June 08, 2005

Combat stress wearing away at soldiers’ marriages

By Gregg Zoroya
USA Today


The number of active-duty soldiers getting divorced has soared since the Iraq war began.
The stress of combat, long separations, repeated deployments and difficulty readjusting to family life are key reasons, Army officials say.

Last year, 3,325 Army officers were divorced — almost four times the number in 2000 and almost double the number a year earlier, Army figures show. For enlisted personnel, the 7,152 divorces last year were 53 percent more than in 2000 and up 28 percent from a year earlier. During that time, the number of soldiers has been stable.

Overall, that’s about 40 divorces per 1,000 marriages.

“Rising through the ranks, every subsequent job gets more difficult, more intense and more demanding,” says Col. Pamela Hart, an Army spokeswoman. “So the stressors are extreme in the officer corps, especially when we’re at war, and officers have an overwhelming responsibility to take care of their soldiers as well as the soldiers’ families. There’s a lot of responsibility on the leaders’ shoulders, which, I can assure you, takes away from the home life.”

“There is a deep concern and some significant resources aimed at helping families survive,” says Army Lt. Col. Peter Frederich, a chaplain who has just been assigned to oversee policy and resources in the Army’s family support programs.

Col. Glenn Bloomstrum, another chaplain, says that five years ago, the Army instituted one-day workshops to help soldiers and spouses talk about war experiences and ease the transition from combat to home. More recently, weekend marriage education retreats have been introduced, and that program is being expanded into the Army Reserve and National Guard, Bloomstrum says.

“There’s a bonding that takes place between soldiers, and during that (family) reunion phase, you’ve got to make the transition from your buddies, who you relied on for life and death situations. Now, it’s really time to spend time at home,” Bloomstrum says.

Dennis Orthner, a professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who has studied military families for 28 years, says he is disappointed but not surprised by the rise in divorces.

“We’re trying to fight a war with families that are struggling, and that’s a real challenge,” Orthner says.

The Army recognizes that for its all-volunteer fighting force to remain viable, it is essential to keep marriages healthy, Frederich says. “It all hinges on soldiers being able to stay soldiers for a long time.”