Wounded bonds: A review of the social work literature on gay,lesbian and bisexual military service members and veterans

Abstract

Summary

The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) allows people who identify as gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) to serve openly in the U.S. Military. Military officials are taking great efforts to include GLB service members. This article reviews the historical accounts of the military’s treatment of people who identify as GLB, emphasizing the importance of understanding this history for the social work profession. The article also reports on the review of content related to GLB service members and veterans in 13 journals of social work, identifying implications for social work.

Findings

Based on the applicability to topic and population, ‘journal impact factor’ was utilized to identify the 13 primary journals of social work from 1992–2013 for content related to GLB and military or veterans. Within the 13 journals only eight articles were published during this period relevant to this population.

Applications

Results suggest a strong need to provide more scholarly literature and research with military and veterans that identify as GLB. More information is needed to understand the needs and inform social work education and practice.

Keywords

Social work social work education gay and lesbian bisexual military social work practice knowledge content analysis

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