Military Social Work in Romania: A Qualitative Analysis of the Opportunities for Field Development

The research aims to identify the perceptions that young students have regarding the implementation of a new profession in Romania: The Military Social Worker. The study employs a qualitative research method, with a sample consisting of fifteen first-year students enrolled in the Department of Social Work, undergraduate program in Social Work – Full-time Education, within the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, West University of Timisoara. The interviews were conducted in October, when the students participated in the international conference „Security Challenges in the Balkans.” The conference addressed topics related to national security, the implications of artificial intelligence, the potential outcomes of the war between Ukraine and Russia, and its global consequences. Additionally, the introduction of the military social work profession in Romania was discussed for the first time, marking a premiere in the country through the establishment of a unique master’s program. This program aims to train specialists capable of intervening within the military culture, working alongside active military personnel, their families, and war veterans, to prevent the devastating effects of war at personal, professional, and family levels, as well as to assess and intervene in crisis situations to enhance the emotional well-being of all those involved. The research findings highlight the connection between the military social worker and the development of resilience among military personnel, their families, and war veterans. Furthermore, resilience is bilateral, as it simultaneously develops within the military social worker as well. In Romania, this field has not been previously studied; however, international specialized studies emphasize the indispensable role of the military social worker and their ability rooted in resilience to support individuals within military structures in overcoming personal and professional challenges by building upon positive factors.

Keywords: military social work, resilience, Romania, emotional problems, family issues