The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have not only taken a tremendous toll in life and limb among veterans, but have also demanded huge personal sacrifices. Since 2001 alone, the divorce rate among American military couples has increased by 42%. A new initiative aims to help military couples protect their marriages.
The initiative called the Art of Marriage Ops campaign has been launched by nonprofit organizations Family Life and Military Ministry. According to FamilyLife, many times, spouses of veterans labor under the misconception that when a veteran returns from active combat, he can just pick up his life from where he left off. Unfortunately, many military couples find that that’s actually not true at all.
The Art of Marriage Ops claims to give couples the chance to rediscover each other, and reclaim the relationship. The program is based on advice from experts as well as real-life stories that can help couples understand that they’re not alone in their struggles to hold on to their marriage after deployment.
There are several reasons why military marriages are so susceptible to divorce. Many veterans may suffer from physical and mental conditions, and serious injuries sustained during combat. Many veterans are also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that develops after a soldier has been exposed to life-threatening or traumatic situations. A veteran may return with severe injuries that include amputations, brain injuries, and genital injuries.
Adding to the stress is the high employment rate among veterans. Also, many veterans have undergone more than one deployment, which increases mental stresses further. Mental stress, unemployment, and poor health – these are all ripe conditions for the development of marital stress.
If you are a military spouse considering divorce, and have questions about child support, alimony, parenting and other divorce-related issues, speak with an experienced Seattle divorce attorney at our firm.
