Study Shows Military Couples More Likely To Divorce

 Posted on October 06, 2013 in Divorce

After many years of continuous deployments for military members, the Department of Defense is seeing the impact of military life on the family at home. A study, conducted by the Rand Corporation, followed the marital status of 500,000 soldiers over a nine year period to explore the likelihood of divorce within the military. Military divorce can be extremely complex, particularly when the spouse is going through periods of deployment and not on U.S. soil. If you’re contemplating getting a divorce, hiring a lawyer is critical for receiving accurate legal guidance for your situation. The study found that couples in the military are 28% more likely to get a divorce if one or both spouses is deployed for one year or more. One of the study authors noted that this could be because the length of time these couples spend apart highlights weaknesses in the relationship and causes communication problems for the couple. The stressful conditions associated with deployment (for all family members) only serves to increase tension. Military divorce can take longer if one or both spouses is on active duty in a remote area or is permanently stationed overseas. Some states have relaxed residency requirements that were making it challenging for servicemen and women to file for divorce. It’s critical for anyone considering a military divorce to do some reading about the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act, since this federal statute lays down guidelines for child support, military retirement pay/pension access, and spousal support for military families. The Defense Department may undertake future studies to further explore the impact of deployments on the lives of service members and their families. Deployments and military life can be challenging for any family. If you have been considering learning more about divorce, you should proceed by scheduling an appointment with a qualified Naperville family law attorney.