DATA SUGGESTS THAT MILITARY DIVORCE RATES HAVE DROPPED

According to recently released data from the Pentagon, the divorce rate among American service members in Texas and across the nation appears to have fallen in the past year. The statistics focus on divorce filings by women within the military. This is in direct contrast to the numbers from 2011, which had the highest historical rate, noted at 8 percent. In 2013 the rate of military divorce fell to 7.2 percent, a significant reduction.

Many believe that deployment is a primary factor in the failure of military marriages. The data suggests that this is particularly true for women in the military. The decrease in 2013 divorce filings may be the result of fewer deployments as the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan come to a close.

Another factor that may contribute to higher divorce rates for military women involves the division of household labor. Women have gained considerable ground in achieving desirable career paths within the armed forces. However, society still supports the notion that the job of maintaining a household and raising a family falls to the wife and mother within a family. In many cases, marital strife results when a woman feels overburdened by both career and family obligations, and the relationship between spouses falters.

For women who are serving within the United States armed forces, the decision to divorce is never an easy one. Military families in Texas should take advantage of the various programs geared toward strengthening the bonds between spouses. However, in many cases a marriage is simply beyond repair, and the best course of action for all involved is to pursue a military divorce and move forward on separate paths.

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Family Law