Chapter 18
A Brief History Of U.S. Military
Families And The Role Of Social
Workers
Revolutionary and Civil Wars
 Soldiers had to settle their family affairs at home and
make provisions for their needs before reporting for
service.
 Families as “camp followers”
 Subject to military rules.
 Provisions were made for meals and housing.
 Adult females were given one half of the rations allowed for
soldiers.
 Children who accompanied their mothers were allotted onequarter rations.
 The wives who accompanied their husbands were not paid from
public funds. The soldiers themselves paid for whatever services
provided to the families .
 Source of concern for military leaders re their safety.
 Wives sometimes dressed as men and manned cannons to relieve
husbands.
 Enlisted men had to get permission to marry.
 Medical care provided for family members.
 Allotments to families during Civil War.
World War I Era
 Red Cross authorized by U.S. Congress to service
troops.
 Many social workers worked for the Red Cross, and
Mary Richmond wrote their manual for helping military
families.
 Military social workers became officers.
 Casework provided to families with regard to financial,
social, medical and communication assistance.
World War II Era
 U.S. government became more generous to military families.
 Congress authorized the Emergency Maternal and Infant Care
program (EMIC).
 The EMIC served more than 1.2 million military spouses and
approximately 230,000 infants and young children.
 Additionally, inoculation programs for all children were undertaken
through public health services.
Korean War Era
 A new generation of social workers recruited.
 Paraprofessionals recruited and trained in the practice
of social work within a military environment.
 Although Red Cross social workers were providing
family therapy and other services within the military,
the initial training manual for military psychiatric social
workers made no reference to families.
The Vietnam War Era
 Women’s movement influence.
 Increase in family-oriented programs.
 Air Force introduced its Children Have a Potential program (CHAP) to
assist families with children with disabilities.
 CHAP expanded later to include the adult dependent disabled family
members of airmen. This became known as the Exceptional Family
Member Program (EFMP), which still exists today.
 The Army created the Army Community Services in 1965 for families
and soldiers. This program consisted of a variety of services such as
budget counseling, housing assistance, and finding and developing
resources for complex personal problems.
 Increased recognition of child abuse within the military community led
to Air Force social workers in 1975 initiating the Child Advocacy
Program.
 Later expanded to include spouse abuse
 Similar programs started by Army and Navy.
Vietnam War Era Aftermath
 End of draft;/all-volunteer force
 Recognition that with an all-volunteer force the service member would
enlist, but the family would play a significant role in the soldier’s
decision to reenlist.
 Family symposia were held on military installations across the country
and overseas between 1980 and 1982. Recommendations:
 provision assistance in helping military spouses find employment
 provision a common educational model for children attending schools on
military installations
 improved medical and dental care
 recognition for the spousal volunteer service in the form of documentation
showing professional development if skills were being used or taught
 expansion of transportation, which would include families living in the
civilian community
 improved childcare services and expanded youth activities
 Based upon the results of the symposia: groundbreaking “White Paper
on Army Families.”
 The Army officially recognized the family not just as “dependents” but also as part of the
Army team. Soon afterwards, action plans were developed detailing the concepts that
were expressed. Family members would now have a voice and be able to contribute to
what would be known as the Family Action Plan by making suggestions at the
installation level.
The Persian Gulf War
 Reserve and National Guard Components
 The Family Care Plan
 Required of all single-parent-headed households and dual-career
families (both parents in the military).
 Requires that a parent designate a guardian with a special power of
attorney in the care of their children. It is the responsibility of the
parent to assure that the guardian has everything necessary to
function effectively.

Family Support Groups
 Unit based and composed of families whose unit was scheduled for deployment.
These families would not only provide support for each other and for less
experienced families, but they also served as liaisons between the deployed unit
and the family members.
 Usually (but not always), the spouse of the commander served as the group’s
leader.
 The success of the support group was dependent upon volunteers who might come
from the civilian sector as well as from military families.
 Family Readiness Groups (evolved out of Family Support Groups)
Terrorism
 Science and medicine had become more sophisticated in dealing with
PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
 Advancement in body armor.
 Increased recognition of how emotional and physical injuries impacted
family.
 VA began to provide family services.