Examining the Divorce Rate Amongst Military Members

 Posted on November 10, 2018 in Divorce

Statistics from the Pentagon show that 3.1 percent of the married members of the U.S. Military divorced in 2017. The Pentagon calculated the percentage from the number of married members at the beginning of the year and the number of reported divorces by the end of the year. It is difficult to compare the military divorce rate to the overall divorce rate in the U.S. because they are collected and measured differently. The national divorce rate is expressed as the number of divorces per 1,000 people. Still, military divorce data can show trends and subgroups that have a higher rate of divorce.

Divorce Numbers

The military divorce rate has remained around 3 percent for the past four years, while the number of military members who are married has dropped to around 51 percent. Researchers consider millennials to be largely responsible for the declining marriage rate, which also means fewer divorces. However, the military marriage rate is still higher than the national average. Other military divorce statistics show some interesting trends:

• The U.S. Air Force has typically had the highest divorce rate of any military branch;
• A recent study claimed that first-line enlisted military supervisors who are younger than 30 have a 30 percent divorce rate, which is the highest divorce rate of any occupation in that age group; and
• Female military members have consistently higher divorce rates than their male counterparts, with some studies suggesting that their divorce rate is double.

Reasons for Military Divorce

All divorces occur for reasons that are specific to that marriage. However, military members and their spouses face several stressors that can contribute to a divorce:

• Members can be away from their spouses for long periods while they are deployed overseas;
• Members who are stationed in the U.S. may still need to frequently relocate with their families;
• Members are more likely to marry at a young age before they have emotionally matured;
• Members may suffer from physical and mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder; and
• Members who have been discharged may have difficulty adjusting to civilian life.

Completing Your Divorce

A military couple getting divorced must settle the same issues that other spouses would, including the division of property and allocation of parental responsibilities. However, your or your spouse’s service in the military will affect how you settle those issues. A Kane County divorce attorney at Goostree Law Group can help you through a complicated divorce process. To schedule a free consultation, call 630-584-4800.

Source:

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/03/21/troop-divorce-rate-unchanged-marriage-rate-continues-fall.html