THE JOURNAL of MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT COUNSELING

The U.S. military community is composed of active duty, reserve, and Veteran service members and their families. The individuals within this population embody a distinct culture and lifestyle, characterized by service-related identity and experiences. The military community faces critical clinical and systemic mental health challenges. Recently, professional counselors were included in military settings, requiring special considerations of professional and ethical standards of practice. These issues support the need for the creation of counselor competencies that address the knowledge, awareness, and skills required to meet the mental health needs of the military population.