ABSTRACT
When I was asked to author this chapter, my initial thinking was consistent with a traditional historical conceptual framework, a chronological presentation of relevant data such as organizational structure, personnel issues, and job functions. While such data are important to our history, and will be summarized herein, I have concluded that a historical documentation of social work in the Air Force should capture the human drama associated with the evolutionary milestones that shaped our practice. Learning about the personal, professional, organizational, and political events that charted the course of social work delivery in the Air Force should enlighten others who would struggle, as we have, to conceptualize, design, and develop innovative practice models to meet the changing needs of clients while responding to imposing forces within our society.
