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Can reduced deployment period also reduce military divorce?

| Aug 17, 2011 | Military Divorce

Being halfway across the world from a spouse can put a strain on a marriage relationship. While this arrangement may not seem like a normal, everyday situation, many couples where one spouse is an active member of the military find themselves dealing with this very issue.

Studies have shown that long deployments may have an impact on the rate of military divorce. Longer deployments can cause a lot of stress and mental problems in troops as well as their loved ones, even their children. But now the Army is making a change that could decrease the number of military personnel who get a divorce while on active duty.

Earlier this month, the Army made a change to the length of a soldier’s deployment. Prior to this change, soldiers were deployed for a full year before being able to return home. They had been granted two weeks of R & R during those 12 months. But now soldiers will be deployed for a total of nine months.

Because the increase of military divorces could be connected with long deployments, officials hope that this reduced deployment can help decrease stress that could lead to relational strain between married couples. Whether it can will remain unknown until after the change is implemented next spring.

Going through a military divorce is often more complicated than a regular divorce. Military personnel not only have to deal with the typical issues that can arise, such as child custody and property division, but they also have to navigate the military specific regulations surrounding child support and benefits. It can be a confusing process, but speaking with someone who understands military divorce can help couples reach a solution.

Source: CNN International: “Army to reduce deployment time in war zone to 9 months,” Larry Shaughnessy, Aug. 5, 2011.

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