육아휴직 여군의 군 복직 경험: 현상학적 연구

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of female service members returning to military service after parental leave. Methods: 12 female service members who had taken at least one year of parental leave and had returned to duty for a minimum of one month participated in one-on-one in-depth interviews. Data were collected between June and November 2024 and analyzed using Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenological methods. Results: Three theme clusters were identified: (1) perceiving the limitations of work-family balance within the military, (2) the challenges of embracing motherhood as a military service member, and (3) finding work-family balance through a process of making choices. Female service members who returned to military service after parental leave were active agents who, despite the limitations of work-family balance within the military, made choices and commitments to balance their dual roles as mothers and military professionals. Conclusion: Female service members who returned to duty after parental leave experienced challenges in achieving work-family balance but demonstrated resilience and adaptability within the existing system. These findings highlight the need for practical and sustainable support systems to promote healthy reintegration and retention of female service members after parental leave.