Military Divorces Up Again

By Minara El-Rahman on December 07, 2009 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Military divorces are up again this year. AP reports that despite the Pentagon's efforts to prevent the military spouse divorce rate from rising, it went from 3.4% last year to 3.6% this year.

The rate of military divorces has been creeping up over the past nine years as Americans have been fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The percentage of divorces is in a stark contrast to the rate of divorce in the military back in 2001. The rate of miltary spouse divorce back in 2001 was 2.6 percent.

Lots of critics have blamed the wars for the increase in divorces. Joe Davis, spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars told AP: "Every marriage has controllable and uncontrollable factors. But when you interject eight years of war, preparing for war, being at war, coming home and having to think about going back to war again -- and when you have children -- it just has a tremendous impact on the family unit."

Military families have to worry about taking care of their families while loved ones are away. It takes a toll on the spouse left behind. It forces that spouse to act as a single parent.

Mr. Davis says, "Still, at the end of the day, it's that one mother or father who has to go home and close the door and be home alone with their children. There's nothing you can do that will end the stress of having a loved one at war ... until the war ends."

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