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The contributions of sixteen individuals who, in one form or another, helped to establish psychiatric social work as a recognized professional specialty in the armed forces during the last war are brought together in this volume. The reader is presented with a cross-section of the activities of psychiatric social workers in the military service, ranging from services in a mental hygiene unit in the air force to their work with prisoners in disciplinary barracks. This is followed by a discussion of the problems at higher administrative levels, and the book ends with attempts to bring together the implications of wartime experience for civilian practice.
The various articles recreate with remarkable vividness the difficulties with which a handful of pioneering individuals had to wrestle to demonstrate that psychiatric social work could make a significant contribution in an essentially authoritarian setting. Obstacles were encountered not only from busy administrators, but also from psychiatrists, who were often concerned lest their therapeutic prerogatives be invaded by nonmedical people.
Nevertheless, despite the early vicissitudes, the story is one of progress and achievement. One concrete development, for example, is the military neuropsychiatric team concept, which has been fully accepted in the postwar army. As a full-fledged member of this team, the psychiatric social worker 'assumes responsibility for case work services with individual patients, for the preparation and evaluation of military personal and social data, and performs other military social work duties related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness' (p. 206).
Altogether, this well-documented book offers compelling evidence for the progress of a young profession in a time of adversity. We must share the author's hope that the lessons learned may not be forgotten in the years to come.