Of all the sacrifices that our servicemen and women make in keeping our country safe, one of the biggest is having to be away from their families for long periods of time. And even when they are stationed in the United States and are living with their families, they still may have to move frequently. These are just two of the issues that can bring pressure to bear on married military couples who are trying to stay together.
It is a tribute to these brave service people that in spite of their many challenges, they actually have a divorce rate that is slightly lower than that of their married counterparts. But could the military divorce rate be cut even further and if so, how?
Well, one possible solution could be early intervention and counseling for military couples. And to find out if this method may be effective, 250 U.S. Air Force couples are going to participate in a research project.
A grant of almost $900,000 has been given to a university in Ohio to do research on the couples that have all spent a minimum of six months in a committed relationship. The researchers intend to have each couple undergo three 30-minute sessions with a behavioral health specialist wherein there would be an evaluation and feedback. A psychologist who is part of the program says he would like to see such sessions a yearly event for military couples and as well as civilians.
Hopefully, this research will yield tangible results that eventually be used to help military couples stay together. But regardless, sometimes a military couple may be unable to make their relationship continue.
In such cases, it can be very helpful for each party to secure the services of an attorney who understands the unique aspects of military divorce. Such an attorney may be able to help resolve issues ranging from child custody to the division of military benefits.
Source: Military Times, “Ohio researchers to study military marriages and counseling,” Nov. 14, 2015