Tolls Of War: Divorces In Military

Because of the pressure that military families face, the Pentagon just released rising statistics of divorces in the armed forces. There were approximately 3.6 percent in 2009 instead of 3.4 percent the year before. While divorces are growing, it was a minimal jump.

It’s unfortunate but simple to understand why many military couples turn to divorce. Especially with the war, many members of the armed forces have been deployed multiple times. The stress and time away from one’s spouse can twist everyday problems into key aspects in divorce.

Another problem many couples face is that after being in the war many spouses change and the couple can’t get past the changes. After war, many military personnel are injured physically, mentally or both.

In order to fight the rise in divorces the military has implemented programs to try and help couples work out their problems. The military remarked rises in divorce were low because the programs helped service members and their spouses settle problems and build up their relationship.

In 2001 only about 2.6 percent filed for divorce but now it’s 3.6 percent which displays the toll that the war has taken on military families. When couples are divided it’s easy for the problems to get larger and the drift to expand.

Both in the past and present divorces have been much greater for women in uniform over their male counterparts. In 2009, 7.7 percent of servicewomen went through a divorce in comparison to 3 percent of men. There are fewer women in the military and some of their husbands are not prepared for military life.

But as with all marriages there are “controllable and uncontrollable factors…but when you interject war, preparing for war, being at war, coming home and having to think about going back to war again…it has a tremendous impact on the family unit” remarked Joe Davis spokesman for Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Critics say the divorce rate is much greater than the Pentagon disclosed. One member of the service recalled that every time they were deployed a new batch of divorces would occur. Many think that the numbers are truly closer to double digits.

What could explain the difference in numbers is the fact that the data doesn’t count up actual divorces. Instead they take the number of married troops at the start of the year and the number at the conclusion of the year and take away the difference. But this doesn’t always calculate the same people because of recruits, retirees, and others that leave the forces. In addition the numbers don’t take into account the troubled marriages that are presently intact.

Military life can be extremely hard. Sadly the divorce rates are rising because of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars but the military has implemented programs to try and help couples resolve their problems but divorce rates are still growing.

About the Author

Diane Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Utah. She likes to write about the news, politics, college degrees, college online, and the college experience.

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