From March 9 to 15, Clinical Associate Professor and retired Air Force colonel Fred Stone and co-instructor Jessica Dodge led 16 students on the 6th annual Military and Veterans Policy and Practice immersion to Washington, D.C. The purpose of the trip is to provide social work students—especially members of the Military and Veterans Programs (MVP) or those interested in working with military-affiliated populations—a breadth of opportunities to learn about military policy as well as macro- and micro-level military social work.

“The immersion augments students’ social work education and introduces organizational leaders to some of the students from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work,”  Stone said. 

Standout Moments From the Trip

Immersions offered through the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work provide students with the unique opportunity to apply theoretical frameworks learned in the classroom, interact with industry leaders and witness social work in action. 

This trip itinerary included more than 13 tours, sessions, seminars and receptions. 

One of the most exciting moments occurred at Joint Base Andrews, where students visited the Aeromedical Staging Facility—where wounded service members are flown from overseas—and Fisher House, which accommodates the family members of veterans while their loved ones receive medical treatment. Fisher House served more than 32,000 families in 2018 alone. Students met with Air Force District of Washington surgeon Col. Norman West, who spoke with them about caring for injured veterans and their families through a comprehensive framework of care.  

On March 12, students met with Mark Takano, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “Congressman Takano is a man whose schedule is so busy that it’s segmented into 15 minute blocks. The fact that he made time to see us was a privilege,” Stone said. “Students were able to gain visibility into the process of writing and passing legislation that directly aids service members, veterans and their families.”

A Firsthand View of Clinical Military Social Work

On the following day, students visited the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), an organization whose mission is to “offer compassionate care to all those grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving in our Armed Forces or as a result of his or her service.” Through a national peer support network and a comprehensive referral program connecting survivors with grief resources free of charge, TAPS touts among the broadest reach of any U.S. military family-related service organizations. 

“Most of the staff employed by TAPS have themselves lost someone in the military—and sensing their dedication to serving survivors creates a palpable sense of reverence and honor,” making the experience particularly powerful for students, Stone said. 

Another standout moment occurred during the March 15 visit to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, where academics, scientists and medical professionals conduct groundbreaking comprehensive research on traumatic brain injury and includes treatments leveraging art and music therapy.

“Many of the patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries are veterans,” Stone said. “Our experience at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence provided students with a one-of-a-kind view into micro-level clinical applications of military social work and the cutting-edge therapies being employed to treat veterans.”

Preparing the Next Generation of Military Social Workers 

The Military and Veterans Policy and Practice immersion trip not only gave students access to some of the highest levels of government officials and social work officers, but it broadened their understanding of what’s possible moving forward. 

Some of the students who attended the trip were veterans, and most are pursuing social work opportunities in military-affiliated organizations where they will have the chance to work with service members, veterans and military families after they graduate. 

“This trip serves as a reminder for students of the breadth of possibilities: they can pursue active-duty military social work, governmental positions, nonprofit work, clinical therapy roles or academia. Even if they choose not to work within a military-focused organization, they will certainly encounter military members and veterans in any domain of social work interest,” Stone said. “We hope that this trip equips them with some of the tools that will enable them to effectively serve this population—members of whom are integral to the fabric of our society.”