Social Worker Interview

Why did you choose that agency and the relevance for your future clients? Being an active duty military spouse, the military lifestyle has become a large part of my identity and I belong within the military community. Working for the Airman and Family Readiness Center as a Social Worker is very much a “calling” for me. When I was a new spouse without a support system, the stresses related to the military were much more than I ever imagined. Now that I am a seasoned spouse who will soon earn her MSW, I really want to be there for the new military members at the best of my abilities. I will have empathy and understanding of my clients and be a great advocate for their needs. I want to address issues specialized to the military, such as deployment

Sylvia Flores, LMSW, “Community Readiness Consultant” at the Military and Family Readiness Center (MFRC), Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

What is your previous experience and what are the requirements for this position? Ms. Flores was enlisted active duty in the Air Force when she completed her Masters of Social Work degree. Her goal was to become a military officer as a Social Worker, but they were not taking applicants at that time. She gained experience in a nursing home then a behavior health clinic before joining the MFRC. She began in military social work through a GS position, which she encouraged me to research. Currently on USAJOBS.gov, there are 169 open positions for a Social Work generalist, and many others in specialized Social Work fields. The entry level position requires only an MSW, not a LCSW, and begins at a GS-09, as opposed to the lower entry positions of GS-05 or GS-07. The salary range is $48,968.00 to $129,723.00, which is a good paycheck for a social worker. It also includes federal benefits, such as great medical insurance, vacation pay, student loan repayment and retirement

At an overseas base location or in a secluded area, there will be more limited services and resources available.

What are some unique ethical dilemmas in this field of social work? The MFRC have had some issues with social media and privacy. Mostly gossip or revealing personal identify information on Facebook. Within the Department of Defense, there is a special attention to online social media use because of Operations Security (OPSEC).

What about the largest ethical violation, dual-relationships? There is a difference between living off-base and living on-base. Ms. Flores lives off-base and does all her activities away from her military clients. If a social worker were living on-base and extremely active in the military community, there would be a higher chance of seeing their clients or past clients. By using the on-base facilities, such as the commissary, library, fitness center, church, school, bowling center, etc., and being involved with any volunteer work, one might cross paths with a client. However, most of the work Ms. Flores does is through workshops and presentations, not so much case work, so I wonder if that would make a