Being married to someone who serves in the U.S. armed forces may be one of the most challenging partnerships a person can face. Service members and their spouses must quickly adapt to changes, including moves to unfamiliar places and prolonged periods apart during deployment. Because of the stress involved, the rate of divorce within all branches of the military is high. Some advisors suggest ways for Florida couples to overcome the common complaints about military marriages.
Since a military marriage may mean spending time apart, many successful couples plan ahead for a date night each week. These dates are never used for discussing bills or resolving conflicts but merely to enjoy each other’s company. It is also important to hold family time sacred, protecting it from long hours at work or outside interruptions. This will be helpful during that time of rebuilding that occurs after a long separation when the spouses may have adapted to life without each other.
It is always possible that a service member will return from a deployment changed. Traumatic experiences may seem to alter a loved one’s personality, making a relationship difficult. Counseling and support are often helpful for both spouses, but sometimes a military spouse refuses outside help. In these cases, the civilian spouse may be able to persuade his or her partner to accept counseling by taking the initiative and scheduling an appointment individually.
Military marriages can be rewarding and long lasting. However, these marriages face unusual strain because of deployment and other harsh experiences, and sometimes the marriage does not make it through. Because of the unique aspects of ending such a marriage, it is important for each spouse to seek the counsel of a Florida attorney who has experience in military divorce.
Source: militaryfamily.org, “4 Threats to Your Military Marriage and How to Fix Them“, Corie Weathers, Accessed on Feb. 10, 2018