Session: Invited Symposia: So You're Interested In Doing Research with Service Members, Veterans or Military Families? (Society for Social Work and Research 15th Annual Conference: Emerging Horizons for Social Work Research)

Social workers are the providers most frequently called to address the psychosocial needs of our nation’s service members, veterans and military families. In light of increased demand for services and complex new issues presented by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there is a dramatic and urgent need for scholarly inquiry into the lives and well-being of military-related populations. Through discussion with a panel of scholars presently conducting research with service members, veterans and military families, this session will encourage and facilitate increased social work involvement in similar types of research. Aimed at increasing social work’s capacity for conducting research with military-related populations, panelists will: provide examples of current military social work research; offer information about potential sources of funding through traditional and non-traditional mechanisms; suggest ways for developing partnerships with military installations, VA entities and relevant community organizations; and present tips for conducting culturally-relevant research in military social work. Whether you’re a junior scholar, wondering how to establish yourself in this field, or a seasoned researcher, contemplating ways of adding a military component to your existing research, this discussion will offer new insights and practical solutions.