The Impact of International Mission Participation on Family Life. A Case Study of an Active Duty Military Personnel in the Romanian Army

The participation of the military in international missions and operations under the aegis of NATO, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is an essential component of the commitments assumed by Romania within the collective security structures. Although these missions contribute to the professional development of military personnel and to the fulfillment of the state’s strategic objectives, they can generate significant challenges for the military’s family life. The present research uses the case study method and is based on a semi-structured interview conducted with an active military officer with extensive experience in foreign theaters of operations. The results highlight the fact that separation from the family, the reorganization of family roles, the emotional difficulties of the children and the process of reintegration of the veteran after returning from the mission are the main challenges that influence the family dynamics. At the same time, the study identifies the existence of adaptation and resilience mechanisms that actively contribute to maintaining the family’s functionality. From the perspective of military social assistance, the results obtained underline the need to develop specialized support services for military personnel and their families before and after participating in international missions.