Final answer:
Historical events such as World Wars I and II, and the Vietnam War, saw significant psychiatric casualties among military personnel, which increased social worker involvement in mental health. The neglect and stigma around psychological issues in the military necessitated reforms in mental health systems and expanded the role of social workers to support soldiers and veterans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Historical events that marked increased social worker involvement in mental health and military social work, particularly with psychiatric casualties, are deeply rooted in the experiences of military personnel during significant wars such as World Wars I and II, and the Vietnam War. During World War I, psychiatric casualties were common, but there was a cultural stigma against psychological problems. This led to many veterans struggling with reintegration and lacking proper mental health support after the war. In World War II, the military's efforts to screen enlistees for homosexuality, and increasing awareness of the impact of psychological health on soldiers, began to change perceptions and approached to mental health in the military. The postwar period saw psychological distress as a major issue among veterans, laid out in veterans' hospitals filled with cases of what we now understand as PTSD. Further exacerbation of this issue was seen during the Vietnam War, when the military downplayed the psychological issues faced by soldiers, leading to long-term mental health consequences for veterans.
These situations highlighted the importance of mental health services and prompted a push for reforms in the mental health systems, which included increasing the engagement of social workers in addressing psychiatric trauma and supporting soldiers and veterans. The legacy of neglect and the stigma attached to mental health issues in the military eventually necessitated a change in attitudes and the expansion of mental health services, thereby increasing social workers' involvement in mental health and military social work.