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South Jersey & Philadelphia

Divorce and the military

On Behalf of | May 27, 2019 | Divorce

It is no secret that being married in the military can be a challenge. With long separations caused by multiple tours of duty a relationship can be difficult to maintain in New Jersey and elsewhere in the country. However, a recent study by the Department of Defense shows that the rate of divorce among the military has been very slowly declining.

There appears to be a greater impact on the marital status of women in the military. The study showed that only 740 female marine officers were married in 2018. While fewer women in the military marry, more of them get divorced. The data showed that the divorce rate for women was more than double that for men. In 2018, 6.3% of military women who were married filed for divorce while only 2.6% of military men filed for divorce in the same time period.

What is not known is how much a return to civilian life and a loss of benefits has to do with the statistics. Stress caused by the loss of military benefits could be a significant contributor to the deterioration of a relationship. This may be particularly true if a military woman was a significant contributor to the household and loses some sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when it is no longer the case.

Most people entering into marriage, including those in the military, do not anticipate their marriages ending in divorce. A present or former member of the military in New Jersey who is considering divorce may wish to consult with an attorney who has experience handling military divorce situations. A lawyer can review a person’s situation and help one to arrive at a settlement that is fair and equitable to all parties.

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