WARRIOR IDENTITY IN THE CONTEXT OF STATE EMPLOYMENT POLICY FOR WAR VETERANS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The identity of a war veteran is a multidimensional complex structure that
encompasses a diverse range of special needs. Supporting the warrior identity of war
veterans should be based primarily on its recognition and understanding – with all its
complexities and specifics - and be one of the basic principles of ensuring the needs of
veterans and veterans' policies in general. For a full understanding of these needs and
the worldview of war veterans and harmonious coexistence, it is critically important for
society to hear the veteran's own voice and rely not only on state obligations as the main
guarantor of ensuring the rights of veterans in conditions of full-scale war, but also to
reproduce the manifestation of respect, mercy and complicity in the problems of active
military personnel and war veterans. However, the main problems remain medical and
psychological rehabilitation and financial provision of the needs of war veterans. It is the
comprehensive solution of these problems that is the basis for ensuring the post-war wellbeing of veterans and veteran policy in general and can become a reliable basis for
guaranteeing a worthy place for war veterans in Ukrainian society.
Despite the fact that a lot of research and publications have already been devoted
to veteran topics in Ukraine and abroad, further research into various problems related to ensuring a worthy social status of war veterans in domestic science remains extremely
relevant.
The purpose of the study, the results of which are presented in this article, is to
determine the criteria and features of warrior identity in the context of the state
employment policy of war veterans in Ukraine. According to the results of the study, the
authors:
The feasibility of considering military and veteran identity as successive stages of
a single phenomenon of warrior identity is substantiated and three key definitions of these
categories are proposed. At the same time, warrior identity is the central structural
element of the veteran's experience, which determines the nature of his reintegration,
adaptation strategies and the need for symbolic recognition of a new social status.
A conceptual distinction between the concepts of «social integration», «social
reintegration», «social inclusion» and «social re-inclusion» is proposed with the author's
interpretation of each category. It is confirmed that employment is not only an economic
factor in the well-being of veterans, but also a key mechanism for restoring a social role,
independence and dignity. The leading role of public activity and veteran communities in
the process of reintegration as a social environment that recreates elements of military
collectivity and horizontal solidarity in the civilian space is revealed. It is determined that
an effective veteran policy should combine the fulfillment of state social obligations with
the formation of conditions for the autonomy of veterans, avoiding excessive dependence
on preferential provision as a self-sufficient model of support.

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