Military social work: life experiences, problems and needs of terror veterans and family members

In this study, the problems, needs and life experiences of terror veterans who have actively participated in the fight against terrorism and returned home and their family members are discussed. The data of the study were collected through semi-structured and in-depth interviews with a total of thirty participants, including terror veterans, their spouses and children, using qualitative research methods. The findings of the study were discussed under four themes: life experiences, problems encountered, needs and solution suggestions, based on the pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment phases. It was found that emotional changes such as anxiety, fear, anger and sadness occurred amongst family members during the pre-deployment phase, with the news of the deployment assignment, and that parents had hesitations about informing their children about the deployment. At the deployment phase, the traumatic life experiences of terror veterans and their family members, psychosocial problems caused by these experiences, the difficulties of single-parent family life, the children's education life, appointment and accommodation issues were discussed. At the post-deployment phase after returning home, the decision to leave the army, the integration of terror veterans and their family members to civilian life, and psychosocial problems after returning home were revealed. Finally, solutions to the problems and needs of terror veterans and their family members were included. It is considered that the social work practice in the army plays an important role in solving the problems experienced by terror veterans and their family members and meeting the needs of the clients on a rights-based platform.