en Occupational Health Original Article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span sans-serif="" style="font-family:Calibri,"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Background:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> Paying attention to psychological issues and characteristics of military service is one of the points that must be assessed by senior planners and commanders.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span sans-serif="" style="font-family:Calibri,"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">&nbsp;<b><span style="color:black">Materials and Methods:</span></b> In the present descriptive correlational study, 604 soldiers serving in the barracks of Kerman province in 2021 were studied. Cluster sampling was used to select the statistical sample from the two barracks of Martyr Ashraf Ganjavii and Martyr Bahonar of the police force. Three characteristics of Mental Health, Personality Traits and Psychological Empowerment were compared in two groups of newly arrived and discharged soldiers. </span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span sans-serif="" style="font-family:Calibri,"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Results:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> Two hundred fifty-seven people (42.5%) were in the group of newly arrived soldiers, and 347 people (57.5%) were in the other group. The average scores of the discharged group in all aspects of mental health were lower than those of the newly arrived group (p<0.05). The average scores of two dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion in the discharged group was significantly higher than that of the newly arrived group (p<0.05). Also the two groups had a significant difference in competence score (p=0.048).</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span sans-serif="" style="font-family:Calibri,"><b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Conclusion:</span></span></b><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> According to the results of this study, military service has had a negative effect on the mental health of soldiers. Nonetheless, it cannot be alleged that military service had a significant effect on the psychological empowerment of soldiers. Consequently, it seems obligatory to use psychological and clinical consultants and doctors for appropriate interventions to increase mental health, such as education, counseling, and psychotherapy.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></div> Military,Soldiers,Mental Health,Psychological,Empowerment, 271 277 http://johe.rums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-311-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Armin Zareian arminzj@yahoo.com 22400319475328460010678 22400319475328460010678 No Associate Prof., Dept. of Health in Disaster & Emergencies, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Aja University of Medical Science Peyman Jahandari p.jahandari54@gmail.com 22400319475328460010679 22400319475328460010679 No M.Sc. in Psychology, Military Medicine Science and Technology Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Aja University of Medical Sciences, Amir Mohsen Rahnejat arahnedjat@yahoo.com 22400319475328460010680 22400319475328460010680 No Assistant Prof., School of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Aja University of Medical Sciences, Kourosh Abbasian k.abbasian@ajaums.ac.ir 22400319475328460010681 22400319475328460010681 No Assistant Prof., School of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Aja University of Medical Sciences, Hassan Ahmadinia h.ahmadinia@gmail.com 22400319475328460010682 22400319475328460010682 Yes Assistant Prof., Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Occupational Environment Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences