aims to prevent and reduce social vulnerabilities, facilitate access to services and resources, and enhance individual, family, and community resilience.
Main responsibilities include:

• assessing the social needs of service members and their families;
• counseling and referral to social, medical, educational, or legal services;
• supporting wounded military personnel and veterans in their recovery and social and professional reintegration process;
• providing support to the families of deployed, wounded, missing, or deceased service members;
• crisis intervention and social case management;
• collaborating with psychologists, doctors, legal experts, commanders, and other institutions to resolve beneficiary issues;
• participating in prevention, education, and resilience-building programs;
• drafting and implementing social policies and programs for the military community;
• conducting research and evaluation activities regarding the social needs of military personnel and veterans;
• representing beneficiaries’ interests in relation to public institutions and national/international organizations;
• promoting inter-institutional cooperation and the exchange of best practices nationally and internationally;
• participating in education, professional training, and continuous development in military social work.

According to ESCO (European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations) Cod 2635.3.19: „Social workers in the military sector provide assistance to families to cope with a family member’s departure into the armed forces, supporting them in adjusting to the departure and return of the family member. They help teenagers deal with the fear of losing parents serving in the military. Military social workers help veterans readjust to civilian life and manage suffering, trauma-related disorders, or grief.””

Military social work applies the general principles of social work within a specific institutional and operational context. Beneficiaries include active-duty service members, veterans, reservists, those wounded in action, and their families. Interventions take into account the unique aspects of the military profession, such as deployments, occupational risks, trauma, post-service reintegration, career mobility, and the specific needs of the military community. In contrast, civilian social work targets the general population and covers a broader range of vulnerable categories.

These services target active-duty service members, veterans, reservists, wounded or disabled war veterans, as well as their families, including spouses, children, and dependents.

Military social work addresses a wide array of social, family, professional, and psychosocial issues that may arise during a military career or after service completion. Interventions are tailored to the needs of active-duty personnel, veterans, reservists, wounded or disabled service members, and their family members.
Common situations eligible for support include:

• social and professional reintegration difficulties following participation in missions or military operations;
• disorders associated with exposure to traumatic events, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions;
• adaptation to changes caused by transitioning to the reserves or veteran status;
• family difficulties, marital conflicts, parenting issues, and the impact of separation due to military deployments;
• loss of a loved one, grief, and managing the psychosocial consequences of the death or disappearance of a service member;
• social isolation, difficulties in community integration, and shrinking support networks;
• socioeconomic challenges, including access to social benefits, housing, employment, and other support services;
• integration of individuals with service-related disabilities and facilitating access to specialized services;
• supporting the families of service members wounded, disabled, or killed in the line of duty;
• referral to medical, psychological, legal, and social services according to identified needs.

Depending on the complexity of the situation, interventions may include social assessment, case management, counseling, advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and facilitating access to available resources. The goal is to improve psychosocial well-being, foster resilience, and support the social and professional reintegration of beneficiaries.

No. Interventions begin during active military service and continue through the transition phase to civilian life, covering the entire lifespan of military involvement.

The family plays a vital role in recovery and reintegration. Military social work addresses not only the individual but also family dynamics, relationships, communication, and support resources.

Post-mission reintegration is the process of psychological, social, and professional readjustment following military deployment, which may require emotional, relational, and identity adjustments.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may include symptoms such as flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance of triggers, irritability, insomnia, or emotional withdrawal. Diagnosis can only be established by qualified specialists.

No. Military social work functions complementarily alongside psychology, psychiatry, and other professions, serving a role in coordination, social support, and systemic intervention.

Research in military social work focuses on, among other topics:

• well-being and quality of life among military personnel;
• support provided to veterans and military families;
• social recovery and reintegration following deployments or armed conflicts;
• mental health, trauma, and resilience;
• social policies and legislation in the military domain;
• crisis management and disaster response;
• ethics and human rights;
• civil-military cooperation;
• international best practices and models;
• the application of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in military social services.

Advocacy is the process through which a military social worker promotes and defends the rights, interests, and needs of service members, veterans, reservists, and their families, contributing to the improvement of social services and public policies.
In military social work, advocacy activities may include:

• representing beneficiaries’ interests before public and military institutions;
• identifying and raising awareness about social issues affecting the military community;
• formulating proposals to improve social policies and legislative frameworks;
• promoting equitable access to social services, benefits, and rights;
• participating in working groups, committees, and consultations regarding support system developments;
• collaborating with professional organizations, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and international bodies;
• promoting professional standards and best practices at national and international levels;
• supporting research initiatives and programs that contribute to enhancing the quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families.

Advocacy can be conducted at an individual level (defending a specific beneficiary’s rights), an organizational level (improving social services), or a national/international level (contributing to public policy, professional standards, and inter-institutional cooperation).

Yes. In Romania, the field of military social work has seen recent academic advancement through dedicated postgraduate and master’s degree programs organized by the Department of Social Work within the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work at the West University of Timișoara.\n\nAdditionally, the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work at Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) offers specialized coursework in this field, such as the module „Social Work in the Military Sector,” contributing to training future specialists and expanding the discipline nationwide.

The Romanian Journal of Military Social Work welcomes academic and practical contributions, accepting original research articles, review articles, and opinion pieces for publication, provided they fall within the scope of military social work or related fields.
Authors must comply with the guidelines outlined in the Publication and Ethics section, which provides details regarding manuscript structure, formatting standards, citation style, ethical requirements, and submission procedures.
All manuscripts are reviewed by the editorial board to verify compliance with the journal’s editorial policy and undergo a scientific peer-review process prior to the final publication decision.
RRASM encourages the submission of original, relevant, and scientifically sound works that contribute to advancing knowledge in military social work and connected disciplines.

Yes. RRASM encourages the publication of institutional profile articles focused on military institutions, public authorities, non-governmental organizations, professional associations, foundations, recovery centers, programs, and other entities carrying out relevant activities in military social work.
You may submit a presentation article detailing the institution or organization you represent, highlighting its mission, activities, projects, services, and overall contribution to supporting active military personnel, veterans, wounded or disabled war veterans, reservists, and their families.
Articles must be informative and professional in nature, present content of interest to the scientific community and practitioners, and adhere to the journal’s editorial policy and ethical standards.

Yes. RRASM is an Open Access journal, meaning all published articles are freely available without subscription fees or access restrictions, fostering the open dissemination of scientific knowledge. Open access enhances research visibility and increases the academic impact of published works.