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Taking another look at the military divorce rate

| Nov 3, 2011 | Military Divorce

In the past, studies have looked at the rate of military divorce. Are military personnel more at risk of marital strife?

Marriages can come to an end for a number of different reasons, as we’ve seen in past blog posts. It can be the result of personal differences or slowly growing apart. But what about for spouses who are in the military?

Surprisingly a new study is reporting that the military divorce rate is not that much higher than the divorce rate for those who aren’t in the military. But some speculate that the reason the rates are similar is because of military benefits that are available to married couples.

Some of the benefits that are available to service members include:

  • Housing allowance
  • Extra pay
  • Subsidized childcare
  • Marriage counseling
  • Reduced healthcare

Even with the stress that comes with deployment or having a deployed spouse, it appears that these benefits may help keep couples together. One researcher noted that even though stress can be difficult, providing additional support and counseling for military personnel and their spouses can help reduce the divorce rate.

But the study does not account for many of the other possible factors that could be affecting the divorce rate. If the benefits that military personnel are currently offered were no longer available, would the military divorce rate increase?

No matter if the marriage is between two civilians or a civilian and a service member, divorce is a possibility. When a marriage comes to an end, both spouses have a lot of things to consider. It can be difficult navigating the divorce process – speaking with someone who understands the procedure can make things less stressful for all.

Source: Military News: “Do Benefits Keep Military Couples Married?” Amy Bushatz, Nov. 2, 2011

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